Google My Business has been around since 2014, yet many businesses have yet to claim their business listing. In fact many are still unaware of this free tool available from Google. Did you know that with G M B it can go a long way to increase your online visibility? If you have not set up yours yet, read on. In this post we will explore the reasons why setting up and managing your Google My Business page can help your business get noticed in search results. Many businesses spend endless hours and resources on social media marketing, but we end up ignoring the most preliminary step, and that’s optimizing our search rankings. No matter how many social media platforms you actively use, Google search still remains the favorite go-to option for making vital buying decisions. One of the first things that your prospects looking for your products or services online will do an in-depth Google search. In fact, Google has reported that 46% of all searches have local intent and that business location is the main piece of information sought by local searchers. Therefore why not make sure that your business pops up in their search results with relevant information across multiple devices? The easiest and fastest way to show up in the search feed is to have a Google My Business listing. Why you should claim your business on Google? Google tries to provide the best information about your business, which isn't always correct. So by claiming your GMB profile/listing, you can verify and edit all the information about your business as it appears on Google. Without it, you don't know what people are writing about you. This means when local customers search for words associated with your business, Google is likely to show them your business – along with important information like contact details, directions, a clear link to your website and a 'click to call' button. Why is Google My Business Beneficial for Small Businesses? Over the years Google has offered different listings, from Google + Local to Google Places, and most recently Google My Business and Google Maps. The latter two are increasingly important given Google’s focus on local results and the addition of map listings in search results. What does this mean to you as a small business owner? If you don’t have a Google My Business profile set up, you are missing a huge opportunity to stand out in search results, which means less visibility and ultimately fewer customers. What is Google My Business? Google My Business is a free local marketing tool that allows business owners and marketers to manage how their business is displayed on Google Search and Google Maps. It also displays vital business details like your name, address, contact information, website link, and hours of operation. To get your GMB listing, you need to verify your business data by creating your Google My Business profile or claiming an existing auto-generated profile. This is a critical step in any local SEO strategy as it makes it easier for customers to find information about your business and allows them to review it too. Therefore, it’s important that the information provided is accurate, complete, and optimized. How do Google My Business Listings work? The first step is to create a GMB listing by either claiming your page or creating a new one and then verifying it. With GMB, you will be able to create a simple website that will drive more customers to your business. It’s also essential to optimize your GMB listing by adding relevant keywords, CTA, frequently asked Q&A, and relevant photos/videos. When someone searches for products or services, the local search listings dominate the results. So the next time when users search for your products or services within your locality, your Google My Business page will be displayed among the listings. The information from your page will be shown in the following three different places: Google’s sidebar Local results Google maps Therefore, potential customers will be able to see your location, contacts, and other details from your page itself. How do Brands use Google My Business? Millions of brands across the world are using GMB to stand apart from competitors and attract more leads. Brands use the platform to engage with customers and learn more about them. They can know the kind of crowd that shows the most interest in their business, where they come from, and what appeals to them. Brands can also gauge their overall business performance with GMB. Why you must use Google My Business for Local Marketing. Here are 6 reasons to push you to start with GMB set up right away. Increase your visibility on the Web. One of the biggest benefits of using a Google My Business listing for marketing is that it improves your business’s visibility on the web. When you search for a product or service on Google, the first three listings are usually Google Adwords advertisements, followed by a map with the Local 3-pack, then the organic results appear. Share appropriate Information with your Potential Customers. GMB allows you to share information about your business, including your address, contact information, and working hours. It also allows you to share news, updates, announcements, offers, and more. These posts show up on Google Search and Maps, enabling you to keep in touch with potential customers and keep them updated. However, before posting anything, it’s always important to consider what you want to achieve. Do you intend to raise awareness about a new product or service? Or do you want to drive customers to visit your location? This will enable you to customize your post with the goal. Also, ensure that your posts have a Call-to-Action that compels potential customers to take action, such as Call, Visit, Buy, or Learn more. Answer the queries of your Potential Customers in Real-Time. When a potential lead comes across your business in search results. But he has to give a customized order. How will he reach out to you directly from the search list? Here is where Google’s messaging feature enables you to chat directly with potential customers who found your profile on the search result’s page. The feature enables you to quickly answer questions in real-time and help your current and potential customers. Google gives you the option to either activate or turn off the messaging feature. When you activate it, users visiting your page will see a clickable Message icon, where they can initiate a chat. You will be able to respond to the messages through SMS or Google’s messaging app. However, be careful not to ask or give sensitive information such as credit card or login credentials. That might seem like a red flag warning, so avoid it. Boost consumer confidence and trust appeal with Reviews. Reviews are an influential factor when customers are making a purchasing decision. Most customers read online reviews to gain confidence and evaluate the quality of a local business and choose the product with the best reviews. Google My Business comes in handy at such times as it lets customers review your business and leave feedback. This not only boosts your appeal to potential customers, but you also get honest evaluations about the things you’re doing right and the ones you need to improve. Reviews also build trust and confidence among customers. According to a local consumer survey, 88% of consumers trust online reviews and believe they carry the same weight as a personal recommendation. Reviews are also a ranking factor used by Google to determine where to place your business on search results. According to a survey by Moz on local search ranking factors, online reviews make up 10% of how search engines determine their rankings. By delivering quality products or services, you’ll collect more reviews and get a higher overall rating. This will make you stand out from your rivals. You can further improve your rating by responding to reviews. Increase Traffic and Sales. According to Google, businesses are 70% more likely to attract local visits from browsing users by having a Google My Business listing, thereby increasing traffic and sales. The multiple verification steps that every business completes before appearing in local searches create trust among customers. Here’s a quick tip, though. Having appeared in local searches, your website needs to capitalize on the opportunity by loading quickly. If your site currently takes too long, take steps to reduce the time that users spend waiting for pages to load. You surely don’t want them to leave your site even before entering your funnel and let all of these efforts go down the drain. So optimize your sites accordingly to spike your lead generation faster. Free Google Advertising There are several ways to promote your business and get it on the first page of Google. One way is to run a Google Ads campaign, but you need to have a hefty budget. The other way is to improve your SEO, but this takes time to build your authority and ranking. However, a GMB listing offers a faster and cheaper way to get targeted exposure on the biggest search engine. Creating, claiming, and verifying your listing costs you nothing. The listing puts your business in front of potential customers and gives them easy access to your contacts, direction, website, and hours of operation. Therefore, having such a valuable asset without incurring any spending lets you invest your resources in other aspects. How does Dovetanet Marketing help you in Local Marketing? Getting your business into a GMB listing is just the start of your local marketing journey. To get more out of your GMB listing and to rank better and faster, you’ll need professional services which Dovetanet provide. Find out more here. If you want to do it yourself then use advanced Google My Business tools like SocialPilot. Conclusion Local SEO or local marketing is about targeting people in a small geographical location, and Google My Business’s features help you do just that. However, to rank in better and faster, you need regular engagement, and you must keep optimizing your Google My Business listing. Using professional services from Dovetanet Marketing or social media management tools like SocialPilot makes it easy for you to maintain a consistent presence on GMB, helping your business beat competition, drive more traffic, and ultimately make more sales. |
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