Setting Up a Optimized Google My Business For Apartments
Multifamily SEO Tips
The “Near Me” search on Google gained huge popularity in 2021, of course it did! It is helpful, convenient, and more people are using it, and loving it, every day. So, make sure the next time someone searches “apartments near me”, your building shows up!
Unclaimed Google My Business listings are a huge, missed opportunity! The real benefit of a Google My Business listing is that it can help with your local apartment SEO and give you extra exposure in the search result.
However, if you’ve already got your listing, take a read and make sure you’re getting the most out of your listing. On the other hand, if you haven’t yet claimed your listing, in the words of Julie Andrews, let’s start at the very beginning, it’s a very good place to start.
Claiming Google My Business Profile
To claim your listing click here. This isn’t a swift process so prepare yourself for a small delay – you need to wait for a postcard to arrive from Google. They do this to verify your physical address.
Once you have it in hand, follow these steps to make sure your Google My Business listing a success. *Please note, everything you add to your listing must match the information on your website. If it’s not accurate, it will have a negative impact on your listing and on any potential local SEO benefits.
Steps to Claim Google My Business Profile
1. Claim your listing with your property name
2. Choosing your category. You can increase your exposure and placement in search results and on Google Maps by claiming multiple categories for your property. Most
apartment communities are choosing only one category for their listing, get ahead by selecting several.
3. Be sure to fill out as much data as you can, it has a positive impact on your profile
4. Check, check and check again your phone numbers and email
5. Same for your opening hours and be sure to include the holidays
6. Pictures are important, make sure you have the best possible images up there. They’re the first thing searchers will see, so make sure they show your property the best light
7. Create citations on as many other sites as possible, such as on directories or review sites
8. Google Posts are proving a great way to increase activity, which is all positive for SEO. Take a look at what your competitors and their communities are posting and
have a pro-active plan for increasing your own Google Post activity.
Local Ranking
Let’s understand a little more about how Google determines your local ranking. Making a search prompts Google to combine three factors: relevance, distance, and prominence, to help find the best match.
Profile Details
In a nutshell, how well a local listing matches what someone is searching for. Additionally, adding detailed information about your property, will help Google understand your community and better match your listing to relevant searches.
Google Maps Radius
Google calculates distance based on the location of the searcher, or from the location used in the search.
Google Scans Local Reach
Prominence comes from two sources, how well-known the business or property is, and what information Google has about a business/property from across the web (such as links, articles, and directories). As a method to improve your community’s local ranking with more reviews and positive ratings, as these are also factored into local search rankings. Having a plan for responding to Google Reviews and being proactive in monitoring any activity is key.
Be Active on Google My Business
Ultimately, to really optimize Google My Business for apartments you have to keep everything active, monitor reviews and stay on top of things. It is not one of those things you can set and forget if you really want to get it working for you and your property. Show My Property can take care of your GMB listing as part of our Social Media Management Services. Get in touch today and let us take it all off your to do list.