Setting up a Google Business (formerly Google My Business or Google Business) account is a great way to help grow your floristry business. If you didn’t know already, Google Business accounts are the name for the results that come up in Google Search and Google Maps with local business information like phone number, website, opening times and customer reviews alongside the address on a map.
Google dominates the search engine market with over 90% of all search engine traffic going through Google, over options like Bing and Yahoo.
By creating a profile on this free platform, you can have some say in the information that is displayed to potential customers when they’re search for ‘local florist’ or ‘florist near me’.
Setting up a Google Business account is easy to do and keeping it updated can help you get found by more people and ultimately result in more sales.
Your location will play a big part in just how many people will see your Google Business, but you can expect it to range from thousands of times a month, to tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands in very busy or popular locations like main cities.
Online, your Google Business profile is like your digital shop window.
That’s why we’ve created this step-by-step guide to help you set up your Google Business account. This guide can be used as a starting point if you don’t currently have a Google Business account, or as a reference point to check if you have filled everything in on your current profile to get the most out of it.
Step 1: Sign up for Google Business
The first step to setting up your Google Business account is to sign up for the platform. Visit the Google Business homepage and click on the "Manage Now" button. You'll then be prompted to sign in with your Google account. If you don't have a Google account, you'll need to create one.
It may be the case that a Google Business profile already exists for your business, in which case you will need to claim ownership of it. To do this, search for your business name and if a result comes up that is your business, there should be a link once you click on the profile which says “Own this business?”. Click on this and them ‘Request Access’ and follow the steps you are prompted with.
Step 2: Enter your key business information
Once you've signed in to your Google account, you'll be prompted to enter your business information, including your business name, address, phone number, and website URL. Make sure that this information is accurate and up-to-date, as it will be visible to potential customers who search for your business on Google.
At this stage, or sometimes after you have been verified (next step), you will also have the opportunity to add additional information to your Google Business profile. Information such as your business hours, the products and services that you offer, the areas which you cover can also be added here, along with photos which represent your business and even a short biography that you can choose.
In these sections, it’s really important to list out the services you offer: Wedding Floristry, Funeral Arrangements, Subscription Flowers, Floral Arrangements, Anniversary Flowers, Floral Gifts, etc.
Making sure to use these words (or Keywords as they’re called in SEO) helps you improve your chances of being found by more people who type one of these terms into Google when they’re looking to purchase.
Remember: this profile will be visible to potential customers who search for your business on Google. Make sure you include the key information that you want to tell them about your business.
Step 3: Verify your business
After you've entered your business information, you'll need to verify your business with Google. There are several verification options available, including by phone, email, or postcard. Choose the option that works best for you and follow the instructions provided by Google to verify your business. Sometimes this process can take a while and be a bit tedious to do, but be patient, and contact Google Support if you need to as it’s a step you can’t skip.
Step 4: Optimise your business profile
To make the most of your Google Business account, you'll need to make your business profile as comprehensive as possible. Here are some tips to help you optimise your profile:
Add photos: Upload high-quality photos of your business, including the products that you offer, what your business looks like from the outside (to help people find you), as well as snaps of team members in your shop which can add a personal touch to it (after all, florists are all about the personal touch).
Photos like these can help potential customers get a better idea of what your business is all about and can often influence their decision-making. Images that you might share on Facebook or Instagram about your business are a good idea to also add here. Google Business can even support videos. Don’t be afraid to upload lots of images to show your business in the best light.
One downside with this is that apart from your main photo, you won’t have much control over which of these photos get shown to people, as Google will decide which of the other photos to show based on what it thinks are most helpful.
Include relevant keywords: as we mentioned above, using relevant keywords in your business description and in different places across your profile will help your business appear in Google search results for those phrases. As you’re checking over your profile, it’s good to have this in mind and maybe reword some sections.
It’s also important to use words and language that customers use e.g. while ‘hand-tied’ is the technical name for it, a customer is more likely to search for a ‘bouquet’, so make sure you’re using the language your customers use here.
Encourage customer reviews: This is such a big topic, we’ve actually created another article all about why Google Reviews are important, which goes into more detail and a whole separate article all about how to encourage customers to leave you Google Reviews. But basically, positive reviews can significantly improve your business's visibility on Google. And the more of them you have, the better. Although it hasn’t been confirmed by Google, it has been noted by a few SEO experts that the more reviews you have, the more likely you are to appear above competitors in lists on Google Maps, so make sure you ask every customer for one.
Add posts: Just like on social media, Google Business allows you to create ‘posts’ on your profile. These can be used to share news, promotions, and other updates about your business. Whilst these aren’t on the main page people will see when looking at your profile and won’t be seen by as many people, they’re a good way to let people know about different upcoming promotions for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day for example.
Respond to customer reviews: Once you’ve created your Google Business account and generated reviews from customers, it’s important to respond to them within Google. This applies to both the good and the bad reviews,. A simple ‘Thank you’ on the good ones can show that you care and you have seen what customers have taken the time to write. Good advice is to make sure you respond promptly and professionally to reviews; Google should email you when a new review is left but these notification can be a bit temperamental, so checking your Google Business account regularly is a good idea. And remember that both the reviews and the responses are visible to EVERYONE. How you handle both the positive and negative comments can help build customer trust and loyalty, or conversely, damage it.
Step 5: Monitor your business profile
Once your Google Business profile is up and running, you can’t just forget about it.
It's important to monitor it regularly and post updates. Being active on Google Business will help you get found by more people. Keep an eye on your profile to ensure that your business information is accurate and up-to-date e.g. a lot of people use Google Business to see if businesses are open over the Christmas period when opening times and days change, or over Bank Holidays, so make sure you add these in.
And if you like looking at the numbers, Google Business has insights about how many people looked at your profile, or how many people asked Google Maps for directions to you, or called you directly from your Google Business profile which will show you just how many people are using it.
Setting up a Google Business account is a crucial step in growing your local floristry business online. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can create a professional and informative profile that helps potential customers find and engage with your business.
Just keep in mind that adding new content, optimising your profile and monitoring it regularly can help you maximise the benefits of this powerful marketing tool.
