Essential GMB Checklist for Your Cleaning Company
Getting to the top of Google search results gives your cleaning company a high level of credibility and visibility. By making your business’ contact information and location easily accessible, you won’t simply attract more clients: you’ll attract the right ones.
Google My Business can help you get there, and you don’t have to be overly tech savvy to reap its numerous benefits. You just need to know a few tricks and hacks along the way.
Your first step before your GMB account can help you boost your business exposure and drive more leads is to set it up correctly. The following 20-step checklist will make the whole process a breeze.
20-Step GMB Checklist for Cleaning Businesses in 2021
Here’s how to set up a GMB account that will attract quality leads:
1. Make sure you’re eligible for a listing
To qualify for a GMB listing, your cleaning company needs to have a physical location your clients can walk into and make contact in person. So, the very first step is to establish a physical office (or choose your headquarters if your company has multiple locations) that you can list on your GMB account.
2. Verify your company’s information
The next thing you need to do is prove to Google that you’re truly the owner of your cleaning company. You can do this in a number of ways, including via phone, mail, and email. You can use the Search Console to verify if you already have a website.
The most commonly used method is verification via postcard, which requires a physical location Google can mail the verification letter to. Keep in mind that your verification address doesn’t have to be the same as the one you listed as your business location, although this is usually the case.
3. List your company’s name
After Google has verified your cleaning company and you’re ready to start using your GMB account, it’s time to consider the name of your business. This is a crucial point in your GMB checklist.
Your company’s name must appear as it does in real life. Typing in things like “Mandy’s Maid Service – the awesomest cleaners in the world!!!!” can get your listing suspended and cause your company to be removed from GMB. Google’s algorithm is designed to catch suspicious activity such as keyword stuffing.
Since your company’s name is a major ranking factor and you want to stay compliant with Google’s guidelines, consider changing the name of your business. While this might sound a little extreme, most cleaning companies get the majority of their clients from local Google searches. So, your company’s name is definitely not something you should take lightly.
4. Choose the best categories that describe your business
This is one of the most vital steps in your GMB Optimization Checklist. Pick one primary category, which has a direct impact on your local rankings, and up to 9 secondary categories. The goal is to pick the categories that best describe your cleaning business.
For example, the best category for Mandy’s Maid Service would be under “house cleaning service”. Some of the secondary categories could be “window cleaning service” and “commercial cleaning service” if Mandy’s business also offers these services. Relevance is king as far as Google is concerned, so refrain from choosing categories that don’t truly apply to your company.
5. List your exact business location
Some cleaning companies have offices where they meet with their clients directly. If this is the case for your business, specify its full mailing address, even if it doesn’t look pretty. Doing so makes it easier for your clients to find you and helps Google draw visitors to the correct SERPs.
6. Specify your service areas
Pinpoint an accurate service area that will tell your customers exactly where your cleaning services are available. This directly improves your clients’ experience. It keeps them from attempting to book your services in areas you don’t operate in.
7. Make sure your business hours are correct
The last thing you want is for the right client to show up when you’re unavailable. To prevent this, always state accurate business hours when filling your Google My Business listing, and make sure any future changes to your hours are promptly reflected in your GMB listing.
8. Remember to include a phone number
Providing a way for your customers to contact you directly and immediately is key to running a successful business. Always include one or more phone numbers on your Google My Business listings. Failing to do so runs the risk of losing prospective clients who aren’t tech savvy enough (or simply don’t like) to use online booking or contact forms, or who have further questions they’d like to ask before they feel confident enough to book your cleaning service.
9. Include your website
Although social media can be a useful tool for growing a cleaning business, having a website is a must in this day and age. In fact, a great website is one of the biggest ranking factors on Google’s search. If you don’t already have a website, get one, and be sure to include it in your Google My Business listing.
10. Add an appointment URL
Cleaning companies usually enable their clients to schedule cleanings or request quotes via an online booking form from any internet-enabled device. It goes without saying that you should make things as convenient for your customers as possible by making this appointment URL readily available on your Google My Business listing.
11. Extensively describe your cleaning company
Google My Business gives you about 700-750 characters to describe your company. Use as much of this space as possible to thoroughly describe every positive aspect of your business. Provide potential clients – and Google – with as much information as you can, but leave out the sales and advertising pitches, as these are better suited to other media formats.
12. List all the services you offer
You want your Google My Business listing to be as comprehensive as possible. Don’t leave out any of the services you provide and describe exactly what each service entails. Refrain from adding services you don’t actually offer. Although cleaning services aren’t products in the literal sense of the word, they can still be listed on the products page of your GMB, so use that opportunity to describe each service to your customers.
13. Don’t forget to include highlights/attributes
Highlights/Attributes in Google typically refer to special features, extras, and amenities your company offers. For instance, your cleaners may bring their own supplies and equipment to each cleaning, or you may be offering discounts for repeat customers or satisfaction guarantees for every cleaning.
14. Fill out booking items
As with other items on this checklist, you want to include as much information about your business as you can. If your company offers any special service hours, such as nightly cleanings for commercial properties or special holiday cleaning services, make sure to present them here.
15. Upload high-res videos and photos
Nothing signals professionalism and credibility quite like presenting a few high-resolution photos and videos at your Google My Business listing. Make certain your company’s logo looks good and is displayed prominently on your main cover photo. Showing smiling, joyful people in photos is a time-tested marketing tactic you can’t go wrong with.
16. Turn on the messaging feature
You want to make getting in touch with your cleaning business as hassle-free for your clients as possible. Similar to adding an appointment URL and a phone number, enabling the GMB messaging feature gives your customers another way to contact you, and also provides you with another “request a quote” button below your GMB name.
17. Keep a close eye on the reviews
Although reviews aren’t a major factor for SEO, they still play an important role in local search engine optimization and positively impact the click-through-rates. This isn’t surprising, seeing as people naturally prefer reputable businesses. Getting many positive reviews on a regular basis fosters trust in your brand and mitigates any impact negative reviews may have.
Google My Business allows you to ask for reviews via a short link. This is a convenient way for your customers to rate your cleaning service without having to spend a lot of time or go through many extra steps. Invite reviewers back and encourage them to write follow-up reviews.
Make it a habit to reply to any reviews you get ASAP, especially the bad ones. If you get a negative review, respond directly to the reviewer and apologize even if you’re not at fault. Try to take the conversation offline and speak to them in person or on the phone, and do your best to resolve the problem. Whatever you do, don’t openly ask them to remove the review.
18. Write updates and posts regularly
Remember to post about any special offers, events, and new service launches on your Google My Business. Do so in a concise way and be careful not to make any misspellings or grammatical errors. Drive your engagement rates by accompanying your posts and updates with eye-catching images or videos. Think of it as a social media platform for your cleaning business.
Doing so will not only leave a positive impression on your customers, but also signal Google that your business is active and healthy, which will have a positive effect on your rankings.
19. Don’t hide your opening date
Google can be extremely beneficial for new cleaning companies. By showcasing your opening date in your profile, you’ll get a “recently” opened badge next to your GMB listing. This tag will stay there for 90 days after you open.
20. Use Google’s business site
If you don’t have your own domain (you should!), you can use Google’s “website” functionality on the left sidebar to create a Google business site. While this is nowhere near as good as having your own website and domain, it’s still better than nothing.
However, if you do have your own domain and website already set up, the Google business site can be used to create a GMB backlink to your cleaning company’s real website. All you need to do is edit the site, include a link, and publish it.
Thank you for reading our 2021 Google My Business Checklist for cleaning businesses. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!