If you are interested in setting up a google business page for your self-storage facility then you have come to the right place. Whether you are a brand new business just setting up or have been an established self-storage facility for many years, creating a Google Business Profile is a great way to help boost your local SEO (search engine optimization) ranking and increase visibility.
To create or claim your free listing on Google you will need the following information, your self-storage facilities address, name, description, contact information, and business photos. For your business to get the most out of Google Business it is essential to keep its information relevant.
Create A Google Business Account For Your Self-Storage Facility
To create an account go to www.google.com/business/ and click “manage now” in the top right-hand corner.
This will divert you to a new page where you will be asked the name of your business. Enter your self-storage facilities name in to box where it says “business name”. At this point, you can either claim your business if it appears or if you see nothing after entering your facilities name, click Add your business to Google.
Next, you will need to choose your business type from the following options, online retail, local store or service business. You can choose one, two or all three options if they all apply to your business. As a self-storage facility, you should select local store as customers visit your business in person. If your self-storage business has a website then you should also select online retail.
If you selected online retail you will be prompted to add your self-storage website link, where customers can browse your services and potentially rent and pay for a storage unit if your website is set up to do so.
Next, you will need to enter your primary business category. For example, as a self-storage facility, you would select the self-storage facility category. This is very important as it will dictate when and where you will show up in Google searches.
Once you have selected your business category, you will be asked, “Do you want to add a business location customers can visit, like a storefront or office?” Select yes or no depending on whether or not your business has a physical location.
When it comes to self-storage facilities the location section is not always simple or straightforward. Many self-storage businesses can have an office in one location and units in another. So the question is what location do you list as your business address? Generally, we recommend using the address of the physical storage units and not the office location. This is because when customers are searching for self-storage units the location of the units and how far they are from the potential customer is often the most important deciding factor.
Equally, if you list the office location your units may actually be closer to a searching customer but google will display another self-storage business before yours as their location may appear closer.
Input your storage facilities physical address including country, street address, city, state and zip code.
Add contact information to the next section by selecting your country code followed by entering your business phone number.
Verification Process For Your Self-Storage Facilities Google My Business Listing
The next step in creating a Google business profile listing is to verify your self-storage facility. Some businesses are able to verify via phone, email, video recording or search console. However, the most common way to verify is via mail.
To verify via mail all you have to do is request a postcard be sent to your facilities address. This postcard will typically take around 14 days to arrive and will contain a code that you can use to verify your account.
When it arrives simply log back into your Google Business Profile account and click on “Enter Code” found on the left-hand side of the dashboard. Here you can enter your 5-digit verification code found on the postcard and click “Submit.”
This verification can sometimes take a few hours, maybe even a few days, so be patient. Once your self-storage business has been verified you will receive an email from Google to inform you that your profile is now visible to customers on Google Search and Google Maps.
Add Business Description And Opening Hours
Now that your listing has been verified it’s time to add more business information. A good place to start is by adding your self-storage facilities business hours. To do so go to your dashboard’s home tab and select the + next to “Add Hours”. Displaying your business hours will let people know when they can access their self-storage units and belongings. As you can see from the image below you can display the days that your business is open and closed and the specific hours that it operates.
Next, add your business description. To do this you need to click on “Add description”. This is the perfect place to introduce potential customers to your self-storage facilities. You can add up to 750 characters. We recommend putting the most important information first as google only displays the first 250 characters in search results.
When writing your description it is important to include keywords that customers would search online to find your business. Google will review your description before it is published. To ensure that your description gets approved we recommend trying to avoid promotional language and checking it for any typos or grammatical errors before pressing submit.
Add Business Photos & Videos Of Your Self Storage Facility
A great way to make your Business Profile more attractive to customers is by adding photos and videos of your storage facility. By adding photos you are likely to increase your engagement and build trust with potential customers. It is recommended that you add photos in PNG or JPG format between 10kb and 5MB in size.
Here is a list of the types of visuals you can add to your Google Business Profile:
- Logo – Your self-storage business logo.
