Introduction

How about finding a local boutique shop that offers clothes resonating perfectly with your style? Or how about getting a map result for an electronic shop that would fix your AC? Sounds great, isn’t it? Customers these days prefer online search results for the products or services they want to purchase. 

You might be a well-known business owner in your locality and you might not feel the need to move on to Google. However, this kind of attitude could cost you, customers. A study done by SEO Tribunal is quite apparent in this regard. It shows that about 97% of people get introduced to a local company online than anywhere else. As a business, you should utilize Google My Business/GMB to get the required visibility online. 

Google My Business allows companies to get visible in Google search results. And that too, without paying a penny for it. 

Key benefits of GMB 

1) Enhanced visibility on Google search and maps

With Google My Business, your business has a competitive advantage over others. By setting up your GMB listing, you ensure enhanced visibility on Google search and maps. Google keeps making changes to its algorithms. So, if you wish to get visible in local search then you need to have a Google My Business listing. Moreover, you need to keep optimizing it regularly. 

2) Get visible in Google’s local 3-pack

Getting visible in Google’s local 3-pack has a lot of advantages. It not only boosts your chances of getting more clicks over other brands, it also makes it easier for users to locate you on Google maps. Thus, businesses across the globe are exploring various SEO tricks to get included in Google’s local 3-pack and get the highest ranking in return. 

3) Build trust with customers 

Whenever your business appears in a Google search, it naturally creates an impression in the user’s mind that your brand has some value that they can trust and make a purchase decision. 

The brands that show up in Google search are 2.7 times more likely to be perceived as reputable by users. However, before your brand appears in local search, your brand must go through multiple verification processes. This is how Google ensures that users are relying on a trustworthy source.  

4) Enrich your online appeal with star ratings

Apart from online reviews, star ratings can persuade prospective customers to a large extent. Google My Business provides reviews of your brand. Customers can use these reviews and ratings to make a purchase decision. They can also leave feedback for others to follow. These ratings let customers know what the good things you are offering and what is not so good about your brand. Moreover, you will also receive Nifty star ratings next to your business on Google. Such a rating system provides you with more reviews and higher ratings as long as you are offering quality services. 

5) Attract traffic and sales 

Local businesses mostly face the challenge of maintaining a steady supply of website traffic. But with Google My Business listing, you can attract and maintain considerable website traffic and increase sales. Not convinced yet? Google has found that with browsing potential, businesses can attract about 70 per cent of location visits. Moreover, users who discover a brand/company through Google My Business listings are 50 per cent more likely to make a purchase. 

Few guidelines to get started with GMB

  • A right description goes a long way 

Invest some time in writing a good description to add to your listing. A description is more or less like an overview of what your business offers. A good description has the local touch to make it relevant for customers in your vicinity. Keep your GMB description of about 750 characters and make sure you are including 2-3 keywords to describe your business in the best way possible. It shouldn’t be too lengthy and try to give the most important information in the first 2-3 sentences. 

  • Add regular posts to your GMB page

You can add regular posts to your GMB page to make your GMB profile active and engaging. These posts will appear in Google search and on map results. 

So to add a new post, you have to go to your GMB account and create a new post. A post can take various forms including an image, 300 words long write-up or information about an upcoming event. 

Once you created a post, you can now invite customers to take call-to-action with various options such as “Learn more”, “Sign up”, “Get offer” etc.

Take a note that Google posts usually expire within seven days after posting them. Thus, you need to update them weekly. 

  • Enhance the look of the page by adding images regularly 

Beyond adding core business images, you can enhance the look of your GMB page by regularly adding images that resonate with your business. This way, your activeness will be reflected in the higher rank you achieve in local search results. 

Concluding thoughts

Your business accompanied by GMB can attract significant website traffic and drive more sales. Small businesses usually have a low budget that they can’t afford every time to invest separately on advertising and promotion. Google My Business comes in handy for them. Thus, GMB is an effective way to promote your local business and gain a competitive edge.