Small businesses must complete a few major tasks in order for customers to find them online. Mastering Google My Business is one of their first action items.

Consumers today use their phones to locate nearby services ranging from a recruitment agency, real estate attorney to a gelato shop. The companies that put the most effort into their Google My Business listings and cultivate their online reviews are more likely to appear in the top search results.

This is a free service provided by Google that consolidates business information into a single tidy listing. It is commonly referred to as GMB. The best GMB listings will help consumers find a business on Google web search, which accounts for 86.86 percent of all global online searches.

The most complete — or “optimized” — GMB listings include a website link, business address (which populates directions, thanks to Google Maps), hours of operation, frequently asked questions, pricing, photos of the business, Google Posts, Google reviews and the business’s star rating.

Google Posts is a tool that is vastly under-utilized. When searchers click on the search result listing, they get more information from these Posts. The posts are listed below the address and contact information. Businesses can use them in the same way that they would a Facebook post. They can publish events, promotions, updates, product launches, and other information.

They should, like any good post, include a photo, description, and a call-to-action, such as "learn more" or "visit the website or physical location." Google Posts are an excellent way to keep a GMB listing updated with new content, which Google rewards with higher search rankings. Also, unless they are time-sensitive, such as an event, Google Posts expire after 7 days.

If you use the Products Post feature, posts will remain on your listing and help your SEO.

Earlier versions of Google listings that eventually became Google My Business, which launched in 2014.

This is a badge with a white check mark in a green circle that appears in some Google search results. To apply for the badge, businesses must purchase Google Ads. Google will evaluate the company's eligibility for the program. If a customer arrives at the business via Google and is dissatisfied with the service, Google may refund the amount paid (up to $2,000).

This term refers to any online listing that includes a company's name, contact information, address, description, and other details. It is critical to be aware of any local citations about your company so that you can ensure their accuracy.

Reserve with Google is a relatively new service that allows customers to reserve a table or book a service appointment directly from the business's Google search results. For the time being, Google is restricting this service to dining, ticketed events, fitness, and beauty. It provides an additional online convenience for these types of businesses.

Google My Business Insights reports on how many people viewed your listing, how and where they found it, any actions they took as a result of your listing (for example, visiting your website or calling your business), and any other actions, such as clicking a Google Post or requesting directions.

Also known as the "local pack" or "3 pack," Google used to refer to it as the "7 pack," but it has since been reduced to the top three organic listings with the best, most complete Google My Business listings. These organic results may appear below ads for other local listings on Google.

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