Changing Primary Owner for Your Google Business Profile

If you just sold your business, or need to change your Google Business Profile manager, you’ll need to change the primary owner. Changing the primary owner will enable the new owner or marketing team to have control over the Google Business Profile account.

Before you proceed, ensure you have primary user access to the Google Business Profile account – and five minutes of your time.

Follow these steps to change the primary owner:

1. Sign in to Google Business Profile

On your computer, sign in to Google Business Profile to access the manager tools page. Remember you need to be the primary user of this account to access the manager tools page and make changes. If you aren’t the primary user, you may need to forward this tutorial to the primary user of the account.

2. Choose a location

This step is necessary if your business has several locations. Click on the location you wish to manage to continue. You have to be sure to manage the right location as you apportion a new primary user to your business. This could be important if you wish to transfer primary user status to a part of your business based on location.

3. Select users

The Google Business Profile location screen allows you to manage everything from reviews to users of that location. You can also add a manager to the location if you wish to upgrade existing users to manager status.

4. Invite new users

If you sell your business or a part of it (a branch in a certain location), you’ll need to invite a new user. This is because you can’t confer primary owner status to a user not already on the platform. If this is the case, click on Add Users and add the new user’s email address. The next step is to select a role for them before sending them an invitation.

Be sure to also notify the new users about the invitation so they can check their inboxes for the invite and accept it accordingly. The roles you can assign the new user are Owner Manager or Site Manager. They also take up the roles as soon as they accept the invite.

5. Choose the new primary owner

Once you have the user on your Google Business Profile platform, go to the right of their name to see a menu with options to change user roles. From this menu, choose Primary Owner.

If you aren’t selling your business, conferring Primary Owner status to users, you need to proceed with caution. A user with this status can lock you out of the account as well as initiate other critical changes to your Google Business Profile. This can include adding new users and making them Primary Owners. You may consider other user levels, such as Site Manager and Manager.

6. Transfer business owners

All that remains now is to transfer control to the new primary user. You’ve successfully sold the business or have vetted the new user sufficiently to trust them with the management of your Google Business Profile account.

Keep in mind that there’s no going back once you assign users the primary user status. They’ll have the power to change account information, add other users, as well as edit other users among other abilities. When you’re sure of everything, you can click Transfer.

Changing the primary owner of your Google Business Profile account shouldn’t be a big deal if you follow these simple steps. You can also partner with us at Toast Local for a comprehensive audit of your Google Business Profile account setup and advise you on what to do to ensure it ranks higher on Google Maps. For more information or if you need any help, please contact us today.

5 Top Reasons Why Your Business is Not Showing Up on Google Maps

Google Maps is an incredible tool for businesses. It allows people to find your venture’s location with the utmost ease. If you are a business owner, you can always run a test to see if it will appear on the search results. In case it does not show up, that would mean something is wrong, and you need to find a solution as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might keep missing out on potential customers who are genuinely interested in your products or services.

There are several reasons why your business may not show up on Google Maps. Here are the most common issues.

1. Your Business Lacks Enough Prominence

Sometimes, your business will not appear on Google Maps because it is not well-known. The Google algorithm prioritizes search results by prominence. You will find that more popular concerns like the well-established local pizza joint appear among the top results on Google. If your business competitors are more prominent, then your business will come after them in the search results.

2. Your Business is Not Verified on Google Maps

The top Google Maps ranking factors are prominence, distance, and relevance. However, if your business is not listed, it will not appear on the search results. While that may be unlikely, verification is the more likely problem. To become verified, you need to create and claim your Google My Business profile.

After that, you need to confirm your profile through email or a phone call. Google will then validate that your business is in a particular location. Consequently, it will start showing up on Google Maps.

3. You Share Business Premises

If your business shares an office with another, you may not appear on Google Maps. Sharing the same address with another company does not augur well with Google. Fortunately, there is a way around this issue.

The best approach is to add a suite number next to your Google address. When you do this, Google will undoubtedly appreciate the distinction. And both businesses will appear on Google Maps as two separate entities. If you don’t have a suite number, you can always contact Google, and they will be happy to help you.

4. You Have Changed or Added Your Business Location 

If you have recently changed or added your business premises, it may not appear on the Google search results. You may not know that Google takes time to adjust such details. Wait for at least 3 to 4 days, and Google Maps will update the listing. After that, your prospects can easily find your business on Google.

