Common Google My Business Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Google My Business (GMB) is a powerful tool for businesses, especially when it comes to enhancing local search visibility and engaging with customers. However, many businesses fail to make the most out of this platform due to simple yet critical mistakes. These errors can hurt local search rankings, reduce customer engagement, and impact overall business growth.

In this detailed blog post, we will discuss the most common Google My Business mistakes businesses make and how to avoid them. This will help you maximize the benefits of your GMB listing and optimize your online presence. We’ll also explain how Asteeri Infotech, top digital marketing agency, can help you manage your Google My Business profile effectively.
 

1. Failing to Claim or Verify Your Google My Business Listing

The Mistake

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is either failing to claim their GMB listing or not verifying it. Without a verified GMB listing, your business won’t appear in local search results, and you’ll miss out on opportunities to engage with customers. Additionally, if you don’t claim your listing, someone else could, which might result in incorrect information or negative reviews going unchecked.
 

How to Avoid It

To avoid this mistake, follow these steps:

• Claim Your Listing: If you haven’t done so already, search for your business on Google and claim your GMB profile.
• Verify Your Business: Google provides multiple methods to verify your business, such as by mail, phone, or email. Verification ensures your profile is active and searchable.
   

Asteeri Infotech, top mobile app development company, can help you claim and verify your GMB listing, ensuring it’s properly set up to attract customers and boost visibility.
 

2. Incomplete or Inaccurate Business Information

The Mistake

Providing incomplete or inaccurate information on your GMB profile is another common mistake. Inconsistent or missing information, such as your business name, address, phone number (NAP), or hours of operation, can confuse customers and harm your local search ranking.

How to Avoid It

Make sure all your business details are accurate and consistent across your GMB profile, website, and other online directories. To avoid mistakes:

• Double-check your NAP: Ensure that your business name, address, and phone number are consistent across all platforms.
• Update Business Hours: Keep your hours of operation updated, especially during holidays or special events.
• Optimize Your Business Description: Write a clear and concise business description that highlights what your business offers. Include relevant keywords, but avoid keyword stuffing.

Asteeri Infotech, the best internet marketing company, offers GMB optimization services, ensuring your profile is fully updated and provides accurate information to customers and search engines.
 

3. Ignoring Reviews or Failing to Respond

The Mistake

Ignoring customer reviews or failing to respond, whether positive or negative, is a major misstep. Reviews are a critical part of your GMB profile because they influence consumer decisions and impact your SEO ranking. If you don’t engage with customers by responding to reviews, you miss the chance to build trust and show that you care about their feedback.

How to Avoid It

To manage reviews effectively:

• Respond to All Reviews: Whether the review is positive or negative, always respond professionally and courteously. Thank customers for positive reviews and address any concerns raised in negative reviews.
• Monitor Reviews Regularly: Set up alerts to notify you whenever a new review is posted so you can respond promptly.
• Encourage Positive Reviews: Politely ask satisfied customers to leave a review and make it easy for them by providing a direct link to your GMB review page.

Asteeri Infotech can help you manage your reviews, ensuring you respond quickly and appropriately to boost your online reputation.
 

4. Using Low-Quality or No Images

The Mistake

Many businesses either fail to upload images to their GMB profile or use low-quality, irrelevant images. Without engaging visuals, your GMB profile might appear unappealing to potential customers, who are much more likely to click on a business with high-quality photos of its products, services, or premises.

How to Avoid It

To avoid this mistake, follow these guidelines:
 

• Use High-Quality Images: Upload clear, high-resolution images that showcase your business, products, services, and premises.
• Regularly Update Your Photos: Keep your images fresh by regularly adding new ones. Include photos of special events, new products, or renovations.
• Add a Business Logo and Cover Photo: These are key elements of your GMB profile that help establish your brand identity.

At Asteeri Infotech, we can help you curate and upload professional images that make your business profile stand out and attract more customers.

5. Choosing the Wrong Business Category

The Mistake

Selecting the wrong business category can negatively impact your GMB profile’s visibility in local search results. If your category doesn’t accurately reflect your business, potential customers may not find you when searching for the services you offer.

