How to Optimize Your Google My Business Page to Attract New Customers
Have you ever looked at the Google results for your brand and found them a little lacking (or not found them at all)? Other brands seem to have beautiful graphics, updated hours, reviews and even trackable patterns where you can see how busy they are. What are these brands doing differently?
These companies keep active Google My Business profiles.
Google My Business (GMB) is an interface that allows brands to claim their business and share important information with local customers. Brands benefit with clear, detailed results in the SERPs. Google benefits by sharing accurate and reliable information, and search benefits by finding quick, reliable information.
Here's what you need to know about Google My Business and a few things you can do to keep your GMB results fresh so you can optimize your site for local SEO and drive more people to your business.
Don't Look at Google My Business as Competition
One of the main concerns that customers have when improving their Google My Business listings is that the information will pull customers away from their websites. Most brands work so hard to get their website traffic, why would they let a third-party take it away?
What you lose in website traffic, you can make up for in number of customers and increased sales. If your website is slow and customers bounce before it loads, they might not choose your business. If they can’t find your company in non-brand Google search terms, they can’t become customers. However, if customers see the information they need right away, and it pertains to your brand identity, then you likely just landed a sale.
Don’t treat Google My Business like a competitor.
Instead, look at the big picture and focus on GMB as a marketing tool and potential sales driver for your brand. Plus, your customers will take time to visit your website, even if they see your Google My Business listings. Often, they need information about your brand that they can’t find on GMB or want to reaffirm.
Also, when people see that your business is verified by Google, they know they can trust it.
They feel safer visiting your website and are more likely to take action on what they learn. Plus, with more brands claiming their GMB pages, you will stand out without one (and not in a good way). With an updated GMB page, you might notice increased conversion rates -- especially for new customers.
7 Steps to Optimize Your Google My Business Profile
Once you understand the benefits of investing in your Google My Business profile, you can take steps to improve your content.
Follow this checklist to make sure your photos, information, and reviews put your best foot forward.
1. Verify your listing. If you haven’t already, claim your business to prove to Google that you own it and it operates at a legitimate location. Google will send a letter to your address with details to confirm your receipt.
2. Add as much information as you can. Don’t assume that your customers know what to do or where to go. Provide details to increase the value of your brand to potential buyers.
3. Include keywords, but don’t keyword stuff. When you describe your brand, focus on a few keywords that would describe your business. Use these keywords, but don’t force them into the copy. Real humans will read your content just as much as search crawlers, so make sure you prioritize the quality of the copy over the quantity of keywords.
4. Include professional photos. New customers want to know what they’re getting into. Upload photos of your business, products, and parking to show people what to expect. You can answer a lot of questions with just a few pictures.
5. Add your business hours and keep them updated. Even customers who are loyal to your brand will need to check your hours every once in awhile. By adding your business hours, Google can alert users to when you are closing so they can reach your store before it is too late. It is important to note that this isn’t a one-and-done process. Keep updating your business hours for holidays and special events so customers can trust the information.
Related: How to Use Google My Business for Multiple Locations
6. Monitor your listing for comments and reviews. Google has been taking more market share from Yelp than ever. People are increasingly posting reviews on Google and turning to the search engine to read what people think. If you have Yelp management on your to-do list but aren’t focused on Google as well then you need to re-prioritize. Check your listings regularly to see what people are posting and make a concerted effort to respond to comments. Address questions and low reviews quickly to let people know that you care about your customers. You will win over new customers with your attentiveness and might win back some unhappy shoppers with your customer care.
7. Wash. Rinse. And repeat. You GMB listings require regular upkeep and management. You need to add new photos, check hours, and read what people are saying about you. The best brand managers set aside an hour per week for GMB. If there is nothing to do then you have a free hour. This prevents a backlog from developing to update your profile.
Related: Use Google Search Console to Get Insights That Grow Your Business
8. Create additional business profiles. Once you finish with these steps, add your profile to other business directory websites -- like MyArea Network. This expands your online presence and gives customers even more ways to find you through search. Each profile you have sends signals to search engines telling them that your business is great and should be featured higher on search engine result pages. Add your business to MyArea Network today for free!
Improve Your Local Search Visibility Even More
Google My Business is just one way to improve your local search visibility so you can connect with more nearby customers. Discover even more ways to boost your online presence so when local customers search for businesses like yours, they find you.
MyArea Network specializes in helping local businesses connect with nearby customers, and we'd love to see how we can help you reach more nearby shoppers, diners, clients, and customers. Contact us for a free consultation to see how we can boost your brand visibility in the places where customers spend the most time online.
