Lay My Hat

When I do a search on Google. images appear for the particular B&B or whatever I am looking for. I have tried reading up how to do this but do not really understand (not good on computers) what I am supposed to do. Can anyone help, in simple terms, how I can get photos of our B&B to appear when people search for us.

Yes, indeed, Frenchlady.

Go to: https://www.google.com/business/

and take it from there. Its fairly easy to set up, a bit like a Facebook page. But I seem to remember that it takes quite a while to go live. When I did it, google sent a snail-mail postcard to the property with a password and I needed to enter that password for it to go live.

Assuming you have your own web page, having a Google Mybusiness page helps your own page appear higher up the search results too.

As Ben says, you should register with Google and place your business on Google Maps. You can then use the same account for Google+, Webmaster tools, Analytics and Youtube.

All images on your website should also have meaningful names so that they can be found in a search.

Thank you both for your help. I have set up a Google business and I did get a number from Google which I entered somewhere (I do find Google very difficult to understand at times - probably need a 6 year old to help!!). Anyway after we have got through "silly season" I will have another go.

Have just put up a new post about this today but not had a reply, so am glad to have found this thread to add on to! Apparently google my business has really toughened up on its 'no holiday homes' policy lately and is actively checking and taking them down. I have recently set up my website and opened for business (!) and really want to get on google business. Do I risk trying and getting denied, or I am sure I read somewhere there is a way around it if you live locally or in the same town as the property as I do. Does anybody know and more?? Thanks.

Is there really a 'no holiday homes' policy?

This is the first I've heard of it.

'Ineligible businesses
The following businesses aren’t eligible for a business listing:

Businesses that are under construction or that have not yet opened to the public.
Rental or for-sale properties, such as holiday homes, show homes or vacant apartments. Sales or leasing offices, however, are eligible for verification.'

This is taken from the Google my business guidelines. There is also a topic about it on the Promote my Place help pages. If you live on site and have an office there its ok. I think they are clamping down on it even though in the past it hasn't really been upheld... May just give it a go and see what happens anyway...

I have a vague memory of a friend with a cottage being contacted by Google to ask when she was open and because she didn't say all the time and she was not on-site her page was closed down.

Oh, that's bad news! And it seems strange then, that they would have the category: "self-catering accommodation". Our two places are on there gathering reviews and I it appears to be a significant benefit:

Your summary for September

827 people saw your business on Google Maps
323 people saw your business on Google Search
26 people asked for directions to your business
1 person reviewed your business on Google

I've been encouraging guests to leave a review there rather than on TripAdivsor thinking that Google is a better bet for the long term. I'm wrong!

ClareW wrote:Have just put up a new post about this today but not had a reply, so am glad to have found this thread to add on to! Apparently google my business has really toughened up on its 'no holiday homes' policy lately and is actively checking and taking them down. I have recently set up my website and opened for business (!) and really want to get on google business. Do I risk trying and getting denied, or I am sure I read somewhere there is a way around it if you live locally or in the same town as the property as I do. Does anybody know and more?? Thanks.

Yep. Because we don't / can't get post at one of our Villas we cannot receive the Google postcard / passcode. I called Google about it and they told me clearly (and politely) to go away as they will not list holiday homes.