Here’s something a lot of local businesses miss. Before someone ever visits your website, they often see your Google Business Profile first.
It’s that box that shows up when someone searches your name, or “live music near me,” or “coffee shop open now.” Your hours, photos, reviews, phone number, and directions are all right there.
For a lot of people, that box is their first impression. So let’s make it a good one.
Claim it and check it
If you haven’t claimed your profile yet, start there. Search your business on Google and look for the option to claim or manage it.
If you already have it, take five minutes and look at it like a stranger would. Is everything right? You’d be surprised how often an old phone number or wrong hours are hanging around.
Get the basics exactly right
These need to be accurate, always:
- Business name
- Address
- Phone number
- Website link
- Hours, including holiday hours
Wrong hours are one of the fastest ways to lose a customer. Nobody wants to drive over and find the doors locked.
Pick the right categories
Your category helps Google know when to show you. A bar with live music, a restaurant that hosts events, a music venue. Choose the main one that fits best, and add a few extras that are true.
Add photos, and keep adding them
Profiles with real, recent photos feel alive. Add pictures of:
- Your space, inside and out
- Your food, drinks, or products
- Live music nights and events
- Your team, with their OK
Add a few new ones every month. It shows people you’re open and active.
Post your events and updates
Google Business Profile lets you share posts, like events, offers, and news. Use them for your weekly music, specials, and big nights. It’s one more place people see what’s coming up, right when they’re searching.
Answer questions
People can ask questions on your profile. “Is there parking?” “Do you take reservations?” “Is it kid friendly?”
Check in now and then and answer them. It saves future customers the guesswork.
Reply to reviews
Thank people for good reviews. Respond to tough ones calmly and kindly. A thoughtful reply shows everyone reading that you care, even when something went wrong.
Connect it to your website
Your profile and your website should match. Same hours, same phone number, same events. When they line up, people trust what they see.
And if your website is easy to use on a phone, people who tap through from Google will stick around.
A monthly 10-minute check-in
Put a reminder on your calendar once a month. Open your profile and:
- Confirm your hours, especially around holidays
- Add three or four new photos
- Post your next event or special
- Answer any new questions
- Reply to new reviews
Ten minutes a month keeps your front door looking open and welcoming.
Need a hand with the whole picture?
We help local venues, bands, and small businesses look great everywhere people find them, from Google to your website to your socials.
Let’s talk. Check out our websites or send us a message, and we’ll take a quick look at how you show up online.
