Leveraging Google My Business can be a big win for local businesses. They serve as a credibility signal for searchers. Since 46% of all searches have local intent, you should optimize your local business Google My Business profile.
What Is Google My Business?’
You’re probably very aware of the side panel on the left of search, and those are Google My Business profiles. They show business name, address, contact information, website links, images, hours of operation, and reviews.
Consider Google My Business as one part of social media marketing to enhance and manage. This one supports your local SEO strategy. If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to either claim one that Google auto-generated or create one, then verify ownership of it with Google.
Once you have a profile, it can display with searches on the sidebar, local results, and Google maps. So, how can you leverage it for positive returns? Let’s find out.
Complete and Optimize Your Profile
Before you can begin to reap the benefits, you’ll need to complete and optimize your profile. Complete all the necessary contact information and descriptors about your business. Add photos as well.
See below our profile for a preview. Our profile also includes our products, Q&As, reviews, descriptions, and posts. Also, keep this information updated and accurate should you change business hours, phone numbers, etc.
Get Found Easier by Local Searchers
Most consumers start with a Google search to find the products or services they need. When they search, the top results will be ads followed by the top three listings. So how do you get in those top three? A complete and active Google My Business profile is a good start.
Enhance Your Business’s Credibility
When you have a Google My Business account and appear in results this way, it’s a credibility boost to users. It can immediately legitimize your business. You’ll do even better in prospective customers’ eyes if you have local reviews. A study revealed that 93% of customers read reviews of local businesses. You can create a competitive edge by seeking reviews on Google.
A searcher can immediately see your contact information and images, so they know you’re a real business that can meet their needs. You also can respond to reviews, which you should do if they are positive or negative. This illustrates your responsiveness to customers.
Drive Traffic to Your Website with Posts
You can post on Google My Business in the same way as other social media sites. The platform allows you to create posts in several areas, including events, products, and more. You can include an image, title, description, and call-to-action link. It can act as one more content distribution channel that could result in more traffic. Tracking this can inform you of performance and what kind of posts generate the most clicks. See a sample below of a recent post by us.