Google is constantly making changes, and you need to be aware of these changes in order to maintain a good ranking for your business. You need to make some significant changes to your Google My Business pages in order to be found more easily by your target audience.
As a small business owner, you understand the importance of local SEO. You also need to be aware of how the listings have changed for Google search results. Either way, regardless of how you look at it, there are benefits and disadvantages to the new setup, but you need to be willing to adjust so you can be more easily found when someone searches for a similar business or similar products or services.
Google My Business Map Changes:
While the Google Map traditionally has had pins on it to indicate a location, that is no longer the case. The image has been replaced by the mobile layout, which has been seen on Chrome for Mobile’s browser for quite some time. In addition, Google has made the move to remove all unverified My Google Business listings.
Images or photos are now visible on the map listings. These images may include logos or photos of your business. Because of this change, you need to make sure your listing has high-quality images that positively reflect your business available.
Significant Google My Business Changes
While there have been many changes made to the My Google Business listings, some are more significant than others and will have a greater impact on your business when people conduct online searches.
Here are some of the most significant changes that have been made:
- Images are sometimes shown in search results.
- At one time, 7 results were listed but that has now dropped to 3 results.
- Previously you could hover over map listings and get flyouts. Now you have to click the map to get the desired information.
- Only the street remains. Google has removed the full address.
- The hours of operation for businesses are much more visible.
- On the desktop version, the business phone number has been removed.
- While they are no longer called Google Reviews, the reviews are much more visible and easier to access.
- Listings that have no activity on them are being removed by Google.
- It has been almost two years since Google started notifying businesses, using the Google My Business Dashboard, that their Google My Business pages would be removed. Even updated businesses can be taken down if there has not been updating or post changes within the last 6 months.
Periods of inactivity lasting 6 months or longer may require reverification. Google has noticed the trend that many people are not sharing content to their Google My Business page after it has been verified.
Although it has been verified, you do need to continue to update or share content to the page in order to keep it current and make sure it stays on the grid.
Google My Business listings can be very helpful and effective when used properly. Make sure you have everything in order so your business can maximize the returns from this particular offering. Give us a call to learn more at 908-458-9558.
