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Getting Started With A Google Business Profile

Google search result for 'Smashed IT' showing a computer repair service in Auckland, New Zealand. The business listing includes a 4.8-star rating from 157 reviews, their address at 135 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland 1010, operating hours, and contact details. The listing highlights services such as iPhone and MacBook repairs with fast turnaround times and a 4-month warranty. The right-hand side features photos of the storefront and repaired devices

The One Simple Move to Skyrocket Your Local Business: Google Business Profile

Listen, if you’re running any kind of local business in New Zealand (or anywhere), not having a Google Business Profile is like throwing money in the rubbish bin every single day. 

Why? Because you’re missing out on people who are literally on their phones, searching for exactly what you offer (Spoiler: they can’t find you!)

If that’s not a wake-up call, I don’t know what is.

Here’s the thing: there’s no advanced rocket science here. Setting up a Google Business Profile is one of the easiest ways to hack your way into local search results, grab more leads, and convert them into paying customers. And if you don’t do it, guess who will? Your competitors.

So let’s fix this right now.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Step 1: Get a Google Account

Stop overthinking it!

Go to accounts.google.com.

Create a new one if you don’t have it already (use your business email to keep it looking legit).

Done.

Screenshot of the Google Account page with the headline 'All of Google, working for you.' The page explains the benefits of signing in to a Google Account, including personalized services and seamless integration across platforms. Icons for Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, and Google Assistant are displayed alongside a user profile image. A red annotation highlights the 'Create an account' button in the top-right corner, guiding users on where to click to create a new account.

Step 2: Head Over to Google Business Profile

  • Go to Google Business Profile.
  • Click “Manage now.”
  • Type your business name. If someone else has already claimed it, request ownership. Don’t freak out. Just follow the steps.
 
Screenshot of the Google Business Profile webpage with the headline 'Stand out on Google with a free Business Profile.' The page promotes creating a profile to help businesses attract new customers through Google Search and Maps. On the right, a mockup of a business profile for 'Lost in Books' is displayed, showing a 4.4-star rating from 36 reviews, contact options, and location details. A blue 'Manage now' button is highlighted, indicating where users can click to set up their profile.

Step 3: Pick Your Category

If you run a café, select “Café.” If you’re a landscaper, choose “Landscaper.” Not “Café & General Store & Funny Hats.” Keep it tight. Specific categories rank better because Google knows exactly where to place you.

Screenshot of the Google Business Profile setup page for selecting business categories. The primary category is set as 'Cafe,' with additional categories listed as 'Brunch restaurant' and 'Coffee shop.' Each additional category has a delete ('X') button next to it. Options to add another category and buttons to 'Save' or 'Cancel' changes are displayed below.

Step 4: Do You Have a Physical Location? 

  • Yes?
    • Drop your address or pin on the map. This is important because if customers can’t find your store, you don’t exist.
  • No?
    • Enter your service area. Maybe it’s all of Auckland or Christchurch. Don’t list the whole of New Zealand if you only serve one or two cities.
Screenshot of the 'Business Information' section under the 'Location' tab in a Google Business Profile setup. The form includes fields for entering business location details, such as street address, suburb, town/city, and postcode, with the country pre-selected as New Zealand. A toggle option is present to show the business address to customers. A map on the right allows pin adjustment for the business location. 'Save' and 'Cancel' buttons are located at the bottom, along with the service area listed as 'New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand.'

Step 5: Add Your Contact Details

  • Your Phone Number: A direct line, please. Don’t make them talk to eight different people just to reach you.
  • Your Website: If you have one, fantastic. If not, Google can spin up a basic one for you using Google Sites. It’s not perfect, but it’s something.
google-my-business-profile

Step 6: Verify Your Listing

Last step. Click “Finish,” then verify. If you don’t verify, your listing won’t go live. That’s like putting up a billboard in your basement—no one sees it. Options vary (mail, phone, text, email), but it’s crucial you follow through.

Why This Matters

  1. Let’s talk results. A well-set-up Google Business Profile means:

    1. More Calls: People will ring you up directly from Google. That’s money on the phone.
    2. More Clicks: Your website traffic goes up, and so do conversions if you have a decent site.
    3. Better Credibility: Reviews show up. Good reviews attract more customers. And guess what? Google sees engagement. That means higher rankings.

Rapid-Fire Tips to Level Up

  1. Upload Photos: Show your storefront, your products, your staff. Real humans trust real images.
  2. Update Business Hours: Especially if you close for holidays or open late on weekends. You don’t want someone showing up to a locked door.
  3. Ask for Reviews: Positive reviews are free advertisement. Don’t be shy about asking your happy customers to share their experience.
  4. Respond to Reviews: Good or bad. Thank the 5-stars. Fix the 1-stars. Prospects read that stuff.

Final Thoughts

For a local business, it’s borderline insane not to have a  Google Business Profile.. It’s like building a house without a letterbox

nobody knows how to reach you.

Get this done today. Then watch the calls, clicks, and foot traffic flow in. That’s the power of leveraging Google’s massive user base. And guess what? It’s free.

So stop reading this. Head over to Google Business Profile right now, and set it up. Your bank account will thank you later.

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