Guest Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Google Business Profile for Local SEO
Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business, is a valuable tool that many local businesses have incorporated into their marketing arsenals. And why wouldn’t they? It’s a free, easy-to-use profile that often appears at the top of Google’s search results. The best part? The listing is geo-targeted, so it appears in the Google Map Pack to users searching in YOUR target area for YOUR services. Optimizing this free real estate seems like a no-brainer when you look at it that way, but the truth is most businesses don’t take the time to set theirs up properly. And most nonprofits don’t even realize that they qualify for these listings.
If your organization has a physical location where it offers services or products to the public, or if your organization has a service area where it visits customers or patrons to deliver products or services, YOU need a Google Business Profile. In this article I’ll discuss all the topics regarding Google Business Profiles for nonprofits. BONUS: keep reading until the end for other local SEO tips for nonprofit organizations!
Benefits of Google Business Profile
With so much information floating around the web that you can’t control, it’s nice to know that your official listing on Google is something you CAN claim ownership of. Business owners and nonprofit leaders can carefully curate their digital presence within their Google Business listing and make sure that the information is accurate and appealing.
If you’re still not convinced that you should add your nonprofit to Google Business, here are some other benefits:
Enhanced visibility in local searches
Like I stated above, having a Google Business Profile ensures that your business appears in Google Maps searches, making it easier for potential supporters to find you, especially on mobile devices. We all know visibility and awareness are key to a nonprofit’s success, so creating a Google Business Profile is a great (FREE) way to be displayed prominently in Google results.
Increased credibility and trust with users
We’ve all been there. You want to visit a business or volunteer for an organization, but when you Google them a scarce profile appears that is lacking reviews, hours, photos, or any indication that the organization is legitimate. Most users will choose to pass on a listing like this. On the other hand, a well-maintained profile with accurate information and reviews establishes trust with potential visitors before they even visit your website or location.
Encourages supporters to leave reviews
Having a Google Business Profile is a great way for your donors and advocates to show their support for your nonprofit. This not only improves your reputation, but can also impact your search rankings.
Provides useful analytics straight from Google
Hopefully your organization already has Google Analytics set up on its website, but the great news is Google Business Profile also has analytics for your team to dive into. Its custom dashboard shows how customers find your business, what actions they take (such as website visits or calls), and other useful metrics.
How Do I Set Up My Nonprofit’s GBP?
Now that I’ve hopefully convinced you to create a GBP, I’m going to walk you through the steps of creating your listing.
Sign in or Create a Google Account:
If you already have a Google Account, sign in.
If not, create a new Google Account (preferably using your business email domain).
2. Go to the Google Business Profile Page:
Visit the Google Business Profile page at business.google.com
Click the “Manage now” button.
3. Search for Your Business Name:
Enter your business name into the search bar.
You may also be able to select your business from the list of suggested businesses as you type.
4. Select Your Business Type:
Choose the appropriate category that best describes your business (Online retail, Local store, Service business).
It’s important that you select the correct type of business here. If you select the wrong business type, verifying your business can become tricky.
If your organization does not have a physical location that visitors can frequent, do not select “local store” or “online retail.” In this case you will want to choose “service business.”
5. Select Your Business Category
This is an important step for SEO purposes. You’ll want to select the category that best fits your organization and targets the keywords users are searching to find you.
Every year Google updates its available GBP categories. You’ll want to scroll through the list and select the best category for your nonprofit. Make sure to also note other categories that closely align with your organization, we’ll use those later on!
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Depending on your organization’s specialty, there may be others that fit:
• Non-profit organization
• Non-denominational church
• Religious organization
• Religious school
• Religious institution
• Social services organization
• Veterans organization
• Volunteer organization
• Women’s organization
• Women’s shelter
• Youth organization
• Youth group
• Youth social services organization
• Youth center
• Youth care service
• Animal protection organization
• Animal rescue service
• Animal shelter
• Arts organization
• Art museum
• Art center
• Art gallery
• Association or organization
• Disability services and support organization
• Environmental organization
• Environmental protection organization
• Episcopal church
• Orthodox church
• Protestant church
• Performing arts theater
• Theater company
• Ballet theater
• Childrens theater
• Gay & lesbian organization
6. List Your Nonprofit’s Location Details:
If you have a physical location that supporters and donors can visit, provide your address.
