---

Our marketing team has seen way too many local business listings that are unclaimed, unverified, and unattractive.

This makes us sad. Especially when those unclaimed business listings are on Google.

Google is the most widely used search engine in the world, accounting for over 65% of internet searches, and it's perpetually expanding and changing -- this last year alone they have introduced Carousel and a brand new version of Maps.

Getting your business listed properly on the most heavily used site in existence is pretty darn important.

The funny thing is, even if you didn't create it, you probably already have a Google+ for Business page. Unless your business is brand new, Google has most likely added you themselves by now.

Go ahead and search for your business name and location.

Did you find it? How does it look? If you haven’t claimed it, then it probably doesn’t look too good. No photos? Incorrect information? Duplicate listings?

Let’s change that.

Follow our step-by-step guide below. If you need more help, contact us about how we can help you clean up your business’ online presence.

Here’s how to claim your Google+ for Business listing

1. Create a Gmail account, or log into your existing account
2. Go to Google+ for Business
3. In Google+ you’ll be able to create a business page by clicking on “Local Business or Place” and entering your business phone number
4. Your business listing will be displayed (if not, select Add Your Business to Google)
5. Input the correct information, and agree to the Pages Terms
6. Now that you have this, you can optimize your Google+ for Business page by entering more information about your business, adding photos, and making posts
7. To confirm your association with the business (and to make your edits go live on Google) you’ll need to verify your business by having them send a postcard to your business address (some listings will allow phone verification, which is much quicker, but we’ve found that Google+ for Business listings are almost always verified with a postcard, to confirm the business’ address)
8. Once you’ve received the postcard, log back into your Google+ for Business account, go to your page, and select “Verify”
9. Input the code provided on the postcard

Congratulations! You’ve successfully claimed and optimized your business listing on Google+ for Business and taken an important step in improving your online presence.

Did you find a duplicate listing?

Duplicates (i.e. copies of your business listing) are a bad thing. They divide user traffic and often contain inconsistent information that confuses or frustrates search engines.

To remove duplicate listings from Google, click on the listing you don’t want anymore. In the lower right hand corner there will be a “Report a Problem” button.

This will bring you to a page with several different options. Select “Place is a duplicate of another place,” and include your primary listing’s web address in the box below.

Click Submit, and Google will remove this listing or contact you with any further questions.

You're all finished!

If you’ve followed these directions and taken some time to add photos and correct your business information, you should see a dramatic improvement in the way your business is displayed in Google Search results.

This simple, yet critical, update has the potential to drive more traffic to your website and, ultimately, more customers to your business. Don't put it off.

Need more help? Feel free to contact us.