5. Google has Disabled or Suspended Your Listing

Some quality issues are sensitive. They can lead Google to suspend or disable your listing. Unfortunately, Google will hardly point out your mistake. It could be that you have used multiple addresses for the same business, or you have several verified listings on Google. Sometimes, your information, such as your phone number and address on the web, is inconsistent. Such a scenario may raise suspicions, forcing Google to disable your listing.

If this is your current predicament, contact Google support. Once they tell you the cause of suspending or disabling your account, rectify the problem, and your listing could be reinstated.

Final Thoughts

Before you ask, “Why is my business not showing up on Google My Business?”  you want to check if any of the issues listed above affect your listing. If you have done everything right, but your establishment still ranks low on search results, you need help.

Toast Local is a service provider that helps small businesses to dominate their local Google search results. Contact us today, and we will be more than happy to help your business rank higher.

How to Add Your Social Media Sites to Your Google Business Profile

Having a Google Business profile (or Google My Business as it’s often called) is a must for every business. It’s a quick and simple way to let potential customers know about your business, the products and services you offer, where you are located, and contact information.  You can also include pictures of your business and a link to your website. When people search for your business on Google, it will be one of the first things to catch their eye. The profile fits nicely on the right-hand column of the list of search results. It gives them all the information they need about your business at a glance, before going further and exploring your business’s website and content. Best of all, Google Business is free to use. What’s not to like?

Google Business profile is an important tool in making sure your business is seen and promoted (a must for SEO). It is simple to put together, however, it comes with one major flaw. It does not have an easy way to link to your business’s social media, like your LinkedIn or Facebook page.

Even now in 2022, there’s no way to be able to link them through the dashboard like you’re able to do when linking your main website. It’s a frustrating aspect of the Google Business profile. Your social media sites need to be seen and accessed quickly by current and potential customers just as much as your website. In fact, you may be wondering what the point is if not everything about your business can be included.

Here’s the good news; you actually can add your social media sites to your Google Business Profile. Google does not forbid you from doing it. You may know this already if you’ve seen other Google Business profiles that manage to have their social media sites linked. It just takes a bit of extra work.

How to Add Your Social Media Sites to Your Google Business Profile

Before beginning this process, make sure your business’s website has the ability to add a script. The main way to add your social media sites to your Google Business profile is through a script code that you want to add to the head or body of your website, according to a LinkedIn article written by Viral Your Website.

First, copy and paste the following code somewhere in Notepad or Word.

{ "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "Organization",
  "name" : "Your Organization Name",
  "url" : "https://www.your-site.com",
  "<span class="spelling">sameAs" :</span> [ "https://www.facebook.com/your-profile",
    "https://www.twitter.com/yourProfile",
    "https://plus.google.com/your_profile"] 
}

From there, edit the code with your business’s information:

  • In the name section of the code where it says Your Organization Name, fill in the name of your business.
  • Next, in the URL section of the code, add the link to your business’s website.
  • In the same section of the code, add the links to all of your business’s social media sites.
  • Once you’ve edited the code to your liking, you can paste it in the header or body of your business’s website.
  • When you’ve done all that, test your code out here.

What’s the reason behind doing all of this? It will give further credibility to your business. It also helps Google to better understand what your business is and what it offers, giving you a huge boost in SEO. Also, it adds more information to your Google Business profile that customers can quickly access.

Perhaps someday in the future, businesses will be able to add their social media sites to their Google Business profiles as easily as they can add their main website. But until then, this process, while taking a bit of time, will work and net your business positive results. Contact us for more information about how to add your social media sites to your Google Business profile.

How to Share Your My Google Business Profile With Clients

Increasing your brand’s visibility on the internet should be your ultimate goal. You are a step ahead if you already have your Google My Business listing. But how can you leverage this progress and get more clients? Let’s find out how you can share your Google Business profile with your clients.

The Importance of a Google Business Profile

Never underestimate what a Google My Business account can do if you adopt it as a marketing strategy. A Google Business profile helps your business grow by attracting potential clients – they will know what services you offer as well as how to get them.

Why should you give the GMB listing idea a thought?