How to Avoid It

Make sure you choose the most appropriate and specific category for your business. To optimize your category selection:

• Primary Category: Choose a primary category that best describes your main business activity.
• Additional Categories: You can also select secondary categories to describe additional services or products your business offers.
• Regularly Review Categories: As your business grows or changes, update your categories to reflect any new services or products.

Asteeri Infotech helps you choose the right categories to ensure your GMB profile is visible to the right audience, improving your chances of showing up in local search results.
 

6. Not Utilizing Google Posts

The Mistake

Google My Business allows you to create posts (similar to social media updates), but many businesses neglect this feature. Google Posts can be used to promote events, share offers, or provide updates about your business. Ignoring this feature means missing out on an opportunity to engage with potential customers directly from your GMB profile.

How to Avoid It

Make the most of Google Posts by:
 

• Posting Regularly: Share updates about promotions, events, new products, or special offers.
• Use Images and CTAs: Posts with images and clear calls-to-action (CTAs) are more engaging and likely to drive conversions.
• Monitor Post Performance: Keep track of how your posts are performing and adjust your content strategy accordingly.

Asteeri Infotech can help you create and manage Google Posts that drive traffic and engagement from your GMB profile.
  

7. Not Updating Special Hours

The Mistake

Another common mistake is failing to update your business hours during holidays, special events, or temporary closures. If your hours are inaccurate, customers may show up when your business is closed, leading to negative experiences and reviews.

How to Avoid It

Always update your special hours for holidays, temporary closures, or any changes in your regular business schedule. Google allows you to set special hours in advance, making it easier to manage this information.

At Asteeri Infotech, we can ensure your GMB profile is always up-to-date with the correct business hours, including special days.
 

8. Forgetting to Add Services and Products

The Mistake

Many businesses forget to add detailed information about their products or services on their GMB profile. This results in missed opportunities for potential customers to discover what your business offers.

How to Avoid It

To avoid this mistake:

• Add a Detailed List of Services: If applicable, add all the services your business offers, along with detailed descriptions and pricing (if possible).
• List Products with Descriptions: For product-based businesses, ensure all key products are listed, with relevant details and images.
• Update Regularly: Make sure to update your list of products and services as your offerings change.

Asteeri Infotech helps businesses add and optimize product and service listings on GMB, ensuring that potential customers have all the information they need to make a decision.
 

9. Neglecting Analytics and Insights

The Mistake

Many businesses overlook the insights provided by GMB analytics. These insights can reveal how customers are finding your business, what actions they are taking, and how you can improve your local SEO strategy.

How to Avoid It

Make it a habit to regularly review your GMB analytics to track important metrics such as:

• Search Queries: Understand what keywords and queries are driving traffic to your listing.
• Customer Actions: See how customers are interacting with your GMB profile (e.g., visiting your website, requesting directions, or calling your business).
• Photo Views: Track how many views your photos receive and compare your photo performance to similar businesses.

Asteeri Infotech provides businesses with GMB management services, helping you analyze these insights and optimize your profile for better performance.
 

10. Creating Multiple Listings for the Same Business

The Mistake

Some businesses create multiple Google My Business listings for the same location or entity, which can confuse customers and hurt your search rankings. Google frowns upon duplicate listings, and it can result in penalties.

How to Avoid It

To prevent duplicate listings:

• Claim and Manage a Single Listing: Ensure that your business has only one Google My Business listing per location.
• Merge Duplicate Listings: If you find multiple listings, merge them into one to avoid confusion.
• Monitor for Duplicates: Regularly check that no duplicate listings have been created by mistake or by third parties.

Asteeri Infotech can assist you in consolidating multiple listings and managing a single, optimized profile.
 

Conclusion

Google My Business is a vital tool for local SEO and customer engagement, but common mistakes can prevent businesses from fully benefiting from the platform. By avoiding these errors and optimizing your GMB profile, you can improve your visibility, attract more customers, and boost your online reputation.
 

At Asteeri Infotech, we specialize in Google My Business management, helping businesses optimize their profiles, manage reviews, and increase local search engine visibility. Contact us today to learn how we can help you take full advantage of Google My Business for your business growth.