Finding general information on a business is now easier than ever. A quick search on Google will pull up the most pertinent information, from address and hours of operation, to contact number, reviews, and more. People looking for a restaurant to eat at, a museum to visit, or a yoga studio to join can do comparison-shopping, with a few simple taps on a mobile device.

Your visibility will play a significant role in the number of prospective students you have coming through the door and your yoga studio SEO will be a crucial part in that. It's important to set up your Google My Business listing correctly, so you're easy to find through the listing system, as well as in general search results. Here’s how to boost your yoga studio SEO and bring more students through your doors.

The Initial Setup

Getting set up is relatively easy. If you’re having trouble, you can also get help from Google, along with step-by-step instructions, best practices, and success stories. During setup, Google will show you the percentage of information that you’ve added to their system. Add all necessary information, to make your listing 100% complete. This will ensure your click-through rates are as high as can be and with good yoga studio SEO, as well. Verifying your listing is also an important practice; you can do so via postcard, phone, email and more.

Imagery

Differentiation is so important for any listing, especially when many other practitioners and businesses provide a similar service. The visual aspect of your My Business listing can directly impact the amount of click-through traffic you’ll receive. Your logo should be your primary one — keeping branding consistent is critical. Your cover photo should be something eye-catching, relevant to your business and appropriate for the platform. Next, setting your profile picture is also important. Keep in mind that Google reserves the right to determine which photo shows first. If it isn’t the one you want, switch it up.

Photo quality is also paramount. Not only does it present your yoga studio in the most favorable light, it also says a lot about your attention to detail and investment in your brand. Using a talented photographer — in-house or not — can help build the credibility of your site and your business. Once you upload your photos, you’ll see how the service will crop your images. Make sure you adjust, so your photos are being cropped the way you want them to be. Lastly, don't use stock photos. Most of the time, visitors can tell they’re stock photos and this doesn’t help your business feel authentic or genuine.

Optimize

To get the most yoga studio SEO and potential business out of your listing, you’ll have to optimize your My Business listing. Being specific and accurate with your categories will help you out a lot; if you specialize in a particular type of yoga, add that to your category. Next, make sure you create a local listing and not a brand page, to ensure your local community can locate and interact with you. As we mentioned earlier, completing your yoga studio listing to 100% on Google will also yield higher click-through rates.

At your shop, you should encourage local reviews, check-ins, and photos of your business on social media. Want to take it a step further? Get a Google certified photographer, for an indoor street view tour of your business. Just make sure your studio is looking great before making the call.

Update

Have someone be responsible for your Google My Business listing. This person should regularly check to ensure accuracy, especially if your yoga studio changes its hours seasonally or with the availability of instructors. In rare instances, someone could fake your identity, to hack your business listing. Having someone checking up on listings will ensure this is never a major issue, while also being able to respond to customer service inquiries promptly. Make sure you don’t have any duplicates, outdated listings, or listings that show up as “moved," as this can confuse people trying to find you.

Take a look at our clients at Westchester Yoga Arts’ My Business listing. It’s a great example of one that is properly set up and maintained on a regular basis. The thoughtful response to their one-star review is an excellent example of a customer service win.

To learn more about how to boost your yoga studio SEO, watch this webinar recording. You can also request a free SEO consultation to see if your website is fully optimized for search engines.