By 2022 end, Google My Business service providers will be leveraging more sophisticated strategies to help businesses gain customers in the long run. If you are looking to stand out of the crowd and dominate your local market online, it’s highly recommended to work with a top-notch business listing management company that’s always on top of the latest industry trends. Contact us to get help related to Google My Business.
Why you need a Google My Business account
Google has made its platform available for all businesses, irrespective of size and scale. From your brick-and-mortar business to your mobile app; from established companies with decades of customer reviews to fledgling startups—it is possible for anyone and everyone to have their own Google account. Having a Google My Business account will help you get on top of everything associated with your business’ digital footprint. You’ll be able to easily track how your listings appear online, plus tweak them as necessary.
With a Google My Business account, you can also respond more efficiently when customers ask questions about products or services on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Responding in real time is important because it gives customers an immediate opportunity to interact with you—plus lets them know that you value their opinion and input.
Control your online business information
Now that you have a solid business concept, you need to make sure your brand is represented online. It’s important for consumers to be able to find information about your brand so they can make informed decisions. The right Google My Business provider will help control and manage your online presence, making it easier for customers and potential clients to access information about your company. In fact, research suggests that a higher-ranking listing on local search results has been proven effective at generating leads. But it takes time and effort to manage a business listing through Google My Business service provider. To do it effectively, you’ll want a partner who can manage everything from keyword optimization strategies and citations of local sources like newspapers and magazines, to reviews about products or services—all for one low monthly fee.
Here are eight ways Google My Business service providers will be doing this in the near future.
1) A Search Engine That Knows Where You Are
I don’t know if it’s just me growing older, but one of my pet peeves is when businesses, including retail and food establishments, fail to recognize where I am physically. For example, if I go out to eat with a friend, there are certain items that only make sense for one of us to order. This goes double when I’m on business travel; if you happen to be at a national chain restaurant and discover that they offer mobile ordering while sitting on your hotel bed or living room couch, kudos!
It just feels like Google Maps can do even more based on where you are.
2) The Power of Maps as More Than an Advertising Platform
According to Google, 47 percent of small businesses don’t even have a website. That leaves a huge opportunity for local business owners who can leverage location-based searches with Google Maps and Google My Business (GMB). With Google Maps on your site, you can easily optimize your page for mobile devices, provide directions and quick links right from your listing, and add additional information such as operating hours, contact info and reviews. In addition to SEO benefits gained by optimizing your page with information relevant to search queries, you will also be rewarded based on user engagement with map listings. You can earn up to 7 percent commission per lead generated from Maps or GMB inquiries.
3) Optimizing Your Info Section
The Info section is where you can give details about your business, like its physical address, phone number, and website. For example, if you’re a plumber and want potential customers to know that they can reach you by phone between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., say so here. If your business has an email newsletter or email promotions that relate directly to your industry niche, add that too. Be sure it’s clear who owns and operates each of these channels of communication; you don’t want people getting confused about whether they should sign up for your newsletter or contact customer service with questions via Facebook Messenger or Twitter direct messages!
4) Influencing Reviews
There are nearly one million businesses on Google, and that number is increasing every day. But with all those small companies out there, you may have noticed that it’s hard for new businesses or those without a lot of established reviews or followers to be seen. That’s where Google My Business comes in—it allows you to connect with customers, post hours of operation, build out your profile, and add services you offer (if you choose). All your information appears as a card on Google search results so that consumers can easily find and learn about your business. The more detailed your profile is, the better.
5) Encouraging Local Searches
Google’s local search service is a natural way for business owners to target local searches and drive traffic from search engines. Given its importance, Google launched Google My Business as a way for businesses and organization listings to be claimed, updated and optimized for local searchers.
The tool lets you create an overview of your business that includes location details like address, phone number, hours of operation and website information. In doing so, you improve your chances of ranking on Google search results pages when users are searching specifically for your company or organization.
6) Defining your audience will take you far
Marketing is a lot like fishing. If you don’t have a hook, your bait isn’t going to catch anyone. You have to know what people are looking for and how they communicate before your can reel them in. Google owns a good portion of search, so understanding how to use it will be crucial. Knowing what your audience is searching for and how they want to consume content will help you define them more clearly—and differentiate yourself from competitors.
7) Keep People Engaged with Quizzes
One of the best ways to encourage people to stay engaged with your content is through quizzes. People enjoy learning, especially when it comes in a fun and interactive package like a quiz. And it’s a great way for your followers and subscribers to get some one-on-one time with you and share what they’ve learned with others who follow you on social media. After all, how often can your fans say that they truly spent time talking directly with you? Make sure that every post ends on an engaging note by asking a question that will be enticing enough for people who didn’t read or watch everything you had just shared. You might see an increase in overall click-through rates when questions are present at both ends of your content.
8) Adding Images
Adding images to your GMB listing can be beneficial when trying to capture more attention. When an image is added, Google will display it below your information on SERPs. If it’s a good image, that can help you stand out from competitors who haven’t yet added images and help customers see what they should expect when they visit your business. Images also give you another opportunity to include keywords that you want associated with your business, like your location name or common search terms people might use when looking for your products or services. Adding images is easy—they’re already included with basic listings, so all you have to do is upload them.
Google Trusted Store and How It Can Help Grow SMBs
Google Trusted Store for business is an initiative to combat business account compromises. If you’re a SMB (small and medium-sized businesses) it’s important that you know about Google Trusted Store and how it can help your business grow without being compromised by hackers. The key here is knowing what’s required for Google Trusted Store, making sure you meet those requirements, then getting your application in so you can reap all of its benefits when it comes time for growth.
As an added bonus, having a GTS badge on your listing means that Google can identify if there are any issues with your website or presence and will notify you ASAP so you can take action. Who wants their customers’ information hacked? Not us! And not you!
Final wrap up
Now that you’ve learned a bit about how Google My Business service works, why not try it out? Set up an account and see what happens! If you’re looking for more information on things like social media marketing or Google search engine optimization, check out my introductory guides to both SEO and SMO.
I hope they help! Best of luck with your business—and may you see a lot of growth in 2022.