NOTE: if you select the “Local Store” business type and you enter an address in this section, Google will most likely try to mail a postcard to this address for verification purposes. Therefore, you MUST be able to receive mail at this location.
Also note that another verification method Google might try is “Video verification” which will require you to be able to prove that this address is actually your nonprofit’s location. Usually this requires permanent signage, relevant street signs, and views of the exterior and interior of your building. Remember when I said to choose wisely when you pick your business type? This is why!
If your nonprofit doesn’t have a storefront, set your service area based on cities, postal codes, or other relevant regions that your organization serves.
7. Provide Your Nonprofit’s Contact Information:
Enter your phone number and website URL.
The phone number must be legitimate and Google might even call it during the verification process, so it’s important that you provide a working phone number for your organization. NOTE: Voicemail systems will not get the code.
BONUS TIP: Add UTM parameters to your website URL to make tracking Google Business traffic easier within Google Analytics. Here’s an example using my business’s website with UTM parameters added to the end:
https://www.intertwinedseo.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp
With the UTM parameters “google,” “organic,” and “gbp” I’ll be able to tell that users landed on my site by clicking my Google Business Profile link versus another Google search result!
8: Personalize Your Profile:
Add essential information to your Google Business Profile such as:
Additional business categories
Remember above when I mentioned making a list of all the business categories that relate to your organization? Here’s where you’ll need that list! Google allows you to select up to 10 business categories. At this point you’ve already set your primary category, but now you can select up to nine more for your secondary categories. Here is the category list again.
Operating hours (and holiday hours!)
There’s nothing worse than when you show up to a business during their supposed business hours only to find out that they’re actually closed and their Google Business Profile lied to you. Don’t make this mistake. Make sure to always keep your organization’s operating hours up-to-date, and to really go the extra mile, add your holiday hours too.
Description
As far as SEO goes, this is your real moment to shine! Google offers you up to 750 characters (!) to describe your organization and its mission. My advice? Use every last character! Remember, this is FREE advertising at the top of Google’s search results. Take your time to write a keyword optimized description summarizing your organization’s history, mission, services, and anything else you can squeeze in. This will really increase your chances of appearing in related searches.
Photos and logo
Photos allow potential supporters to get a good sense of your organization and its identity. For nonprofits, add photos from volunteer events, fundraisers, and more to really convey your mission and impact. Users can also submit photos to your profile, which fosters engagement and authenticity, however, make sure to balance this with official content to maintain consistency.
Opening date
Let users know when your organization was officially established. This will build trust and confidence.
Attributes
Is your organization women-owned? Does it identify as LGBTQ+ owned? View a full list of available attributes within GBP and select any that apply.
NEW: Social profiles
Many businesses have not stumbled upon this new feature within GBP! Google now allows organizations to list their social profiles within their GBP listing. This is a great way to promote your Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, Twitter/X, TikTok, and Pinterest accounts.
9. Verify Your Business:
You can choose to verify your profile now or verify later, but I would suggest verifying as soon as possible. An unverified listing does not typically show up in Google’s search results. Before submitting for the verification, review your information and make sure everything is correct.
With any luck (fingers crossed) you will be given a choice between different verification options. However, sometimes Google will choose for you. The options are typically:
Mail verification: Google sends a postcard with a unique verification code to the address you listed in your profile.
Phone verification: Google either calls or texts the phone number you listed with a verification code.
Email verification: Google emails a verification code to the email account used to create the listing.
Video recording: As mentioned earlier, this is one of the trickier verification methods. Video recordings often have many requirements and organizations should read Google’s guidelines thoroughly before submitting a video verification.
Live video call: This is another tricky option. If assigned this option, Google will require businesses to confirm that they’re physically at the business listed and can demonstrate their location and ownership on the video call.
Maintaining & Managing Your Google Business Profile
If you’ve gotten to this stage, congratulations! The hard part is definitely over and you now have a verified Google Business Profile for your nonprofit. Now all that’s left is maintaining and managing your profile and taking advantage of all the perks it offers your organization.
