10 Benefits of Completing Your Google My Business Account
Google My Business Account—Why You Need It
Google is the world’s most visited website, making Google My Business (GMB) a key digital channel for every business with a location.
GMB is a fundamental part of any company’s online presence and often the first thing potential customers see when they look up information about your business. If it’s not there, they might take their business elsewhere.
But to get the most out of your GMB profile, you have to optimize it, and this starts with completing your GMB account. Let’s discuss the benefits of Google My Business.
The Benefits of Completing Your Google My Business Account
1. NAP your way to a bigger business
GMB allows you to provide details and photos of your company, including your name, address, and phone number (NAP data). It’s a great way to control and update your business’s online information.
What’s more, accurate NAP data is critical for any business wishing to rank well in local search results. GMB listings have strong local SEO, so the information you share on your profile will rank above third-party sites that might carry outdated information about your business.
2. Improve your business’s local search visibility
If you’re just getting started with local SEO optimization, your GMB profile is a great place to focus your early efforts. Setting up a GMB account is one of the simplest yet effective ways to be found online as it increases your visibility across all Google Services, including Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Shopping.
Because more and more search queries are becoming geographically specific, a Google Business Profile ensures customers find your business when looking for products and services like yours in their local area.
3. Become a part of Google’s 3-pack with Your Google My Business Account
The Google Local Pack takes up huge real estate on the first page of Google search results. It displays the 3 best and most relevant search results and increases your chances of being found online. It’s important to note that these results often vary depending on the location and query of the user, which means you must have a Google My Business listing.
But simply creating a GMB account isn’t enough. You have to engage with your local audience and optimize your profile to increase your visibility. The local pack provides a way to reach the top of SERP listings and outrank your competitors.
4. Build trust through review gathering with Your Google My Business Account
Online reviews are a meaningful way to build trust and credibility online. By creating a Google My Business profile, customers will be able to review your business and leave feedback for others to see. Over time, you’ll start to collect more reviews and achieve a higher overall rating, which gives you a significant competitive edge over other local businesses.
And on the plus side, Google business reviews increase online exposure and local SEO. The quantity, velocity, and diversity of reviews can influence Google’s search algorithms in your favor, ensuring potential customers find your business at the right moment.
The takeaway? People AND Google love reviews. Be sure to gather as many reviews as you can.
5. Gain a competitive edge with special features and attributes
Web users are now habituated to seeing business profiles on search pages. Subsequently, it’s more important than ever to go above and beyond basic descriptions to attract customers to your doors. An effective business description provides customers with a snapshot of your business and allows you to differentiate your business from your competitors.
In the past, attributes were simply a collection of keywords that Google would pull from GMB reviews. Today, you can include as many special attributes and features on your profile.
For example, some attributes for local restaurants include:
- Curbside pickup
- No-contact delivery
- Dine-in
Put simply, adding special features and attributes removes all guesswork from a customer’s decision.
6. Marketing and communication
Google My Business allows you to create posts to provide customers with as much information as you’d like about your business. You can create offers, give updates, post photos, and share vital information about your products or services.
Published GMB posts show up when customers visit your profile. GMB posts should therefore be part of your content distribution strategy. In essence, by posting on Google My Business you give your customers reasons to choose you every time.
7. Access valuable insights and analytics about your business
From engagement metrics to visibility stats, Google My Business provides valuable data that you can employ to improve search ranking, increase engagement, and ultimately sales.
For instance, with the “how customers search for your business” report, you can discover what parts of your GMB listing lead to the most clicks and how customers found your profile. Other information you can glean from Google Analytics include:
- Direct requests from Google Maps
- Amount of phone calls made to your business
- When your business is at its busiest
- Which of your product or service offerings triggered your listing
Such data can help you create a more impactful profile and attract more customers to your business.
8. Google My Business can increase engagement with your brand
Customers are ready to connect with your business – by visiting, calling, messaging, or leaving reviews. All they need is a platform to engage with your brand.
Some of the ways you can engage with customers include:
- Chatting directly with customers
- Answering questions about your business by providing a Q&A section
- Adding photos and videos to showcase your products and service offerings
- Replying to customer reviews
Google My Business creates an avenue for you to build a relationship with existing and prospective customers, allowing you to boost customer loyalty and brand recognition.
9. Provide better customer support
The more you know about your customers, the better you’ll be able to appeal to them. With a GMB profile, you can curate exactly what kind of experience customers have with your business. From answering questions about hours of operation to updating customers on special events, you can influence how customers view and interact with your business.
So, think of your GMB profile as an extension of your customer service team. It allows you to address any questions and concerns customers may have about your business. In addition, you can directly respond to reviews to clear up any misconceptions about your business.
10. Google My Business is essentially free advertising
A Google Business Profile allows you to keep your customers in the loop and shows searchers where and how to visit your business. In short, it provides all the information a potential customer would need to get in touch with you. And unlike paid social advertising or Google ads, Google My Business is completely free to use.
Google My Business essential provides exposure on the world’s most trusted search engine. A top-ranking increases your credibility and enhances your brand reputation.
Capture Your Business by Setting Up Your Google My Business Account
Clicks, calls, bookings, and sales follow an optimized Google Business Profile. Any business looking to grow its local reach and visibility should be using Google My Business. Google is the ultimate referrer, whether you’re looking for web traffic or foot traffic. Take advantage of this by having your business listed on Google.
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