  • Manage your brand’s information

Here is a chance to notify your clients and prospects about your business through regular updates. Updates about working hours, location, as well as contact details are what will boost your SEO ranking, increasing your brand’s visibility.

  • Establish a reputation

Google incorporates reviews and star ratings for services offered by various brands. Your clients will influence your business’s visibility depending on other people’s experiences. Prospects refer to reviews before deciding if your services are any good.

  • Convert prospects into clients

Google My Business has a book an appointment feature that helps prospects plan on visiting your company. Clients who are still scouting for services might choose your listing over the rest by checking your GMB profile.

How Does Google Rank Your Google My Business Listing?

Google analyzes all business listings and ranks them based on several factors, including:

  • Relevance – Does your GMB listing match the search intent?
  • Where is your business located, and how far is the searcher from the business?
  • Prominence – What’s the experience like when using your services? What do other people think? And what’s your SEO ranking?
  • Google Analytics – These features optimize your brand awareness, increase traffic, as well as attract prospects.

How to Use My Google Business Profile to Attract Clients

How can you use a My Google Business listing to gain more customers? Below are the areas you should work on!

1. Work on your profile

A complete Google Business profile compels potential clients to try your services. Accurate information also places you above competitors by boosting your relevance score. Google detects information like what your business is about, its location, and when you are open.

As a business owner with a GMB listing, update business hours when they change. Let clients know if you are available during holidays, weekends, and at what time.

2. Verify location

Google displays the most verified locations on search engines. A Google product with a valid location also improves the SEO score.

3. Include your business’s images and videos

My Google Business Profile has a logo and brand photo. Images that relate to the business, such as location photos, increase its recognition.

4. Don’t miss out on keywords

Your brand remains relevant with specific keywords. Google Analytics can help provide answers to search queries.

Work on your ranking by incorporating keywords organically. Don’t forget that the keywords should also match your brand’s description.

5. Reviews are magical.

Reviews are critical in determining a business’s credibility – prospective clients are likely to believe what other people think of your service. These will be reflected in your SEO score.

Always ask for reviews and ratings when you are sure that you gave an excellent service. Google usually has a link for customers to share their experiences interacting with your brand.

While positive reviews influence visibility, negative ones could be why your online presence is not tangible. Respond to negative reviews by empathizing and even apologizing for your shortcomings.

Your customers are the reason you’re still running your business; why not strive to make them happy? The idea is to connect with customers by paying attention to their concerns.

6. Update your business details regularly

If you ever change any details, update your Google My Business listing. For example, if you change location or working hours, update this.

Conclusion

A Google My Business listing can be worthless if it doesn’t attract prospects and clients. Customers will easily find you with these tips as well as improve your ranking. If you are unsure about how to use Google My Business to get more clients, contact us today for insights.

How Do I Get Ownership of My Google Business Profile if Someone Else Has It Claimed?

According to research, 5% of GMB listing views result in a website click, call, or direct request. So, if your Google Business profile has been claimed by someone else, you need to take action immediately. Every second that passes, you are missing out on a potential lead.

It’s probably owned by an old owner or employee, but it could also be a competitor playing dirty. It is a common tactic where they do it to redirect traffic to their website or post negative reviews under your business.

Whatever the case, as long as someone else has it claimed, here is what you can do to get ownership.

How to Request Ownership of Your Google Business Profile

Once you receive the message that the business profile has been claimed, it contains a hint of the verifying email address. If the hint gives you an idea of who it might belong to, give them a call and ask them to transfer ownership.

Additionally, if you can’t tell who the hinted email belongs to, ask the employees and former owner(s) whether they did it. If they did, ask them to transfer it back to you via their Google Business profile.

If you don’t find out who it is, it is likely someone outside the business. You can request ownership by clicking on “Own this business?” then “Request Ownership”. The ownership request is sent to the email in the message.

What to Do After Requesting Ownership

After sending the request, the listed owner has seven days to respond to the request. You can check the status of the request by signing in to your Google My Business or clicking the link in your verification email.

There are three possible outcomes:

  • Approval of Your Request

If your request is approved, you will be notified via email. You can then remove them as owners and manage it.

  • Your Request is Denied

You may also receive a notification email letting you know that your request has been denied. If it has been denied, you can appeal the request.

