Google My Business (GMB) provides companies with an excellent opportunity to appear in Google search results. The best thing about creating a Google My Business listing is that it is free!
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business offers the ability to list your business location on Google Maps and in local search results. You can showcase pertinent information about your business, like operating hours, contact information, or a link to your website.
Additionally, Google has released a new feature that allows you to post a link to articles or upcoming events.
Creating a listing is free, but all businesses should consider taking advantage of this tool. Even if your business is entirely online and doesn’t have a physical storefront, having a Google My Business page can be beneficial.
Improve Your Companies Visibility In Local Searches
Setting up your Google My Business listing is an effective way to ensure your business can be found online. With more and more search queries becoming geographically specific, Google’s algorithms have been designed to take user intent into account.
If you have ever done a Google search for something like “places to eat near me,” you will notice that Google provides a list of three locations that are close to your current location. The businesses that are listed as a result of your search query have a GMB page, which makes them more likely to attract you as a customer.
If these businesses did not have a GMB page, they would not have been included in local searches. This highlights the importance of having a GMB page for businesses, as it can help draw in potential customers who are searching for products or services in the area. Without a GMB page, businesses may be missing out on valuable opportunities to market themselves to locals.
If you want to ensure that your business is visible in local search results, you need to create and maintain a Google My Business listing. Google makes regular changes to its algorithms, so it is important to keep your listing optimised and up-to-date.
Optimising Your Google My Business Page
After you have set up and claimed a GMB page for your business, you should next ensure it is optimised, with all important information included. Include as much information as possible on your GMB listing.
When people have conducted a search and found your business in the results, they will next click on your business to find additional information, such as contact details and directions.
As people’s search habits change, it is increasingly important for information to be readily available. If you have not accurately set your business’s address, it will be difficult for customers to find you in person. If your business is not easy to find, potential customers will simply go to a competitor.
In today’s online environment, businesses must be aware of how people are searching for information and make sure their own web presence is up to snuff. If not, they run the risk of losing potential customers.
Descriptions Matter, Get It Right
When creating a listing, it is important to take the time to write a good description. This description should be local where possible, as this will make it more relevant to the user. The description is used as an overview of what your business does, and keywords related to your business can be used here.
The GMB description can be up to 750 characters, but it is advisable to include the most relevant information in the first few sentences. Try to include 2-3 keywords that describe your business best. This will help ensure that your business is accurately represented to potential customers.
Add Posts to your Google My Business
You can now increase your visibility by adding posts to your GMB profile. The content you add will be displayed in Google search results and on maps.
To add a post, simply go to your GMB account and create a new post. You can upload an image, write up to 300 words of text, or include an event title with start/end dates.
There is an option to add a call-to-action with a variety of button choices on your post, including ‘Learn more’, ‘Reserve’, ‘Sign up’, ‘Buy’ and ‘Get offer’.
This is a great way to promote events, share content, and promote your products or services. The post will last for 7 days before you will need to replace it with a new post. Google will email you a reminder to do this.
If you have set up Google My Business, you may want to consider using the posts feature. By doing so, you can share important information with your customers and followers.
Remember to keep an eye on your Google posts, as they appear to expire after seven days. Events can be listed for longer and automatically expire on the day of the event, which is handy.
Add Up to 10 Photos or Videos to GMB posts
As of February 2020, you can now add up to 10 photos or videos to your Google posts. This enhancement will allow you to better promote your brand and products, and stand out from the competition.
Images and videos help tell a story, and the ability to add multiple images will be especially beneficial for e-commerce businesses, allowing you to showcase multiple product visuals.
Add Images on a Regular Basis
It is important to not only add core images to your Google Business profile, such as exterior/interior shots of your business, your logo, and team photos, but to also keep your profile active by regularly posting new images. This will help Google to favour your profile over others when it comes to displaying higher in map or local search results.
Collect Reviews
If you are interested in increasing your ranking in search and map results, collecting reviews can be helpful. Reviews can provide insights into what people think of a business, which can be a valuable metric for ranking in local search. In addition, reviews can serve as social proof for potential customers, and help them make decisions about whether to do business with you.
The most effective way to collect customer reviews is to request them from satisfied customers. Identify customers who have had positive experiences with your product or service, and reach out to them to request a review. To streamline the process, set up a template email, but be sure to include personal touches where possible.
Respond to Reviews
It is crucial that you respond to all reviews, positive or negative, to show your customers that you value their feedback and their experience with your business. Additionally, this will help to build trust with potential customers.
If you receive a positive review, be sure to express your appreciation. Use reviews as an opportunity to learn what your customers like and what they don’t like, so that you can make improvements to your business.
Don’t Miss Out on the Benefits of Google My Business
It’s important to make sure that your business has an up-to-date and detailed Google My Business page. If you haven’t taken the time to create and optimise one, you’re missing out on one of the best free ways to appear in Google search results. It’s also highly adaptable and can be updated as needed to reflect day-to-day changes. All it takes is time and knowledge to optimise your page, so make sure you do it. You could see the benefits immediately.
If you would like additional information regarding Google My Business and local SEO, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team who would be happy to assist you.
