Thanks to John Mueller of Google for clearing up some confusion about GMB listings. Early today John replied in a tweet when asked by an SEO if GMB (Google My Business) is required for a website to search results to show:
“No, it’s not a requirement.”
Of course, there are plenty of websites in Google that don’t have a GMB page but that should not deter any business owner who is serious about maximum online exposure from having a GMB page.
SEM expert Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable, a leading SEM news site, further expanded on the value of GMB pages:
“The two are really separate and are not dependent on each other. Although, if you are a business, it is highly recommended that you have a Google My Business listing so customers can find you in the local results.”
So, there is the final verdict on GMB pages. Not required but recommended for maximum local web traffic exposure.