Get Started

Google Me This. Are You Fully Optimizing Your Google My Business?

What is Google My Business? And why is it so important to have one? If you are a business, ESPECIALLY a local business and you want to get customers to you, then you need to be on the radar. And if you don’t have a Google My Business then you my friend are NOT on the radar. It is a free, easy-to-use tool that helps businesses manage their online presence and appearance in Google Search and Google maps.

 

 

SO..Riddle me this….WHAT ARE the top 3 benefits of having a Google My Business?

 

 

  1. Increased visibility in search. If I am wanting a REALLY great hot dog, and you have a hot dog business BUT don’t have a GMB, then I won’t even know your business exists.
  2. Better shopping experience for buyers. The more I know about your business on your GMB the more I am likely to come to visit your store.
  3. More traffic to your website,(provided you have one, more about the SEVERITY of that in another article) social channels, and front door. (Again, if you don’t have a GMB than I won’t know you have a front door).

 

 

Here are even MORE important stats as to why you need to have a GMB.

 

 

Everyone is Searching!!!

 

 

 

 

The internet has completely transformed business and culture. We’ve entered into an information golden age. You can find exactly what you’re looking for and a route to where you’re going in just a few seconds. Need to go to the airport? Easy. Want to get a rental car? Done. Hungry? No problem. If you want it, Google will find it.

 

 

50% of consumers who search on a phone for a local store make a visit in the same day. Google My Business (GMB) shows people who are looking for your exact offer that you’re open for business. It gives them your contact info, and can even help you stand out from the crowd.

 

 

GMB pulls information of what you are looking for based on the area you are in.

 

 

GMB looks for consistency across the board (NAP)

 

 

Since Google wants to make sure that users find what they’re looking for, it’s essential that GMB listing is accurate with up to date information.

 

 

So what information is required for an optimized GMB page?
NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number)

 

 

Something as simple as the business name can really trip people up. Some companies try to ‘game’ the system by including a city name or a keyword, when it’s not actually in the name of the business. That’s a no no, and can get your GMB listing censored for spam.

 

 

Another very important component of your GMB is the CORRECT category for your business. If you sell shoes, you certainly don’t want to be listed under automotive. Believe me, I have seen this happen. And it wasn’t something that the business owner did on purpose, it was an oversight that wasn’t properly checked.

 

 

You can choose up to 10 categories for your listing to showoff the myriad of services your business performs.

 

 

However, you can only choose one primary category, which Google gives the most weight to. So choose your primary and secondary categories wisely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHOTOS. yes, LOTS of PHOTOS. Businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for driving directions to their location from users on Google, and 35% more clicks through to their website than businesses that don’t have photos. Wouldn’t you rather customers visit your location rather than your competitors’? Then add some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond the basics, here are a few more things you can do to fully optimize your GMB listing.

 

 

  • Get a better understanding for how Google Search works for local business.

 

 

  • Try entering different local search terms to see how the results look, and where you rank:

 

 

  • [Your business name]
    • [Your business category]
    • [Your business name] + [city]
    • [Your business category] + [city]
    • [Your business category] + “near me” (or other synonyms)

 

 

  • Research your local competitor’s listings and study why some might be ranking higher than others. 

 

 

  • Encourage customers to leave positive reviews on your GMB listing. One of the most prominent GMB features that shows up in search (and maps) is your star rating. Having a high rating will greatly increase click through rates. Reviews are extremely important for any local business.

 

 

  • Also encourage customers to check in at your location and to upload their own photos of your business. Google loves it when customers engage with your GMB listing and will reward that engagement with better search rankings.

 

 

  • One last tip, and an entirely different can of worms, is to use paid social ads or AdWords to bring more customer to your business.

 

 

  • For quick and easy advertising – Try AdWords Express
    • For more robust features for more comprehensive advertising campaigns – Try AdWords

 

 

For more tips and tricks to improve your GMB Listing check out these articles:

 

 

 

 

Using Google My Business Will Help You Get More Leads and Sales

 

 

Think about it. It’s almost FREE advertising. Why not get started? I mean what do you have to lose? The better your listing the more return on investment you’ll receive. Google search plays a huge part in local business. Give it a good shot. Nail the basics, and focus on your customers. That’s really the biggest thing.

 

 

Who are you trying to attract? Build a profile that they will like. Create exposure for your business and grow your customer reviews.

 

Other Articles

Loading