How to Appeal a Denied Ownership Request

If the current owner doesn’t respond to your email or denies your request, and you’re certain the business is yours, you can appeal the decision. To appeal, in the confirmation email you received after requesting access, click “View request”, then “Appeal”.

By appealing, you are verifying the Google Business profile listing using a postcard. Google sends you a postcard containing a pin. You are to enter this pin into your business profile page, then you become the new owner.

  • You Don’t Hear Back From Them

If you don’t hear back from them after the 7-day grace period, you might have the option of claiming or verifying it yourself. Just sign in to your GMB account and look for a Claim or Verify button on the dashboard.

If you don’t hear from them, and your dashboard has no Claim or Verify button, you may need to restart the process or go for the last option below.

What if Everything Else Fails?

After all else has failed, the last resort is to ask for help from Google’s help center. Give them all the details of the situation, then they will handle it and have the ownership transferred.

You can also receive support from Google’s @googlemybiz, which is dedicated to answering questions about Google Business profiles.

Do You Need Help Maximizing Your Local Online Presence?

How high up do you rank when a local customer searches for keywords related to your business? If it is not the top result, then you need help maximizing your local online presence. And no one does it better than Toast Local.

Toast Local helps local businesses rank higher and increase leads. We will perform a comprehensive audit of your current Google My Business setup then optimize it to improve your rank.

We can also maintain it monthly! Contact us to get a free analysis!

How to Optimize Your Google My Business Profile Header Image

Everybody understands first impressions matter, not just in real life but also online. It would help to constantly manage your online reputation to ensure your landing page is word-perfect in online business. However, most people don’t understand the relevance of the Google My Business profile page. You are guilty of thinking it is only a matter of reviews and local search, but you are not alone. The fact that you may overlook is that you need a tight rein on your Google My Business photos.

A Google My Business profile is now an essential aspect for local businesses. Unfortunately, it is not enough to simply have a profile and generate the leads that will help to boost revenue. It would help to optimize your GMB page, which means, among various things, the proper header image.

Studies show that online users rely heavily on visual cues and process visual media faster than average plain text. Another BrightLocal research reveals that 60% of online consumers find local search easily when the business incorporates good pictures. This helps to attract more customers and close deals fast.   

Google My Business offers many visual features to present your business in the best possible light. However, taking great images of the right size and uploading them to the right place can be challenging. Let’s change that!

Google My Business Cover Photo Size

The header photo is typically the first image your visitors will see. The recommended ideal cover photo size is 1024 x 576 pixels. Traditionally, Google requires that cover photos have an aspect ratio of 16:9. The minimum and maximum pixels for the image would be 480 x 270 2120 x 1192 pixels, respectively.

These requirements no longer apply, but you can still use them as a great rule of thumb. It would help play around with various dimensions and see what will work best. The standard dimensions among popular businesses are:

  • 1366 x 768
  • 1280 x 720
  • 960 x 540
  • 854 x 480

Uploading Google My Business Profile Header Image 

The image you wish to upload on your Google My Business cover photo will go along with your Google My Business Listing. Start by uploading the cover photo. You can use the following steps:

When using a PC:

  1. Log in to your GMB profile
  2. Select Photos > Overview > Cover
  3. Select the right image to upload

When using an iPhone:

Tap Profile > Add a Cover Photo

When using an Android device:

Go to Upload > Profile > Photos. Next, select “Set as Cover Photo” to start the upload process. 

Where Does the Image Appear?

When you upload photos to your Google My Business Listing, and they don’t show them publicly, don’t feel discouraged. It has been a problem for over a year. Google is already aware of the issues and is constantly working to fix them.

The photo visibility is pretty sporadic but not very common. There are no foolproof solutions, but some tricks can help make your image appear flawlessly.

The first solution is to configure all your photos correctly. It is best to ensure they suit the recommended solutions and size even when they are. Google guidelines for header images are:

  • Apply PNG and JPG format
  • Optimize the size from 10 KB to 5 MB
  • Improve quality by using proper lighting
  • Ensure resolution is greater than 250px by 250px

Another solution would be to delete the affected photos and upload them again. This sometimes works as a few businesses have used it perfectly.

If this fails, then go forward and contact us at Toast Local. We can also help you with your Google  My Business Profile. Our goal is to help you improve your online visibility, measure your results, and enable your business success.

