So you don't own your Google listing?

Everyone uses Google. When people want to learn about your organization, they don't visit your website first, they search Google.

What they find can make the difference between gaining a relationship and losing one.

That's why every business, nonprofit, and organization should claim and actively manage its Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). It's one of the simplest and most effective marketing tools available—and it's 100% free.

Your Google Business Profile controls much of what potential customers see when they search for you, including your address, phone number, website, hours of operation, photos, reviews, and directions. If you haven't claimed your listing, Google may still have created one automatically using publicly listed information—but that information could be incomplete, outdated, or even wrong. Worse, it you don't claim it, others cna update it - and you don't want that....

Owning your listing gives you the control. You can update holiday hours, reply to customer reviews, post news and events, add fresh photos, answer frequently asked questions, and ensure customers always have accurate information.

It also helps with search visibility. Businesses with complete, regularly updated profiles are more likely to appear in local search results and on Google Maps, which is linked. For many small businesses, that can mean significantly more phone calls, website visits, and foot traffic.

Perhaps most importantly, it protects your reputation. An unclaimed listing leaves you with little control over how your organization is presented online. By taking ownership, you ensure that customers see the story you want to tell, not outdated or wrong information or unanswered reviews.

If you haven't claimed your Google Business Profile, make it a priority. It takes only a few minutes, but it can have a lasting impact on your visibility, credibility, and success.

At Louis Karno & Company Communications, we help organizations strengthen their digital presence: from Google Business Profiles and local AI leads to websites, social media, and online reputation management. Sometimes, the smallest changes make the biggest difference.