The tides of marketing are constantly shifting, especially in the digital era that we have entered. If you are a business owner, learning any cost-effective marketing methods possible can only be positive. Out of every free and low-cost advertising platform out there, few can match the benefit of Google My Business for storefront businesses. Keep reading to learn the power of GMB optimization.
What Is Google My Business?
GMB’s are one of the most helpful listings that you can create for your business to find potential customers. As the world’s largest search engine, Google search has more reach than any other engine and they have also developed a convenient platform to list your businesses attributes (your GMB), making it a centralized source of information that can be used to display your services to customers. When customers search for a product or service on Google, relevant businesses with a GMB will appear. Businesses are then listed and displayed in a map version with the order of listings depending on their relevance (according to Google). Essentially, the GMB will serve as a free listing that shows your business profile to people searching for your product or service.
Showing Up In Google Maps
Setting up your Google My Business is the easy part, now it’s time to ensure that customers see your profile. To do this, you must appear to be more relevant to the search term than other businesses in the area. Some Factors that can increase your organic search results are:
Operating From A Physical Address
For the best results, your Google my business listing needs a physical address. Google typically gives businesses that have an actual location preference in local search results. It is possible to rank your Google my Business without an address, but adding a physical location to your business listing will surely speed up the process and help you build trust with potential customers.
Add Products & Services
Many businesses neglect to add any products and services that are offered to their GMB. At a minimum, services should be listed but for the best effects, you should add descriptions, pricing, and any additional information possible.
Posting
Providing updates to your customers on the business GMB shows activity and gives customers something to click. Not only are you “showing face”, but you’re also giving customers additional information, and that’s what Google looks for.
Add Images To Your Business Listing
Pictures receive views and that’s exactly what you want. Your customers want context when they are looking at your profile, and a portfolio of pictures related to your business will showcase your professionalism, cleanliness, and give a visual introduction that puts viewers more at ease. When customers view your Google business listing, they will also catch a glimpse of your company’s appearance, services, products, and team; depending on what images you provide.
Linking Your Website
Google Search pulls information from your website to determine the relevance of your business. That means if you have a site, it needs to be linked to the GMB. This tells Google to link your online information to the account, potentially increasing your search rankings.
Relevancy & Accuracy Are Key
GMB accounts are constantly monitored to ensure accurate information is being used. If you are posting false or irrelevant information to your GMB, there’s a good chance that it will be suspended. This is a large risk to take, as suspensions are rarely lifted and your business profile will essentially be deactivated. Make sure that everything from the services listed to reviews posted is legitimate, relevant, and matches whatever your website says.
Summary
Regardless of your current marketing strategy, setting up or taking ownership of your Google my Business will be advantageous to your company’s traffic and sales. The worst that can happen is you end up lost in the search results or you may end up with substantial traffic growth. Keeping all of your information accurate and up-to-date while expanding on each service using your business’s website will be an effective way to start appearing for relevant terms.
GMB Management Service
While setting up your GMB business listing and adding some info is a great way to start advertising on Google, working with a local SEO expert can amplify your business account results and help you reach the top of Google Maps. Google my Business management takes care of everything to keep your profile active, intriguing, and appealing to potential customers while increasing your online presence. Rank higher in Google search results and appear in relevant local searches by using an expert Google my Business Management service.