You may have heard of Google My Business, it’s the free tool that Google offers to help businesses manage and optimize their online presence. Many users don’t realize that when they search for an organization, the small profile that ‘automatically’ appears on the right side of the screen displaying information including details such as their address and a small description of the company has actually been carefully curated by that business through the Google My Business interface.
Google My Business is a free and user-friendly tool that has many benefits including helping Google users discover your business. The application gives increased online exposure to your brand and can attract new customers. You can manage the information users see in order to optimize and appear at the top of the search engine results page (SERP).
It is best practice to have a full and complete Google Business Profile to optimize your company’s listing. We recommend using this tool as a platform to post useful information that consumers can benefit from, such as your hours of operation, busy periods, directions, customer reviews, photos and a description of your business. It is a great opportunity to make a positive first impression.
With the ever turning-digital work, Google My Business will help potential customers or clients identify your physical location using your listed address and discover–on their own terms–if your business or product is right for them.
Looking to take your Google My Business to the next level? You can Google “Verify your business”, which will increase brand reputability considerably. This allows customers to leave reviews, which can also increase brand reputation and transparency. Many consumers take these ratings into consideration when interacting with new businesses, and the account admin is able to read and respond to these reviews to further increase brand image and reputability. There are a number of ways you can Google verify, including by postcard, phone, email, instant, or bulk. To learn more about verifying you can Google My Business here!
You can also access a wealth of insights on how customers are searching for your business and where they are geographically. Analytics captured offer useful information such as the number of views that your content is getting, how your audience is interacting with your posts, and a breakdown of your audience, including age groups, gender, and countries. That data can demonstrate the efficacy of your digital marketing strategy as well as uncover potential target demographics.
As a free, unified interface, Google My Business helps businesses of all sizes increase their online visibility, and is a recommended tool for all business owners. In our world of digital marketing, in which most new business discoveries occur through Internet searches, having an optimal presence for customers to discover is essential.
By using this tool, you can connect with your audience, increase your chances of being found, and use data-driven insights to attract more consumers. Google My Business helps put your brand on the (Google) map ;).