As a business owner, establishing an online presence is crucial to expanding your reach and growing your enterprise. However, with the plethora of platforms available, it can be difficult to determine where to begin and how to maximize the resources you have.
One platform that can significantly benefit businesses of any size is Google My Business (GMB). This free listing service enables businesses to manage their online information, such as location, hours, contact details and more, all in one convenient place.
Google my Business Optimization and claiming your GMB listing is critical to ensure that potential customers can find your business when they search for relevant keywords on Google. It also allows you to control what appears in those search results.
For instance, if you have updated your business hours or introduced a new product or service, optimizing your GMB listing can help ensure that potential customers promptly see that information when they search for your business on Google.
If you’re not using GMB to promote your business online, now is the perfect opportunity to start. Additionally, if you require assistance setting up or optimizing your GMB listing for maximum impact, consider using a reputable Google My Business optimization service such as that offered by Assegai Media.
Why is a Google my Business Profile important?
Google My Business (GMB) is a free online tool provided by Google and it can be found here.
It allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Google Search and Google Maps.
Essentially, GMB serves as a business’ online profile on Google.
By creating and optimizing a GMB profile, businesses can provide accurate and up-to-date information about their company, including their name, address, phone number, business hours, website URL, photos, customer reviews and more.
This information appears in Google search results, map results and on the business’ Google My Business listing.
Having a well-optimized GMB profile is important because it can help businesses improve their online visibility and discoverability, which can lead to increased website traffic, phone calls and visits to their physical location. Additionally, businesses can engage with their customers and respond to customer reviews and questions through their GMB profile, which can help build trust and enhance their reputation.
As you can tell, Google My Business is a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes, as it enables them to manage their online presence on the world’s most popular search engine and maps platform, helping potential customers find them quickly and easily.
How to get Google reviews
The primary step to acquire reviews for your business is to create a Google My Business page. This page will enable your customers to provide their feedback and ratings about your business, appearing on both Google Maps and search results pages. Once you have successfully created your page, you can start asking your customers for reviews.
You can send emails to your customers after they’ve made a purchase or used your services, with a link included that directs them to your Google My Business optimization page, where they can leave a review. Alternatively, you can provide instructions on how to leave a review without using the link.
Another way to get Google reviews is by placing a link or have an optin form on your website. The optin form can serve multiple purposes, one of which includes building a list of loyal customers you can email weekly with insightful news, information or sales, as well as requesting a positive Google review from your subscribers.
For businesses with physical locations, you can distribute cards or flyers that include instructions on how to leave a review. These materials can be placed in high-traffic areas near the register or at the door.
After receiving reviews, it’s a good practice to respond to them to show your appreciation. Positive reviews can also be used as social proof on your website and marketing materials.
Requesting Google reviews can help build up your online presence and reputation.
These tips can assist in obtaining positive reviews that will enhance your business’s visibility and search ranking.
In some cases, businesses may prefer to use the services of a Google My Business optimization expert like Assegai Media to help streamline the process and achieve better results.
II. Benefits of having a Google My Business Profile
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of having a GMB profile for a local business
Increased Online Visibility and Discoverability
One of the primary benefits of having a Google my Business optimization profile is increased online visibility and discoverability.
When someone searches for a local business on Google, they are presented with a variety of search results, including ads, organic search results and local map listings.
By having a well-optimized GMB profile, local businesses can increase their chances of appearing in the local map listings, which can lead to increased website traffic, phone calls and visits to their physical location.
Improved Customer Engagement and Communication
Another benefit of having a GMB profile is improved customer engagement and communication.
With features such as customer reviews, Q & As and messaging, local businesses can interact with their customers directly through their Google My Business optimization profile.
This can help build trust and enhance their reputation, as well as provide valuable feedback and insights into customer needs and preferences.
Enhanced Credibility and Reputation
A GMB profile can also help enhance a local business’ credibility and reputation.
By providing accurate and up-to-date information about their company, including their business hours, location and customer reviews, local businesses can show potential customers that they are trustworthy and reliable.
Additionally, responding to customer reviews in a timely and professional manner can demonstrate a commitment to customer service and satisfaction.
Greater Control over Your Online Presence
Having a GMB profile also gives local businesses greater control over their online presence.
By claiming and verifying their profile, local businesses can ensure that the information displayed on their profile is accurate and up-to-date, and they can update their profile at any time with new photos, offers and other information.
This can help prevent misinformation or outdated information from being displayed to potential customers.
Increased Website Traffic and Sales
A well-optimized GMB profile can also help increase website traffic and sales for local businesses.