Here are some suggestions for making the most of your listing:
Create Posts, Offers, and Events
Don’t stop at just creating your Google Business Profile! A feature that not enough businesses utilize is posts. I recommend regularly creating Google Business Profile posts to promote your nonprofit’s special offers, events, and updates.
Think about it. Do you have a fundraiser coming up? Create a post on google to advertise it for free!
Respond to Reviews & Engage With Customers
Responding to reviews allows you to engage directly with your supporters, address concerns, and showcase commitment to your organization’s mission.
I recommend writing custom responses to all reviews while trying to include as many keywords as possible.
Answer FAQs
One of the great features in Google Business Profile is the Q&A option. In this section, users are able to ask businesses any questions they might have.
Questions could be about operating hours, how to get involved, you name it. Organizations should add a reminder to check their profile for questions each month.
Regularly Audit Information
One downside to the user generated nature of Google Business Profile is that sometimes users will try to make changes to your listing. Whether that’s your hours, phone number, or photos, ensuring your listing’s information stays correct is key.
I recommend regularly checking your profile to make sure no one has made any unwarranted suggestions.
Also, if your organization changes locations, phone numbers, URLs, or hours, don’t forget to update your profile! Users and Google hate being led astray.
BONUS: 3 Additional Local SEO Tips For Nonprofits
Now that we’ve fully exhausted Google Business Profile and its nonprofit uses, I wanted to cover three more local seo tips for nonprofit organizations. When used in tandem with your newly created Google Business Profile, these strategies are sure to increase your site’s organic traffic!
Claim other local listings
Believe it or not, Google Business Profile isn’t the only free directory on the web! Don't overlook the power of local directories in boosting your SEO efforts. Take control of your online presence and claim your spot on these platforms to maximize your visibility and attract more customers to your doorstep:
Yelp
Bing Places
Yellow Pages
Alignable
ShowMeLocal
After you’ve claimed the above profiles, do your research to try and discover even more local directories. Simply search “CITY local directories,” “INDUSTRY directories” and see what you find! It’s good to keep track of your listings in a spreadsheet and maybe create a new email address specifically for setting them up.
Add geographic terms to your website
Does your website mention where your nonprofit is located? Even better, does your website mention your location in areas OTHER than just the footer? Google and users want to trust websites and organizations on the web.
One way to establish trust is to include where your organization is located within your website content. Are you a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit? Make sure you say that somewhere!
Even if your organization helps people on a national or international level, it’s a good idea to establish a local presence as well.
By showcasing your connection to a specific community, you not only cater to local searches but also signal to search engines like Google that you're a credible entity with tangible roots. This not only improves your chances of appearing in local search results but also enhances your overall online visibility and reputation.
Get backlinks from local organizations
Similar to tip number one, I’m going to once again stress backlinks, backlinks, backlinks! Your site’s domain authority depends on them! And before you start creating a bunch of blog content and emailing it to hundreds of websites across the world, make sure to think locally.
Are you a member of your town’s chamber of commerce? Do you have a business that you frequently host charity events with? Is there a printer in town that you use for all of your event flyers?
Make a list of all the local organizations you are a member of or that you visit or work with on a weekly or monthly basis. Then, reach out to them and see if there’s any way they would include a link to your website (and return the favor!).
Most of the time these organizations will have a referral section somewhere on their site whether that be a page for preferred partners, past work, members, etc. Use your network as a backlink tool first before reaching out to strangers!
Conclusion: Local SEO & Google Business Profiles For Nonprofits
Hopefully by now you are inspired to get started with your nonprofit’s local SEO strategies! Remember, Google's algorithms prioritize accuracy and reliability, making it essential to maintain consistent information across all platforms. Cultivating a robust backlink strategy can also significantly bolster your local search presence. So, as you dive into refining your local SEO strategies, make sure to regularly monitor your local directories, prioritize building quality backlinks, and continually optimize your Google Business Profile.
Need help with your local SEO? Contact Intertwined Digital Marketing and set up a free consultation today!
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