Google finally solved an issue that existed for several years by launching Google My Business.
In the past business owners had to manage separate assets on Google: Local, Google+ and Maps listings. This was a tedious process, that often resulted in confusion and errors (like creating multiple accounts, confusing personal vs. business profiles, claiming the wrong listing, etc)
Now Google made it quick. Simply signup here: www.google.com/business and you’ll get all the tools in one place:
- Share your business contact details
- Show photos and videos of your place
- Allow customers to leave reviews and ratings
- Post news and events about your company
- Manage your page online or via a mobile app
If you are already part of Google+ or Google Places for Business, then you will be automatically upgraded next time you login.
FAQs from Google’s Jade Wang:
Below is information from Google’s official launch announcement
Who can sign up?Any business can benefit from signing up for a My Business account, especially local businesses. Companies with a physical storefront or small-to-midsized businesses that rely heavily on search and location accuracy often notice tangible benefits from having their business found on Google, and signing up to Google My Business is one way to help local businesses be found on Google. These can also include service businesses serving a local area like a plumber or a cleaning service that may not have a physical storefront but can benefit from being found on the map.
We will be rolling out the Google My Business dashboard to existing users of the new Places dashboard and the Google+ pages dashboard. We are continuing to migrate users from the old Places dashboard to the new experience.
Please visit our Help Center to read more about how both local businesses and brands/organizations/artists can create pages using Google My Business.
Will this require small businesses to sign up for a Google+ account?
Our focus is on providing a useful experience to businesses and to empower them to better manage their own information. Businesses that sign up for Google My Business are provided with a Google+ page, but there is always the option to engage with whichever part of the dashboard they choose.
What about chains or bulk upload users?
The Places Bulk Upload Tool is now Google My Business Locations. Through the new tool, businesses can manage information for ten or more locations. We are working hard to launch new functionalities in the future, including increased upload speed and social integration.
How will current businesses on Google be affected by the My Business launch?
Google My Business will act as our primary destination for local businesses previously on Google+ for Business and Pages for Business. We took in some feedback and discovered that it’d be more useful to consolidate those experiences, and create one place with all of our tools for local businesses.