My local church and Google “Business”

“Google SEO” and Google Business isn’t something that should scare us off the bat, I’m going to try and simplify as much of it as possible as we go here.

“Google SEO” is important for a local community church in South Africa (or really any organization) because it helps to increase the visibility of their website in search engine results. This can be especially important for a small, local church because it can help more people in the community discover their church and learn about the services and events they offer. Additionally, having a strong online presence can help to establish credibility and make it easier for people to get in touch with the church or learn more about it. Overall, Google SEO can be a useful tool for helping a local community church in South Africa reach a wider audience and connect with more people in their community.

Why is “Google Business” important for my local church?

Having a Google My Business listing can be beneficial for your local church in several ways:

1. Increased visibility: Having a listing on Google My Business can help your church’s website show up higher in search results when people search for churches in your area.
2. Connect with your community: Google My Business allows you to share information about your church, such as your service times, location, and contact information, making it easier for people in your community to find and connect with you.
3. Online presence: Having a listing on Google My Business can help to establish your church’s online presence and make it easier for people to learn about your church and the services you offer.
4. Customer reviews: Google My Business allows customers to leave reviews of your church, which can help to build credibility and establish your church as a trusted place of worship in your community.
5. Insights: The Google My Business dashboard provides insights about how people are interacting with your listing, such as how many people have viewed your listing and how they found it. This can help you understand the effectiveness of your online presence and make any necessary adjustments.

How to setup Google Business for my local church

To set up your church’s Google My Business listing, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Google My Business website (https://www.google.com/business/) and click “Start now” to begin the process of creating a listing.
2. Enter your church’s name and address. If your church has a physical location that is open to the public, you can also add your phone number and website.
3. Choose the category that best describes your church (e.g., “church,” “place of worship,” etc.) and add any additional information about your church that you would like to include (e.g., services offered, mission statement, etc.).
4. Verify your listing by choosing the option that is most convenient for you. This may involve receiving a postcard in the mail with a verification code, or verifying by phone or email.
5. Once your listing has been verified, you can begin to manage it by logging in to the Google My Business dashboard. From here, you can add photos, update your hours of operation, and respond to customer reviews.

I hope this help answer some of your questions around some “Google SEO” and how it links up with setting up your “Google Business”. Here is another article related to why SEO is so key in more depth.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Grace and peace

Dean