You might be wondering… I have a Google My Business listing already. My response to that would be “you should!” The difference between the customer choosing you or your competitor could simply be the pictures, services, and/or reviews on the listing.
Going one step further, you are not taking advantage of all the items that a Google My Business listing (GMB) has to offer. Here are the top 10 items you need to be optimizing on your GMB listing to win over customers.
1.) Enter in ALL Fields Within Your GMB Listing
Local search results favor the most relevant results for searches. Businesses offering the most detailed and accurate information will be easier to serve in search.
2.) Keywords Are King
Just like traditional website SEO, Google uses a variety of signals to serve search results. Including important keywords and search phrases to your business listing will be incredibly helpful, especially since your business website is listed directly within your GMB listing.
3.) Keep Your Business Hours Up To Date!
It’s important to add the business hours to your GMB correctly, but it’s equally important to update them whenever they change. It should always be updated to keep your site accurate and users happy. (Google likes when its’ users are happy)
4.) Add Photos About the Business
Photos help business listings’ performance more than most business owners and marketers probably expect. Imagine you are looking for “Best Salon in Twinsburg, Ohio” and find a salon with great interior and exterior pictures and one with just a picture of the outside. I don’t know about you but I am picking the one that shows pictures of the interior because people be shady (pun intended).
5.) Manage and Respond to Customer Reviews
Interacting with customers by responding to their reviews illustrates that your business values its customers. Positive reviews are going to have a positive effect on potential customers when researching your business.
6.) Allow Customers to Message You
It can be somewhat inconvenient at times but messages to and from customers must be enabled through the Google My Business app. But, this is a great tool for customers to speak directly to your business without picking up the phone.
7.) Optimize and Use Posts
You can publish offers, events, products, and services directly to Google Search and Maps through posts on Google My Business.
8.) Stay Connected During COVID-19
Your GMB listing allows you to update how you are operating during COVID-19. You are now able to mark important attributes such as Temporarily closed, delivery options, and any health and safety concerns.
9.) Use Special Attributes
Newer features to GMB allow black-owned and women-led businesses to be highlighted on the profile. These also allow for other features like outdoor seating and the like.
10.) Use the Product Catalog
Most business types are eligible to showcase products, so long as they are small- and medium-sized businesses; and a few business verticals. Larger businesses need to use Local Inventory Ads to showcase their products. These product details also allow Google to better understand a business.
Our Conclusion
Properly optimizing your Google My Business listing is the first step in increasing visibility over your competition. Not only is it important to keep your listing current, but it should also be a place to show off your brand and who you are to your customer.
Your GMB listing is truly the first impression you make on your customer, you need to make sure it’s a good one.
Finally, I want to help all of the business owners out there that are having difficulty optimizing their listings. York Business Solutions will optimize your listing at no charge. Let us take the hassle out of the equation for you.