Google Business Profile: What to Know About the Google My Business Rebrand

Your business is unlikely to go far without a healthy online presence in 2022. With 87% of customers beginning their product searches online, establishing your business online is no longer a luxury. Google’s business listing platform, Google My Business, has for a long time been a key tool for businesses that are trying to get found online by a local audience. The platform allows you to include your business’ contact information on your profile and other important details like your opening hours and business pictures. You can also receive reviews from customers and even respond to their messages. It has simply been an essential tool for any business looking to thrive during the pandemic and beyond. That’s why any information on the changes made to Google My Business should matter to you. The company recently rebranded the site to Google Business profile.

Here is what to know about this rebrand and how it will affect how you manage your business profile:

What Changes are Coming With the Rebranding

Ideally, Google wanted to rebrand Google My Business into Google Business profile to make it simpler for businesses to manage their profiles. With the rebranding, you will be required to manage your profile directly from Google Search or Google Maps. You can do so both on the respective apps and a browser. Business owners have for a long time been managing their business’ profiles on these two platforms; it’s just that Google now prefers it moving forward. Google also added a few new features into the Google Business Profile, including:

  • The ability to claim and verify your profile directly in Google Maps and Google Search.
  • Ability to see your call history on both platforms.
  • Ability to message directly through Google Search.
  • The ability to control message read receipts on Google Search and Google Maps.

Claiming and Managing Your Google Business Profile

You can now directly claim your profile directly on Google Search or Maps. You just need to search your business name on either of the two platforms to claim your business. Once you claim your business, you can proceed to edit different aspects of your business profile.

For instance, you can start responding to client reviews and messages. You can also include business details like your contact and location details. Once you claim your profile, you just need to search ‘my business’ on your device to access, view, as well as edit your profile. Remember, the more optimized your business profile is, the better it establishes your online presence and attracts customers.

Managing Single Vs. Multiple Location Businesses

Google Search and Google Maps are the best platforms for managing your business profile on Google if you only have a single location. However, if your business has multiple locations, it could be tedious to manage every location separately. That’s why Google has renamed the old Google My Business interface to Business Profile Manager. This will act as a single dashboard where you can see multiple profiles for the different locations you manage. It can be beneficial to both multi-location businesses and agencies that run multiple Google Business Profiles for their clients. In fact, you will simply need to log in to the dashboard to access it.

Focus on Optimizing Your Profile

Your Google Business profile will work wonders for your business if you can commit to optimizing it. This includes updating your business details, from working hours to address to location details. You should also be keen on customer reviews by responding to them promptly. Positive reviews can act both as a trust signal to new customers and create engagement with existing ones.

If you need help managing your Google Business profile, feel free to reach out to us. We can help walk you through managing the profile to optimize it for your business customers.

Can Press Releases Help Your Small Business? Yes, They Can!

Social media keeps us updated on everything constantly. However, it feels like press releases are a sort of dying art. Back in the days before social media, they were a way for brands to generate publicity, recognition, and good PR by creating a post for newspapers, magazines, and the like to publish. Now, we sort of do this every day with platforms like Twitter and Facebook that get the word out about brands much faster, whether they’re big or small.

The way businesses share news about their brands has changed over the years. But it doesn’t mean that the press release of old is no longer useful. Much like email, it can still be a good marketing tool for your brand, especially if you have a small business. Without the money and resources bigger businesses have, you need to be creative in getting the word out to your customers. A press release is a good way to do that and can be done even more efficiently with social media.

Here are five main reasons why press releases can help your small business.

Reasons Why Press Releases Can Benefit Small Businesses

1. They help control your business’s narrative.

Social media allows everyone to have an opinion on a brand and allows them to talk to you regarding feedback. So a press release is a good way to put you back in control over your business’s narrative. Something that stands out from all the social media chatter and noise.

According to an article written by Char Vandermeer on Horton, “a press release is your opportunity to articulate what’s important to you, share your intentions behind a service, explain your product’s unique value, and respond to claims that others may have made about you, your services, or your company.” This is especially important to consider if something about your business is making customers unhappy. If you can’t get opinions to change, it could damage your business’s reputation and/or credibility.

