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The Internet has replaced physical phone directories with digital ones. If you’ve heard of Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, or FourSquare, then you are no stranger to this concept. Among the top online directories to date is Google My Business (GMB) — a tool that should play an integral role in an SEO Agency in New York for business’ website marketing campaigns.
Signing up for a GMB listing will help your online advertising schemes take off and enable your business to maximize its online presence.
How Can My Business Benefit From Google My Business?
A GMB listing allows your business to:
- Build a network. It allows your website to reach a larger audience, whether they are located locally or abroad, expanding your client base.
- Amplify other online strategies. It synchronizes your listing with Google Maps and Google Searches for better accessibility.
- Enhance local searches. When a consumer searches for products and services, the Google search results pages prioritizes business that are based near them. By registering your business to GMB, you make it easier for potential customers to find you.
How Do I Optimize My Google My Business Listing?
- Conduct a search for your business. This way, you can locate any existing registration. A business that is a few years old likely already has a listing automatically created by Google. If there is one, claim it.
- Input your business data. Make it clear to potential customers what you do. Tell them exactly what your business does, where it is located, which areas you serve, and how they can avail of what your business offers.
- Name
- Address
- Email Address
- Phone Number
- Website Link
- Company Description
- Business Hours
- Ensure that these details are accurate and up-to-date. This extra step allows you to sidestep the negative impact of inconsistencies in information.
- Verify your listing. This step is necessary for Google to determine the legitimacy of a business. Verifying a listing involves sending a postal mail. This process can take about one week to complete.
- Upload photos. Adding photos increases reputability and allows your website to generate 35% more clicks. Photos, as well as videos, allows you to showcase your business, tell its story, and highlight what makes your business unique. Use high-quality photos with proper lighting and minimal filters. Below are the recommended photos:
- Profile Picture
- Logo
- Cover Photo
- Products and/or Services
- Staff
- Shop or Headquarters (interior and exterior)
To increase user engagement, you can also feature content generated by existing customers by using it as your profile picture.
- Encourage customer reviews. Online reviews offer your customers a way to share their experiences. It also plays a large role in influencing the buying decisions of others. One GMB feature allows you to send a link where your customers can write their reviews.
- Respond to reviews. And not just the positive ones — all of them. Doing so allows you to build brand reputation, inspire customer loyalty, and attract new clients.
- Monitor your progress with GMB Insights. GMB Insights allows a business to evaluate the impact of their listing by offering the following details:
- How Customers Find Your Listing – Determine whether customers found your business through a “Direct” search or a “Discovery” search.
- Search Queries – Identify the terms and phrases your customers used to locate your business.
- Where Customers Find You on Google – Measure the number of customers who used Google Search or Google Maps to find you.
- Customer Actions – Determine how your customers reacted when they found your listing. Did they click to your website, request directions, make a call, or view your photos and/or videos.
- Direction Requests – Find out which neighbourhood your customers are coming from.
- Phone Calls – Measure the total number and frequency of calls your business receives through your listing.
The prominence of Google makes GMB a crucial part of an online marketer’s tool belt like The Physio Marketing, a digital marketing agency serving physiotherapists throughout Canada. Use GMB to leverage your business towards success.