Decide on a logo. Claim your online domain name. Set business hours. New business owners have a long to-do list. One simple thing that can make your business stand out and drive traffic is to have a well put together Google My Business page.
Decide on a logo. Claim your online domain name. Set business hours. New business owners have a long to-do list. One simple thing that can make your business stand out and drive traffic is to have a well put together Google My Business page.
Have you ever done a Google search for a restaurant near you and a number of options pop up, which one draws your attention more? The one with little information and no reviews or the listing with multiple reviews, great pictures of the business, and current hours. Most of us would sway toward the one with information and solid reviews. That’s the power of a well set up Google My Business (GMB) page.
According to a Bright Local Consumer Review Survey released last year, 73% of those surveyed said they use the internet at least once a week to find information on local businesses. With 34% of people reporting they use the internet every day to look up local business. GMB is the easiest way to manage what your customers see when they search for your business or services in your local area.
Having a GMB page is a great step to being found online, but having one that is optimized to its fullest potential will help drive even more business. It can include a lot more than just business hours and a phone number. A business can add special features and attributes. Those features can include things like appointment scheduling options, wheelchair accessibility, or a list of other amenities offered. Another easy thing to add is images.
Businesses with images on the GMB page get 42% more requests for directions than those without. Google recommends having at least a logo and cover photo added, but having additional photos is preferred. These images can include anything from company events, your storefront, even products. Those managing the GMB page and customers are allowed to add images to the GMB listing.
I would say one of the most important things a business can have on a GMB page is reviews, hopefully, good ones. 60% of people always or regularly read reviews for local businesses. That can have a big impact on your sales in a positive or negative way. If a company has multiple poor reviews with no responses from the business, that will likely turn a customer off from patronizing your store. As I mentioned earlier, you can keep an eye on your reviews and respond to them through your GMB page. This gives you the chance to remedy a bad experience or thank customers who left positive words about your service.
Your GMB page is optimized, you're consistently updating contact information, responding to reviews, and uploading new pictures, how can you track its effectiveness? GMB offers Insights and metrics to help you track a wide number of things. You can see how people are searching for your business. Are they searching your company name directly or are they finding you off a broader category or services search?
Another useful metric that GMB provides is how someone found your business. Was it by doing a Google search or were they using their Google Map to find businesses nearby?
GMB also lets you see customer actions. Once a potential customer sees your GMB page, it tells you what they did with it, like request directions to your business, call you, or visit your website. All these metrics will give you better insights into how your GMB page is working and how it can be improved.
So if you haven’t already, head over to Google to claim your business and start this process. It will take a little bit of time to optimize this page, but once it’s completed, maintaining it can be a simple and rewarding process. If you need assistance our team can make this process simple for you. From claiming your business to managing your listing, our team is here to help you get the most out of this valuable marketing tool.
As 2024 approaches, we at NuRev Group take a moment to reflect on the milestones and achievements marked this year. It’s been a year of growth, innovation, and forging strong partnerships. From welcoming new talents to our team to driving forward the digital presence of our esteemed clients, 2023 has been a year of transformative…
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