When you search for something on Google, you might see some business profiles come up on the top of the page. They are Google My Business listings.
Now, as a customer, you open that listing and see that their information is incomplete. They may have their business name and an address; unfortunately, the phone number displayed doesn’t connect you anywhere. In another scenario, you don’t see a logo anywhere… and they haven’t been updating their photos and posts for quite some time.
How would you feel about that? Do you still want to buy their products or services?
Probably not.
In a noisy online marketplace, local Google My Business listings serve as a virtual billboard for prospective customers who want to find you quickly and easily, especially right when they’re ready to make a purchase.
The key is this: the simpler you make it for potential customers to buy directly from your business listing, the more sales you have the chance to attract.
Here are the top 4 reasons why you should claim your business on Google!
1. Your business will appear more credible
Back to our previous scenario about encountering an incomplete listing. Chances are the customer is now looking for an alternative.
After all, they don’t know for sure if your business is still running… or if your business actually exists, given how long the listing hasn’t been updated.
When we’re looking to buy a product or service, we don’t just want to look for the products; we also want to see whether the businesses selling those products are real, active, and trustworthy. Seeing an incomplete listing, much like finding a shop with locked doors and windows, gives us doubts – no matter how great the products are.
Therefore, it is important to claim your business on Google My Business and start sharing this information with potential customers:
- Your logo
- A description of your business
- Your contact information
- Your opening hours (including seasonal variations)
- A link to your website
- A cover photo
- Photos of the outside and inside of your business, as well as products
Needless to say, all of them needs to be updated regularly, especially opening hours and contact information.
Filling out the listing confirms everything prospective buyers expect to see: up-to-date hours, contact information, and, possibly, recent customer reviews – they all act as social proof that your shop is worth visiting.
2. Your business will be found in local search results
We’ve covered the importance of local search results in our previous article. But we’ll keep mentioning it again and again… that’s how important it is for local businesses. It is no exaggeration to say that local search engine optimization (SEO) is a traffic gold mine for local businesses.
Don’t believe us?
Does any of these search terms look familiar to you?
- Restaurants near me
- Best cafe in [city name]
- Plumbers near me
- Accountant near me
- [Brand] car dealership in [city name]
- What to do in [city name] on weekends
Or perhaps, you’re more familiar with voice searches. Here are some examples:
- Siri, where is the nearest restaurant?
- OK Google, where can I find [product] in [city name]?
Chances are you’ve done one of those searches yourself. So you must know how vital it is for your business to show up on the top pages of local search results.
As mentioned before, Google My Business listings will appear on top of the search results. Here’s one example for the search term “pizza in Baulkham Hills”:
However, even if you have made a Google My Business listing, your business will not show up on Google before you claim or verify it. Therefore, make sure to claim your business as soon as possible!
3. You can convince more potential customers to buy
Once again, the simpler you make it for potential customers to buy directly from your business listing, the more sales you have the chance to attract.
Google My Business has some neat features you can use to help with that:
Post photos
Images are a powerful tool for marketing your business, so be sure to take advantage. Research shows that businesses that add photos to their profile receive 42% more requests for directions than those that don’t.
If you’re a restaurant owner, you can post delectable photos of your food to attract customers into visiting your restaurant.
Share posts
As the business owner, you can write posts on your Google My Business listing to highlight your products or announce special offers, for example.
The more often a business owner posts promotions, the more reasons they give for indecisive prospects to visit or buy. This is especially so if those posts are targeted to particular audiences – such as tourists.
Answer questions
Users can ask questions directly through your Business Profile on Google, so it’s important to check back regularly and respond to any queries as promptly as possible.
The same also applies to reviews. Regardless of whether they are good or bad, you should always respond to the reviews for your business. This indicates to users that your business is active and engaged – and that you’re keen to deliver good service.
Additionally, if there are particular questions that potential customers ask frequently, businesses can answer them in the Q&A section of their profile.
Use a call-to-action button
Business owners can opt in to allow customers to make a booking or message them directly via their Business Profile on Google. Encouraging potential customers to take action at the moment they’re browsing reduces the number of steps involved with calling or visiting, thereby increasing the likelihood that they’ll decide to follow through.
Businesses that engage users with posts, photos, answers to common questions, and call to actions can create a profile that’s more inviting to potential customers – and more likely to attract clicks and visits.
4. Maintain a great relationship with past customers
Updating your Google My Business listing frequently may help business owners maintain a relationship with past local customers. In short, when they need your products or services again in the future, they might come across your Google My Business listing again – and it persuades them to return to your shop or website.
Additionally, as mentioned above, responding to reviews can also help you maintain a great relationship with your customers. If the reviews are positive, saying thanks makes users feel valued, and may inspire repeat visits. If the reviews are negative, the owner has the opportunity to win over unhappy users by replying thoughtfully. Even if you don’t change a reviewer’s mind, you’ve at least shown other potential customers that you care and are responsive.
Key Takeaways
There’s no denying that Google My Business is an important marketing tool for your business – which gives you all the more reasons to make sure that your listing is always up-to-date. Essentially, the more complete your listing is, the more likely it is to deliver results and help your business grow.
If you need help with managing your Google My Business listing, get in touch with us now!
As a part of our services, we do updates to your Google My Business listing so that you can take full advantage of Google Maps and its features!
Looking to build customer loyalty through social media? Don’t forget to add your business to Top4.com.au
List your business, create your own digital store to sell goods and services, and share posts on social media. Promote your business on Google instantly! Should you need help with local digital marketing then view our new Google Marketing Platform and services Top4 Marketing
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