Sorry, but you do need to verify your Google listing, and here’s why. Recent studies have found that almost half of users don’t bother looking beyond Google Local 3-pack when they show in search results. These numbers are even higher on mobile devices where the visible landscape is very limited. Why bother scrolling through more info when what you wanted is right there. As the saying goes, “Give me convenience or give me death!” [1]
Google already has me listed, why do I need to verify?
Google is pretty smart when it comes to organizing the internet’s information, this means there is a very good chance that if you have a business and customers frequent it, Google has already listed your business with the information it has been able to collect from various sources. What most small businesses do not realize is that Google will give priority to verified listings, and the landscape in Halifax for verified listings is very disappointing. withSquirrelly recently ran a test of the search term “restaurant” just outside of Halifax’s peninsula and found that 60% of the top 20 results did not have a verified listing and of those only 1/3 were tracking traffic with Google Analytics.
What does this mean for my business?
Google giving priority to verified listings means ranking more often and higher in results for keywords related to your business. More rankings means more awareness of your business and more awareness equals a larger customer base which in turn means more sales. Simply put if you have a physical location, you need to verify your listing.
So, how do I claim my listing?
Google has outlined how to claim your listing on both Mobile and Desktop devices at https://support.google.com/business/answer/2911778?hl=en, but if you are too busy operating your business or just are not the most technical of people the professionals at withSquirrelly can deal with the verification. Please reach out to the team and we would be happy to help you gain control of how Google is representing your business in it’s map results.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_Me_Convenience_or_Give_Me_Death