How to Use Google My Business to Get More Customers in 2023
The website with the most visitors is Google. At the moment, the website controls more than 92% of the search engine market. A key strategy for growing your business through Google search and Maps is to create a Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business.
What is Google Business Profile?
A free business listing from Google is the Google Business Profile. You can include information and images about your company’s location, offerings, and goods.
Creating this free profile is a great way to increase your visibility across Google services. Information from your Google Business Profile may appear in Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Shopping.
Only firms that interact with customers can create a Google Business Profile. This includes both establishments with a physical address (like a bar or shop) and those that offer services by meeting with customers elsewhere (like consultants or plumbers).
You must stick to other Google tools like Google Ads and Google Analytics if your company solely operates online.
Why you need a Google My Business account
Find out about things on Google (and Google Maps)
Google is the best search referrer, whether you’re seeking for online or offline visitors. When people are seeking for goods and services similar to yours in their neighbourhood, a Google Business Profile makes it more likely that they will find your company.
Searchers can locate and contact your business using information from your Google My Business listing. Your local SEO will also benefit from a Google Business Profile. When customers use Google Maps to look for nearby businesses, listings for local establishments are more likely to come up.
Manage the information for your online business.
Having a Google My Business profile enables you to manage and edit your contact details, operating hours, and other important information when necessary.
You have the ability to make announcements about service expansions, temporary closures, or full reopenings through your profile, which is particularly helpful in emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Google Business Profiles are effective for local search engine optimization, which means the updates you make will appear higher in search results compared to outdated information on other websites.
You can post updates to share that you’ve expanded services, temporarily closed, or fully reopened (an especially useful feature during emergencies like COVID-19). Google Business Profiles have strong local SEO, so the information you share will rank above third-party sites that might have out-of-date details.
Build trust through reviews
Reviews are a crucial component of social proof and a significant approach to increasing credibility and trust.
Customers can contribute as much or as little information about their interactions with your company as they’d like thanks to Google’s combination of star ratings and space for in-depth evaluations. All of it aids current and potential customers in choosing which establishments to visit and what goods to purchase.
The idea of reviews appearing on such a public platform can be unsettling, especially since you aren’t able to pick and choose which Google My Business reviews to submit. (Although, as we’ll explain later, you can respond to all reviews.)
But don’t worry, according to Google, a mix of positive and negative evaluations is more reliable than endless pages of gushing endorsements.
Conclusion
Managing the information for your online business is crucial, and having a Google My Business profile allows you to edit your business information, such as contact details and operating hours, easily. With Google Business Listings, you can announce service expansions, temporary closures, or full reopenings, which is particularly beneficial during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping your Google My Business Profile updated enhances your local search engine optimization (SEO), ensuring your business appears higher in local search results compared to outdated information on other websites.
Building trust through reviews is essential for local businesses. Customer feedback on your Google My Business Profile, through star ratings and detailed reviews, helps build trust and credibility. It allows potential customers to make informed decisions on where to go and what to buy. Although you cannot control which reviews are posted on your Google Business Profile, responding to all reviews is a proactive way to manage customer feedback. Google recommends that a mix of positive and negative reviews appears more trustworthy than an abundance of overly positive endorsements.
Using Google Business Profile tools like Google Posts, Google Ads, and Google Shopping can further optimize your business’s online presence. Ensure your business is listed on Google Maps, which will increase visibility and accessibility for local customers. By optimizing your Google My Business Profile and utilizing these tools, you can significantly improve your business’s local SEO and attract more customers.
