Here’s How Google’s Business Hour Update Can Affect Your Ranking

Did you know that your business hours can affect your ranking on Google? In a quietly rolled out update, Google has retooled how local businesses appear in its ranking system based on whether they were open or not.

For instance, according to one law firm, they found that they ranked lower on a “lawyer near me” search at 6 am, before they opened, then ranked higher at 9 am, when their business hours began. The message here is clear: Google will work with businesses during their work hours rather than all the time.

This is a double-edged sword in some cases. On one hand, it can reduce unwanted contact requests for business owners who don’t want to be bothered outside of their hours of operation. But not everyone will be researching lawyers, psychiatrists, and other specialty businesses during the work day, and it can significantly reduce the visibility of businesses who otherwise are at the top of their local rankings.

So what can be done? Is there a work-around for Google’s business hours update? While you can’t toggle off this new feature, there are a few ways to “get around” this update affecting your business’s rankings. They’ll require a bit of strategic thinking, but ultimately, working with the update rather than against it will help push you ahead of the competition.

Here are a few tips to consider when working with the new business update:

1. Rethink Your Hours of Operation

If you’re looking for a quick boost in your rankings, consider reworking the hours you’re open. For instance, opening just one hour earlier on Mondays can put you ahead of other businesses and make you more visible on Google. Alternately, stay open later to catch people who may be searching for your business after their work day has ended. This can be a great way to claim a top spot in Google search, especially if you do it sooner rather than later, because your competition will be closed.

Of course, this option doesn’t come without its drawbacks, and in some cases, it may not be possible. You have to take your business’s resources into account–as well as your own timeframe. If you can’t get your employees to work these extra hours, or if it cuts into personal time you’d really rather keep to yourself, you might want to look into other options.

2. Resist The Urge To Go 24/7

“Well, I’ll just list my business as open 24 hours to avoid losing my rank!” you might say. Don’t do this. It may seem like a great idea to get around the system, but you have to keep in mind that Google is smarter than that.

If your website has your hours listed—and it should, if you’re looking for maximum SEO—or if it’s on third party websites like Yelp, Google will automatically update your hours on Maps and in search to reflect what it finds. Customers can also submit suggestions on business hours if they notice it’s different than what’s listed, which will prompt Google to make a change.

And even without Google being able to catch you in the act and adjust, it works against your business to falsely list yourself as a 24//7 business on your Google account. Not only will having a discrepancy like that lower your ranking, but you’ll probably end up with some upset potential customers–and bad reviews, which can bring down your ranking even more.

3. Keep Things Accurate

If you do change your hours–or if you’ve never input them into Google to begin with–make sure to get them into your Google Business account. While you’re at it, make sure all your other business information is correct and consistent with your website, social media, and any other sites where your business information may be.

4. Stay On Top Of Your SEO Game

If you ultimately can’t change your hours at the moment, you need to put all your effort into ensuring your site is as SEO-friendly as possible. From adding keywords to business information to backlinks, it’s essentially to do everything you can to ensure your site ranks as high as possible, no matter what time of day it is.

That can be overwhelming, though, especially if you’re not a tech-minded person. Luckily, you can always find a digital marketing agency that will take on all of your search engine optimization and expertly make sure you rank as high as you possibly can.

While changes to a platform like Google can throw you off your game, being adaptable is key to ensuring your business thrives digitally and in its physical location. Do what you can to work with the changes, and the boost in traffic that comes with it will be well-worth the change.