5 Frequently Asked Questions about Google My Business Listing

Having an internet presence is a necessity for business owners nowadays. Additionally, possessing the skills and experience to effectively benefit from the technology is vital. For business owners to get local rankings, they must claim and optimizing their Google My Business (GMB) Listing. Over the years, Google has added numerous features on the internet to help businesses enhance and optimize their GMB listings. However, if you are not familiar with these features or you don’t know how to use these additional features to grow your business, you are losing big time! Numerous people are confused about GMB because there is contradicting information on the internet thus making it hard to determine the truth from hoax and tricks.

1.Is it possible for random people to make changes to my Google My Business Listing?

Yes. Although this might seem unfair, anyone can suggest or edit your GMB listing without you getting a notification. Therefore, it is advisable to log in to your Google My Business regularly to ensure that no one has suggested or made inaccurate changes. After you’ve logged in to your dashboard, switch to classic view and then click on ‘Google Updates’. In this section, you will find a section labeled ‘Review Updates’ where you can review all the changes that have been made or suggested if there any.

2.Is it advisable to use hashtags in my Google My Business Posts to attract people using trending phrases or keywords?

No. GMB posts are allocated 1,500 characters although the ideal length is between 150 to 300 characters. You are supposed to use these characters well and wisely. For instance, instead of wasting the characters on hashtags, you can write about offers, products, events or news related to your business. Also, you can use an image on your GMB post to catch the attention of the searcher.

3.How can I remove fake reviews about my business on my GMB listing?

It is possible to remove fake news. However, you should understand that if you are referring to negative reviews or reviews you don’t agree with, Google might fail to remove them. If the reviews do not violate Google policies, they cannot be removed.

If you are worried about fake reviews, you should start by responding to the reviewer politely. Then, you can proceed to log in to your Google My Business dashboard and flag the review for Google to take appropriate action. You will receive a notification informing you that Google has received your request. Google might contact you to provide information and explanations on why the review is fake. Here, you just need to use facts and not emotions to get the reviewed removed from your business listing.

4.How can I get access to my listing if one of my former employees has claimed my GMB listing and I don’t know the login information?

You can start by reaching out to your former employees who may have claimed your GMB listing and inquire if they have done that. If so, ask for the email address and password, log in to the GMB dashboard and make yourself the primary owner. If you were working with an agency, you can use the same procedure because as a business owner you have the right to control your listing.

The second option is to go to GMB Create and type in your business name. Google will show you a message informing you that the listing is already claimed and even show you the email address used. If you remember the password, you can try login to GMB listing and change access. If that does not work, you can click Request Access and fill out the form provided. Both you and the person using the listing will receive a notification. The current listing owner will have 7 days to respond to the request. Therefore, the one using it can grant or deny you access. If denied access, you can appeal. However, you still have a chance of claiming the listing yourself if you fail to get a response.

5.Is there a place or a platform I can get all the answers to GMB questions?

Yes. The best place to find answers is Google My Business Forum. Here, you will find Google top contributors and experts who can answer all your questions and help you learn a few tips and tricks to effectively use GMB listing.

To benefit from GBM listing, you will have to research a lot, get help from experts and gather knowledge by reading and experimenting on Google My Business Listing.

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