While you surely have this information on your website, Google Business Profile does the hard work of aggregating the content you provide and making it easily searchable across multiple platforms. So when you use GBP correctly, your business will have consistent information across Google Search and Maps.
It’s also one of the easiest and most accessible ways for your customers to read and leave reviews. It can help with your Local Search/SEO Strategy. AND it’s a great way to interact directly with current and potential customers.
GBP is one of the best free tools available for business owners and digital marketers.
Most of all, Google Business Profile can help you enormously with your local SEO strategy. Here is a comprehensive list of the most recent local ranking factors if you need more convincing.
Go to business.google.com to claim your business. This part is easy!
Consistency is important for your brand. If this is news to you, then you need to check out this article on the importance of branding. But this actually goes way beyond the visual elements of your brand. Providing your business information consistently in multiple online locations signals to search engines that the information is trustworthy.
Search engines will always list trustworthy content over unverified content. So if you want to be at the top of Google (translation: if you want your customers to find you online), then you need to optimize your listing on Google Business Profile.
Include your company name, business location or address, and phone number EXACTLY as it is listed on your website. You also need to include your website, a short description of your business, your business category, and attributes.
We know that Google places a ton of value on user-generated content like ratings and reviews. And there are a million variables that determine how hard those reviews will work for you. Things like average star rating, the amount of reviews, frequency of reviews, the keywords used in reviews, whether or not you respond to them, the location of the reviewer… these factors and more all come in to play when Google weighs their value in Local Search. The bottom line is: You need reviews.
The first rule of getting reviews is this: If you want them, ASK for them.
Don’t assume your customer will be so overwhelmed by their good experience that they’ll go out of their way to leave you a glowing review. Or any review. The customers who are most likely to leave a review without being prompted first are — surprise! — unhappy customers. So ask every single customer, every single time.
The second rule of reviews is this: Simply asking is NOT enough. Happy customers tend to be willing to leave a review, but you have to make it EASY for them to do so.
When is the right time to ask for a review? Immediately after delivering excellent service or as soon as possible afterward, when the customer is likely to be in a position to leave a review.
Once your customers leave you a rating and/or review — good, bad, or ugly — it’s 100% essential that you respond to each and every one.
Share pictures, videos, events, offers, and updates regularly on Google Business Profile. Unlike your other social media platforms, these posts will disappear after 7 days. So be sure your posts are both timely and specific.
When creating your post, keep in mind:
GBP will give you very specific customer insights that can be difficult to track down.
Note: If you’re using the Google Business Profile App, you’ll see this information in the Customers tab. If you’re working from a computer, you’ll click the Insights tab.
Some of the current insights offered are:
The better you know your customer, the better you can serve them!
So Google now actively encourages people to update information for local businesses through their Local Guides program. As a Local Guide, you score points for answering questions about businesses, adding reviews and photos, and updating information.
Sometimes these updates are great and totally accurate! Sometimes, not so much. So you need to stay on top of updates to your GBP page so you can accept or reject any changes that come through.
Google Business Profile is essential for business owners and marketers focused on local SEO. It’s easy and accessible for both you and your customer, so be sure to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile listing, post regularly, and check your insights.
Pro-tip: Your competitors may be unfairly manipulating Local Search, increasing their rank, while damaging the search experience for your customers. Here’s how to find and remove spammers in Google Maps.
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