What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is an internet-based service that helps to promote your local business online. It is a free tool to manage the appearance of your business across Google and make it distinctive. It carries a lot of weight for your potential customers to reach out to you who would otherwise find it difficult to connect. Today, Google My Business is regarded as one of the most popular and helpful tools to increase online visibility for small businesses.
Local businesses receive 94% of calls from GMB on weekdays – Publer
Why is Google My Business important?
The points briefed below highlight why Google My Business holds importance for the growth of small businesses.
1. Allows to appear in maps and Google Local Pack Listings
A thorough map appears on top of the search page when you search for places on Google. It also displays the list of businesses (three in number) along with a map. This is known as the Google Local Pack. Appearing at the top of a Google search, the Google Local Pack captivates the viewer’s attention, displaying the exact information they search for. Moreover, it also shows the contact number, operational hours, and more useful information. This makes it easier for potential customers to reach out to your business and speeds up the sales process, eventually increasing your business’ revenue.
2. Allows reviews for your business
Online reviews are thought to make up 10% of how search engines rank results – Moz
Customer reviews hold value as they help to get visibility on Google search results. Three factors that help under this category are:
Improved local SEO
Search engines use reviews to rank search results – eclincher
Running Google My Business audits helps to gain semantic insights from your customers. These help you to understand what customers think about your business. With this, you can manage and maintain your business’s online reputation effortlessly.
Higher sales
Alongside uplifting your search results ranking, positive reviews also work as free and reliable ads for your business offerings. Online reviews are synonymous to the word of mouth recommendations in the online world. Therefore, positive reviews increase the chances of generating leads and increasing sales.
Quite a few business owners get stressed on seeing negative reviews. It is important to not take these personally and use them as an opportunity to better your services. Critical feedback on reviews also makes the reviews more believable and credible. Oftentimes having only great and positive reviews for a business might be taken with a pinch of salt by prospective customers. It is important for you not to take negative reviews against your business personally and instead use them to better your services. Even the best businesses try to improve with the passing of time to remain relevant and ahead of their competition.
Help you gauge customers’ mindset
Reviews allow you to understand and gauge what consumers think about your products or services. They also indicate what strategies you should practice or discard for better business growth.
3. Provides important insights
Google My Business is mostly known for promoting your product and services but it is not limited to these benefits. It also offers you access to valuable market insights and helps gauge various sources your customers are coming from. Some of such insights are:
- Views
- Search queries
- Engagement
- Website visited links
All of these help you understand your business performance and take better decisions to design your marketing strategies.
4. Increases brand engagement
Thinking why Google My Business is important for your brand engagement? Well, it is because it provides ample opportunities for online surfers to engage with you. For example, they can contact you via call with a click. Take for instance, if you are running a restaurant, you can give a direct option to book a table via Google My Business. Also, answering online queries helps you build better customer trust offering business legitimacy with prompt responses. This also helps to retain customers.
Additional Benefits
1. Google My Business is essentially free advertising
Getting on Google My Business listing is the fastest way of getting free advertising. Especially as it provides you with exposure to the world’s most trusted and popular search engine at no cost. Since you have full control over your own business profile, it takes much lesser time for optimization.
Wondering how to optimize your Google My Business profile?
These simple pointers will help:
- Keep your basic information accurate
- Fill out all available fields
- Add images and videos for better visual clarity
- Ensure you choose the right business categories
- Manage your Google reviews properly
- Always add relevant FAQs
- Plan and give offers
2. Free and easy to use
Every business wants a tool that is easy to use and affordable. Google My Business fulfills both conditions. In fact, it goes a step ahead as it is a free-of-cost tool. You can create your profile easily. Additionally, it lets you analyse business performance using which you can improve your ranking. For example, with the help of analytics, you can find out which keyword got the maximum number of searches that lead potential customers to your website and then strategize your content accordingly. This is only one amongst many surefire ways that Google My Business offers to improve your business’ ranking.
Set up your Google My Business profile today
OPEN makes it easy! You can register your business with Google My Business (GMB) in just 48 hours which otherwise takes a month. All you need to do is:
- Log in to your OPEN account and select Apps option from the menu present on the left side of the page
- Select Google My Business and fill in all fields like pin location, website details, etc.
- After filling in and submitting the details, wait for 48 hours for the verification confirmation mail
- Once you receive the confirmation mail, you are good to go
Benefits that you get:
- Set up a verified Business Profile in minutes
- Make your business appear on Google Search & Maps
- Respond to customer reviews/queries quickly & easily
- Showcase the latest photos/videos of your business
Running a business requires consistent diligence and intelligence. Even after attaining success, it is always a work in progress. Make sure that your efforts bear fruits, which is possible only when they reach a potential target audience. As Google My Business is the best way to reach your target audience online, make sure you do not lag behind. Get started today!