2. They help you stand out amongst your competitors.

As a small business, it’s even harder to keep up with the competition. This is especially true when you’re all likely using social media to give your business a boost. This is when it’s time to consider doing something different from the rest. A press release may be just the thing you need to stand out amongst your competitors. Show off your business’s strong points, or explain a product or service in more detail. Maybe even write press releases about an upcoming sale or special.

3. They will further help your SEO.

You’re likely already using search engine optimization (or SEO) tactics when writing and posting content for your small business. Using these same tactics in your press release can help it show up right away on Google and other search engines, drawing attention from current and potential customers. You can also get more out of your press releases by recycling them and turning them into other kinds of content, such as a blog post, according to an article written by Mary Lorenz on Cision.

4. They will give your social media platforms a boost.

Social media allows businesses to share stuff with their customers faster than they ever could with other means. This is why it’s so important to post a press release your business writes up onto your social media platforms. You will get immediate feedback from your customers. In turn, your customers will share your press release on their platforms and draw even more eyebrows to your business and its social media platforms.

5. They help you forge relationships with the media.

Do you have something concerning your small business that you want to get out to the media? A press release is still a good way to do this. According to Lorenz, journalists still receive press releases often and if they happen to come across one that’s relevant to what they’re discussing or posting, it could be the start of a good working relationship or building contacts for the future.

It’s also a win for your small business if your press releases go mainstream. Keep in mind though if you go down this path, that you should start with sending your press releases to local media first before national media.

So, can press releases, once seemingly a relic of the past, be helpful for your small business today? As the title indicates, yes, they can! For more information on press releases and how they can be beneficial to your small business, feel free to contact us.

Negative Reviews: How You Can Turn Them into Positive Ones

When considering a company for a new product or service, the first thing most people do is turn to Google to check their reviews. And not just the good reviews, but specifically the negative reviews. Small businesses are particularly susceptible to the power of reviews because they don’t have a huge marketing budget to back their reviews. So how can a small business make lemonade from the lemons of bad reviews?

Ways to Approach Negative Reviews

Growth Mindset

Negative reviews are an opportunity for reflection. When multiple reviews reference the same issue, this data can be invaluable to your business and its growth. An unknown problem is unsolvable. But an issue you are aware of is one you can address and correct for the future. Positive reviews reinforce the things you are doing well. However, they do not give you insight into areas where you can improve. One negative review can be the result of someone having a bad day. Still, if several negative reviews point in the same direction, it might be crucial knowledge that can allow you to move your business forward when addressed promptly and appropriately.

Businessman pointing at a neutral face icon, showing a concept of turning negative reviews.

Power Your Response

Businesses are operated by human beings. Humans make mistakes. People who leave negative reviews are disappointed in what went wrong. But their bigger concern is that someone else cares that something went wrong. They wouldn’t bother to post the review otherwise. Potential customers are as interested in your response to the problem as they are in the problem itself. Responding with compassion and willingness to make the situation right, regardless of whether you think the review is valid, gives a potential customer the confidence that should they have an issue, it will be promptly resolved. This in itself may be the push they need to get past any reservations a negative review may cause.

Create Opportunity

Sometimes, negative reviews are based on a misunderstanding. The customer may have expected service to include a feature that it did not. In this case, you can politely direct them back to the portion of your website that clearly explains what is included and direct them to the other service you offer that fills the need they were expecting. Even if this customer doesn’t return, you have responded in a polite, emphatic way. Thereby, letting others reading the review see how you respond to conflict while giving you another avenue to point out additional services you offer.

Are Bad Reviews Better Than No Reviews?

The goal is certainly not to amass lemon reviews so that you can use them for marketing lemonade. Ultimately, having a strategy to ask for reviews consistently will ensure that the number of positive reviews far outweighs negative ones. Customers who have a positive experience are more likely to go about their day and share their experience by word of mouth than by leaving a review without a request or incentive to do so. However, a perceived negative experience will evoke emotions in need of expression to a wider audience. Making the best of those reviews can turn a negative into a positive for your business.

Need Help?

Small business owners have a lot on their plate. Toast Local specializes in helping small and medium-sized businesses maximize their marketing efforts. We don’t believe in taking shortcuts, but over time, we will make sure to put your best foot forward online. If you have questions or think we might make a good partner, please contact us for a free Google listing review. We try to leave every potential client with one action item to help improve their marketing efforts. We’d love to do the same for you.