- Cover photo – Choose a photo that shows off your facilities.
- Videos – You can add videos of up to 30 seconds.
- Interior photos – These photos should display the inside of your storage units.
- Exterior photos – These photos should clearly show the exterior of your facilities to help your new customers find them in real life.
Confirm Business Attributes
Attributes describe the key feature and characteristics of your business. These include options such as women-owned, pet-friendly, wifi available and wheelchair accessible.
To add attributes to your listing click the “Info” tab then “Attributes.” Choose the attributes that apply to your self-storage facility and then select “Apply.”
Examples of attributes to include for your self-storage facility: free wifi, restrooms, accessibility features etc.
Google Business Optimization And Management Tips
It is important that even after your google business profile is verified and goes live for the public to see that you actively manage and keep all business information relevant.
4 Tips To Help Optimize And Manage Your Self-Storage Facility Google Business Page
Encourage Google Reviews
Google business reviews will appear next to your business profile in Maps and Search. Good reviews can be a massive benefit to your self-storage facility as they help to improve your ranking in search results. A higher ranking often leads to more online visibility. This, in turn, brings in more visitors to your self-storage website, who can be converted to paying customers.
The best most effective way of receiving reviews is by simply asking customers to leave one. It can be a daunting task to ask a customer to leave a review, so here are a few ways that might make it easier:
- Ask through email
- Ask a customer that has expressed how happy they are with your self-storage facilities
- Ask when you are ending a phone call conversion with a customer
Check out a recent article where we break down how to create QR codes to encourage google reviews.
Or if for some reason you think you are missing Google Reviews on your Google Business page, you are not alone. Click here to read our recent article “Why Are My Google Reviews Not Showing Up?”
Add Business Posts
A Google business post can be added to your Google Business Profile and will appear beside your business listing. Often it is some sort of update that can include text, photos, videos, offers and more.
There are 6 main types of posts:
- Updates
- Photos
- Reviews
- Offers
- Events
- FAQ
It is important to note that these posts only last seven days before they are removed, so it is important to add them frequently.
Respond To Google Business Profile Reviews
When customers see a business responding to reviews it gives the impression that the business is open, active and cares about its customers, which helps to build trust with new customers. It is equally as important to respond to negative reviews as it is to respond to good ones. When responding to negative reviews use it as an opportunity to impress potential customers with a positive image.
To respond to your Google Reviews simply sign in to your Google Business Profile and click “Reviews.” Then click “Reply” next to the review you wish to respond to. To post your response click “Post reply.”
Respond To Questions Asked
Customers can post questions on your google business profile. It is important to stay up to date with these as anyone can answer them. If you find questions that have been answered incorrectly it is important that you delete the answer and correct it.
As the owner of the business, you are also able to post questions and answer them. We advise using this section to post frequently asked questions and give detailed accurate answers.
What Are The Benefits Of Having A Google Business Profile For A Self Storage Facility
Maximize Visibility
By creating a Google business profile your self-storage business will be visible in Google maps and it can help your storage facilities SEO. Appearing on both of these not only does it make your business much more visible it also gives potential customers essential information about your facilities such as business category, address, company name, opening house, website etc.
Free Advertising
Creating and Optimizing a Google My Business listing is a free and effective way to advertise your storage facility.
Customer Interaction
Having a Google business profile is a great way of interacting and connecting with potential customers by answering their questions and responding to reviews.
Click here to read out Self-Storage PPC article.
Key Takeaways: Steps to Create a Google my Business Page
- To create an account go to www.google.com/business/ and click “manage now” in the top right-hand corner.
- Enter your self-storage facilities name.
- Choose your business type.
- Enter your primary business category.
- Add storefront or office address is applicable.
- Add contact information .
- Verify your account via phone, email, video recording, search console or most common by mail.
- You will receive a postcard typically within 14 days with a verification code.
- Enter this code by logging into your Google Business Profile Account.
- Add business description, hours, photos, videos and other content to your page.
