Many of them never realise that small, local businesses have a crucial advantage when it comes to SEO (search engine optimization). Other than big corporations or e-commerce sites that have to rank for the most competitive keywords nationally or even globally, small enterprises can aim on what they do best: reaching customers in their own backyard.
To climb at the top of your local search results, all you have to do is provide for your local community while aiming at your marketing efforts toward potential customers in your area. Taking the case of small businesses everywhere, local marketing with Google My Business (GMB) is a significant marketing tactic that can really pay off, especially if you don’t have a lot of time or money to invest in a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.
What is Google My Business?
GMB or Google My Business is a free business listing platform by Google which serves local business owners to get more visibility in search results including the knowledge panel, local pack, and maps.
Google My Business is the perfect platform if you have a business and need to be visible to target customers in your area. It will not only boost your local organic reach but can also assist you connect to your customers, administer reviews and ratings, provide business updates and many more.
Why is Google My Business Important?
Your location will not be seen in the Google Maps listings without it, especially for the main local queries when users search on Google from their smartphones. You will lose potential customers as the algorithm will not find you in the “local pack”. So, this is why you should start to manage now:
You have total control of what people view when they search for your business
Boost SEO performance and organic search
Updates displays Search and Maps automatically, such as business hours or photos
Share photos to increase your offer and boost conversions
Post news or offers that people will in search SERPs Knowledge Panel
Get analytics on how customers searched for your business, and where those customers are coming from.
To wrap it up, if you invest enough resources to manage online reviews, photos, and post updates often, your Google My Business can turn into a new achievement channel for your business. This will have an effect on both Google Search and Maps too.
While taking the case of local, Google My Business is an amazing free tool for digital marketing.
Google is different from social media networks and allows metrics and insights for marketers. Search is intent-driven, which actually conveys that the user has the determination and interest to do an action. And in other cases, like the local search, they want to do that action now.
So this is why the intent-driven concept enables a business that can match the consumer discovery right at that moment, can win big in increasing conversions.
If you already have accounts and manage Linkedin, Yelp, Facebook Business Page, Instagram profiles, or any other review sites, then you must do the same and start handling your GMB.
How to set up a Google Business Profile
01Login to Google Business Profile Manager
If you’re already signed into a Google account then you’re automatically logged into Google Business Profile Manager. Or else, enter your usual Google account login details or make a new Google account.
02
Add your business
Add your business name. Click Add your business to Google if it does not display in the drop-down menu. Then select the relevant category for your business and click Next.
03Add your location
If you own a physical location customers can visit, select Yes. Then enter your business address. You might also be asked to position a marker for the location on a map. If your business do not have a location consumers can visit but provides in-person services or deliveries, you can list your service areas. Then click Next.
Google will ask you to specify which region you’re based in if you didn’t add a physical address. Choose that from the drop-down menu and click Next.
04 Fill up your contact information
Add your website address and business phone number so customers can reach you. You don’t have to enter a phone number, if you do not want to be reached by phone.
After completing it, click Next.
05: Validate your business
Add your actual physical address and not a post office box. This details is only used to verify your business and is not shown on your Google Business Profile or shared with the public.
Add your address and enter Next. You’ll be provided with the applicable options for verifying your account. Physical businesses will require to get a postcard by mail to confirm their location. Service-area businesses can be verified through an email address.
After you receive your five-digit code, enter it on the next screen (or go to https://business.google.com/) and click Verify or Verify business.
You will then receive a confirmation screen displaying your verified. On that screen, click Next.
06 Modify your profile
Add your messaging preferences, business hours, business description, and photos. When you’re all set, click Continue. Now you will find yourself in the Business Profile Manager dashboard. From there, you can handle your business profile, manage reviews and messages, view insights and create Google ads.
How to Optimise my Google My Business page for better local search visibility?
Is creating a Google My Business Listing just enough? It is surely a NO. With so many local businesses fighting to get the attention of customers, it is significant to stand out in the SEO game and optimising your GMB profile is one of the solutions to do that.
Business Info:
Click on “Info” from your GMB dashboard. Enter all the required information that are appropriate to your business-like hours of operation, photos, areas you serve, website link, attributes etc.
Photos and Videos:
Including photos and videos to your listing can have an immense impact on website clicks. Photos and videos will make your local listing look attractive to customers and grow trust about your business. You can include your business logo, relevant videos, cover photo and interior photos as well.
Manage Reviews:
Google My Business gives you the choice to handle your online reviews. Online reviews are highly helpful to get an insight on your customer’s complete perception about your business. If you have a lot of happy customers, motivate them to give reviews and never forget to respond to them. Positive reviews can inspire your potential customer’s decisions as well.
You should as well never forget to reply to negative reviews as it implies that you take your customer’s concerns seriously.
Google My Business Posts:
Google My Business Posts are updates to your users about deals/offers, events or regular posts associated to your business. With GMB posts you can not just promote your products, events, and offers but also engage with your existing and potential customers which can enhance their whole experience with your business.
Including features:
Use additional opportunities in Google My Business to include other appropriate information about your business-like product listings, bookings, services offered etc.
Google Q&A:
Occupy Google question and answers with most asked questions related to your business. Interact with your customer service department and get those questions and reply to them. It is always a better practice for local businesses to prepopulate questions and answers as it becomes simple for customers to find answers to all possible queries effortlessly.
Next Steps
After having your Google My business up and running you should aim to frequently update the information by posting photos or just posting news with links to your website.
By doing this, you are expanding the possibility to be easily discovered in the local search which will lead to increased conversions due to the intent-driven nature of the search.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google My business free to use?
Yes, it is completely free. You can create and manage Google My Business profiles easily.
Does Google reviews help with the ranking?
Yes, of course. One of the elements to rank a local result is the connection of the business and the number of reviews, which means that businesses that have more Google reviews rank higher than other similar businesses in the area.
How can you remove bad reviews from Google my business?
You just cannot delete a bad review by yourself. But you can utilize the ‘Flag’ option and report a review that you think harms Google’s community standards.