By providing a link to their website on their GMB profile, businesses can drive more traffic to their website and potentially increase sales. Additionally, by posting updates and offers with Google Posts, local businesses can entice potential customers to visit their website and make a purchase.
III. Key features of a Google My Business Profile
Here’re some of the key features of a Google My Business (GMB) profile that every business owner should know about:
Business Information:
This includes basic information about your business, such as its name, address, phone number and website URL.
It’s essential to make sure that this information is accurate and up-to-date, as it can impact your online visibility and customer engagement.
Business Categories:
Business categories are used by Google to understand what your business is all about. Choosing the right category is critical as it can impact how your business appears in search results.
Business Hours:
Your business hours are an essential piece of information that potential customers need to know before they visit your business. Make sure that your business hours are accurate and up-to-date, especially during holidays or special events.
Reviews:
Customer reviews are an excellent way to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
Make sure to respond to reviews in a timely and professional manner, whether they are positive or negative.
Whilst we do not advocate cleaning up negative reviews should your service offering not meet the minimum standard your customers etxpect, we do however offer Reputation Management Services for businesses that have been unjustly targeted by bad reviews due to extenuating factors.
Photos:
High-quality photos can make your business stand out and entice potential customers to visit your location. Make sure to upload photos that showcase your business’s products, services and ambiance.
Posts:
Posts allow you to share news, updates and special offers with potential customers directly on your GMB profile.
One of the best ways to improve your online presence or enhance your Google my Business optimization’s to create high-quality content that engages and informs your audience. This could be in the form of blog posts, infographics, video tutorials or anything else that will be of value to your target audience
Q&A:
The Q&A section allows customers to ask questions about your business, products or services, which you can answer directly on your GMB profile.
Make sure to monitor this section regularly to ensure that you are providing accurate and helpful answers.
Messaging:
Messaging allows customers to contact your business directly through your GMB profile. This is a great way to provide customer support, answer questions or book appointments.
Insights:
Insights provide valuable data on how customers are interacting with your GMB profile, such as how many views and clicks your profile is getting. Use insights to optimize your profile and make data-driven decisions for your business.
Google Maps:
Google Maps is an essential part of GMB, as it allows potential customers to find your business and get directions to your location.
Make sure that your business is correctly listed on Google Maps and that your address is accurate.
IV. How to set up and optimize your Google My Business Profile
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up and optimize your Google My Business (GMB) profile for your local, small business:
- Claim your listing: The first step is to claim your business listing on GMB. Go to the google my business login page and click “Manage Now.” Follow the prompts to enter your business name, location and category.
- Verify your listing: Google will ask you to verify your business listing by mail, phone or email. Once your business is verified, you’ll be able to manage your profile and make updates.
- Add accurate business information: Make sure to add accurate and up-to-date information about your business, including your business name, address, phone number, website URL, and business hours.
- Choose the right categories: Choose the categories that best describe your business. Be as specific as possible as this’ll help potential customers find your business when searching for related keywords.
- Add photos: Add high-quality photos that showcase your google my business optimization, products, services and ambiance. Make sure to include photos of your storefront, team members and any special events or promotions.
- Encourage customer reviews: Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your GMB profile. Respond to reviews promptly and professionally, even if they are negative.
- Use posts: Use the posts feature to share news, updates and special offers with potential customers. This is a great way to promote upcoming events, new products or limited-time offers.
- Monitor Q&A: Monitor the Q&A section to answer any questions that potential customers may have about your business, products or services.
- Use messaging: Use the messaging feature to respond to customer inquiries and book appointments.
- Monitor insights: Monitor the insights section to see how customers are interacting with your GMB profile. Use this data to make data-driven decisions for your business.
While the steps outlined above can help any small business owner optimize their Google My Business profile and improve their online presence, we understand that not everyone has the resources, time or expertise to do so on their own.
That’s where Google My Business optimization services like Assegai Media can be incredibly valuable.
Our team of experts has years of experience in optimizing Google My Business profiles for local, small businesses across a variety of industries. We can help you claim and verify your listing, add accurate business information, choose the right categories, add high-quality photos, encourage customer reviews, use posts, monitor Q&A, use messaging and monitor insights.
With our help, you can create a robust and engaging profile that stands out from the competition and drives more traffic to your website.
So if you’re struggling to optimize your Google My Business profile, don’t hesitate to reach out to Assegai Media. We’ll take care of the technical details, so you can focus on running your business and serving your customers.
Contact us today to learn more about our Google my Business Optimization structured services and how we can help your business succeed online.