Event

Get Visible Online with your Google Business Profile – Part One

Oct 16 10:00 am — 11:00 am
See All Events

Event Details

A 2-Part Online Series for Small Businesses

Your customers are searching for you—can they find you?

In this hands-on 2-part series, we’ll show you how to claim, polish, and leverage your Google Business Profile to drive real results. It’s one of the most powerful free marketing tools for local businesses—and yet, many small business owners aren’t using it to its full potential.

You’ll walk away with an actionable plan to:

  • Claim and verify your Google Business Profile
  • Connect your profile to Google Maps
  • Add eye-catching photos that make your business shine
  • Tackle the nitty-gritty details that improve local visibility
  • Manage and respond to reviews with confidence
  • Use updates and posts to engage your audience
  • Tap into insights to understand how people find you online

Week 1: Build & Optimize Your Profile

We’ll guide you through:

  • How Google Business Profiles work—and why they matter
  • Step-by-step instructions to claim and verify your listing
  • What to include: business info, hours, categories, photos
  • Best practices for writing a business description
  • Setting up services, products, or menus

You’ll leave this session with a fully built or updated Google Business Profile.

Week 2: Engage, Respond, and Grow your Google Business Profile

Take it further with:

  • Strategies for getting and responding to reviews (even the tough ones!)
  • How to create engaging posts and updates
  • What Google Q&A is—and how to manage it
  • Understanding your insights and what to do with them
  • Ongoing ways to improve visibility and reach

You’ll create your own mini-marketing plan using GBP as your home base for local SEO.

The information provided in this webinar and any supplementary materials provided to registrants are intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional financial or legal advice. No registrant should act or fail to act on the basis of any material contained in this webinar without obtaining proper financial, legal or other professional advice specific to their situation. The Northern CaliforniaSmall Business Development Center, and its host, the HSU Sponsored Programs Foundation, specifically disclaims any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the information presented in this webinar. By registering for this webinar you acknowledge and agree that you have read, understood, accept and agree to the above disclaimer and that under no circumstances shall the Northern California Small Business Development Center or it’s host, the HSU Sponsored Programs Foundation, be held liable for any claims, losses, or damages of any kind or nature arising out of or in any way related to the information provided in this webinar and/or the registrant’s use of or reliance on said information.

Register for Event

Taught by Barbara Schwartz and Cathy Balach

Barbara Schwartz is a website and design expert for SBDC. Barbara studied Japanese, earned a Master’s in Foreign Service, and worked for the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, All Nippon Airways, and Geostar, where she discovered the brand new Apple Macintosh computer. 

She left everything else behind to became a Desktop Publisher in the late 1980s, mastering Adobe products and web design. Barbara helps businesses bring a professional look to marketing collateral and website designs.

Cathy Balach is Lead Business Advisor and is a marketing strategist and online marketer working with website design, content development, email communications, and marketing media.

Cathy has worked for PepsiCo, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, and launched three startups of her own. With over 15 years of experience consulting and mentoring small businesses, she has worked with thousands of start-up and growing businesses in the North Bay.