One of the first places that customers look for products online on Google.
It is reported that 46% of all searches have local intent with a business location that is mainly sought by local searchers.
This just shows you how much your business listing can benefit by appearing on Google search.
Let’s discuss how Google My Business or GMB can help to grow your business!
What is Google My Business?
A free local marketing tool, GMB basically manages the online presence & appearances of any business in Google Search & Google Maps.
It works as a listing on Google that shows your name, address, contact information, website link, and hours of operation.
How does Google My Business listing works?
The primary step is to either claim your page or add a new one & then verifying it.
With GMB, you will be able to create a simple website that will drive more customers to your business. It’s also essential that you optimize your GMB listing.
Now, in Google, the local listings dominate the results. So when users will search from products available in your business, within your locality, your page will pop up in sections like Google’s sidebar, local results, and Google maps.
Therefore, potential customers will be able to see your location, contacts, and other information from your page.
Why should you use GMB for Local Marketing?
There are lots of benefits of GMB:
Increased Visibility
One of the greatest benefits of GMB is that it can help you to get the maximum presence on the internet.
Today, 3 out of 4 shoppers search online when they want to find a business, and 7 out of 10 made a purchase from a business they found using a search engine.
An optimized GMB page will help Google understand more about your business & the more Google knows about you, the more types of searches your GMB listing can appear in.
You may even land on Google’s Three-pack.
Yes, the once inclusive 7-pack is now limited to only three local listings hence the title 3-pack.
To appear in this three-pack will help you to tap into potential revenue as Google not only shows customers your business on Google Maps, but it also places it before organic search results.
Helps you to know your target customers
GMB will allow sharing information about your business, including your address, contact information, and working hours.
Customers nowadays are more inclined towards specific information like specialists, offers, discounts. You can make your business stand out by sharing the latest photos, offers and other relevant information through your posts.
However, always ensure to have a “Call to Action” button so that customers can “Call” “Visit” or “Buy”.
Increase in Traffic & Sales
Having a prominent GMB listing can actually boost up your sales.
According to Google, by having a Google My Business listing, businesses are 70% more likely to attract local visits from browsing users.
You have to go through an enormous amount of verification steps just to make it to the listings on the GMB page. This creates a trust factor among the users, & thus helps in enhancing sales.
Customer Reviews helps in boosting your site
Nearly 90% of customers read online reviews to evaluate the quality of a local business, and most customers always choose the product with the highest reviews. Google My Business lets customers review your business and leave feedback.
Reviews are a way to build trust & confidence among customers. According to a survey by Moz’s on local search ranking factors, online reviews make up 10% of how search engines determine their rankings.
What are some of the ways to make your GMB special?
Select your post type –
Consider how you want to target your audience & what your business goals are.
You can share important announcements, for promotional purposes, your specials deals, discounts or even memories with your employees.
There are options to choose from like:
· Event Posts
· Product Posts
· What’s New Posts
· Offer Posts
Make your words count –
Generally, the size of Google My Business post is 300 words.
However, up to about 100 words is visible to your customers during the first impression. So choose your words wisely.
Understand what are your highlight points are for the post & try to keep them within those 100 words. You can even ensure the inclusion of the focus keywords & your SEO goals.
Write catchy headlines –
Headlines for any posts whatsoever is extremely important.
Today, customers have a very small attention span. So a unique headline will create more impact for your customers.
Don’t keep the headlines very long. Keep it short & to the point!
Use pictures & videos –
Good quality pictures can make your videos stand-out.
The minimum resolution of the photos should be 720px (width) X 540px (height). Also, keep in mind that the pictures should be well-lit & of course properly focused. It is better to preview your pictures & look for any last-minute editing necessary. Also, crowdy images with too many texts can make it look clumsy.
As for videos, it has always been a favorite for the online community. More than 60% of the customers are more likely to get influence by videos. Make your videos compact & to the point. Don’t drag them too long!
Call-to-action –
Adding CTAs to use your services while promoting your products, offers, deals, coupons can be very effective for GMB posts.
Instructions like “Buy Now”, “Book Online” or the recently added “Call Now” to boost ticket sales for events or activities.
Also, you can- promote contests and giveaways through your posts, Share coupon codes and unique instructions and restrictions on offers, Use key selling and popular products more extensively.
But keep in mind not to post too many deals in one single post.
This may confuse your customers & make you look inauthentic.
Keeping a personal touch makes posts very impactful. When you show your customers that you genuinely care about them, they are more likely to get inclined towards your business. GMB is the pioneer when it comes to empowering small businesses and enables them to connect with their customers directly.
GMB is remarkable in fulfilling your business goals if done properly.
Want some professional help? Contact us on Skyram Technologies. We will provide you with an entire marketing strategy customized for your business. We can even manage your GMB page much more effectively!
Also, for more such blogs on marketing techniques, read here!
