With over 5.6 billion searches on Google every day, it has become an integral part of everyone’s life. People use it to find answers to their questions, to find products they need, and everything they wish to find online. Google has made it easy for businesses to make themselves discoverable online with their suite of Google Services, including Google My Business. Let’s discuss the benefits of creating a Google My Business profile for your business.
What Is Google My Business?
Google My Business (GMB) is a free and easy-to-use tool for businesses to manage their online presence across Google. As a business owner, you need to tap into the benefits of using your Google My Business profile to improve your online visibility and discoverability. Its main focus is to help promote local businesses on the internet. It does this by giving business owners the tools and platform they need to create a profile for their business. The profile includes their contact information, services, location, and anything a potential customer might need to know in order to take action to contact the business.
Benefits Of A Google My Business Profile
If people are always online searching for the products and services that they need, wouldn’t it be a great idea to ensure they can find your business? Google provides a local pack that appears at the top of the Search Engine Results Pages whenever a search query is entered. With a Google My Business account, your business can potentially be shown on the first page and in the top section of the Search Engine Results Pages (SERP) for your desired search term.
With Google’s large audience, having your business profile on Google appear in the local pack section will mean tremendous exposure for your business. Keep reading to find out the benefits of having a Google my business listing:
Appear in Local Pack Listings
You will notice a box with a list of businesses at the top of the Search Engine Results Pages in Google whenever you perform a local search. That is the local pack, which is a list of local businesses that match your search query.
The local pack is in a prime position on the SERPs because it is the first thing that anyone sees when they perform a search. The local park provides all the business information a searcher needs in one glance. It shows your business name, business hours, location, contact information, services, and so much more. The local pack is a quick and easy way for searchers to find businesses that provide the products and services they need.
Appear on Google Maps
Appearing on Google Maps gives you the opportunity to be found by searchers who are seeking local businesses and their locations. Since most of these searches happen on the phone, it is a convenient way for searchers to click on the map and get directions to your business. Google Maps results also appear in a prime position on SERPs which usually highlights local results.
Otherwise known as The ‘Local 3 pack’ because it shows the top three businesses based on your query, it is a highly coveted position to be in because of the visibility gained in that slot. It is an affordable way to get more exposure for your business.
Improves Discoverability
Discoverability in online marketing means being found by people who are not yet affiliated with your business. In simpler terms, it is people who find your business by entering related search queries into search engines. A searcher does not have to be searching for your business to find it.
By optimizing your Google My Business profile using SEO strategies, especially local SEO, your business is more likely to be found using your target keywords. When potential customers find you and all the relevant information they need such as your phone number and service area, taking that final step to contact you is just a phone call or click away.
Google My Business Improves SEO
Search engine optimization or SEO is a must for businesses that want to build their online presence. If you want customers to find your business, your website and online profiles need to be optimized with keywords relevant to your business. If you own a plumbing company and a searcher types ‘plumbing companies near me’ and your profile is properly optimized with this key phrase, it is highly likely that it will show in the local pack or at the top right of their screen.
Collect Customer Reviews
Most people check reviews before purchasing a product or service. Having reviews on your GMB listing is free advertising for your business. This gives customers the confidence they need to trust that your product or service worked for people who’ve already tried it.
You can remind your customers to leave reviews on your GMB page by telling them verbally, sending them the link via message or email, or simply sharing the page to your social media profiles. Remember that people will trust a listing with more positive reviews than negative ones. Reviews also help you to have a higher position in the local pack. Respond to reviews, whether negative or positive to show potential customers that what your customers think about your business matters to you.
Provides Powerful Insights Into Your Business’ Performance
Simply creating a Google My Business profile is not enough to take advantage of this powerhouse. The next step is to use the insights gained to optimize and improve your profile. The insights also tell you if your marketing strategy is working for you. For example, how many views your listing had, how customers are finding your listing, what customers do after they find your listing, and any other interaction they have with your profile. It also provides the keywords that are leading people to you so that you can use these to further optimize your profile.
Google My Business is Free
By now, you would expect to hear that all these benefits come at a hefty cost, but you would be wrong to expect that. Google My Business is entirely free as Google has been generous to provide all these resources to business owners to help to improve their online presence at no cost.
This tool is efficient and easy to use and anyone, whether large organizations, small businesses, startups, or entrepreneurs can take advantage of the benefits it offers by creating a free profile.
Do You Need A Google My Business Website?
Another thing you can get with the Google My Business profile is a Google My Business website. This is a free website that is populated with the information you entered into your GMB profile. GMB websites are useful for people who do not have the resources or simply do not want to invest in building a website. It is a quick and easy way to get a base online that requires no start-up cost or technical skills.
Next Step – Create A Google My Business Listing
Now that you know the benefits of having a Google My Business listing, it is time to take action. Create your GMB profile, ensure that the profile is complete with your business information, optimize it with your target keywords, and manage it using the Google My Business app (optional). For further guidance, download our free Google My Business checklist that provides all the tips you need to optimize your listing.