In an effort to increase their visibility, more and more businesses are starting to create a Google Business listing – also known as a business profile. While having a business listing is certainly the first step to improving overall visibility, most businesses are unaware that proper optimization needs to be in place for their Google Business listing to be an effective SEO and lead generation tool.
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free tool that allows you to manage how you would like your business to appear across various avenues such as Google Maps and Search. If you have a business that serves customers at a particular location or in a particular service area, Google My Business can help ensure that customers are finding you.
Maintaining your business presence on Google My Business is crucial, not just so your customers can find your location, but also, so they’re able to discover the products and services that you provide and can contact you with ease.
Does Google My Business really help in boosting SEO?
Google My Business can help in boosting SEO as you’re able to use its tools to ensure that your Google My Business profile is both verified and optimized. Once you have a verified profile, it provides social signals to Google that can help with driving traffic to your website, potentially placing your business at the top of the Google Search results, and even indirectly helping with the ranking of your website.
How can I use Google My Business to optimize my listing and increase relevant traffic?
While Google My Business may seem fairly standard, there are a couple of interesting features that you can consider using.
1. Track with insights
You will be able to have a good idea of where your Google My Business profile is heading in. Some insights that you will be able to see include:
– How many views your Google My Business listings have
– How your listing is found
– Actions taken by customers on your Google My Business listing
– Other interactions that your customers might have
2. Set up messaging
You can provide searchers with an option to send a message directly to your Google My Business profile – a fantastic opportunity for customers to get in touch with you. All you would have to do is select the “Messaging” tab in your Google My Business dashboard.
3. Q&A
There is also a section for asking and answering questions in Google Business Profiles and this can be a great way to help a customer with choosing your business. It is, however, important to optimize this section as it is open to everyone. Carefully monitor it, and create your own FAQ first by asking and answering questions about your services and products.
4. Google posts
Another interesting feature to use is Google Posts. Each post is simply a box on your profile that comes with an image, text along with a call to action. You can use these posts to make announcements about any new products or services that your business may have.
You can use this feature as a way to present your business’s personality to your potential customers and set yourself apart from your competitors. Some ways to do so include using graphic design along with photos in your Google posts.
The Importance of Google My Business
Google My Business is no longer optional and is an essential part of any business’ online presence as it is typically the first place where customers get their information. To ensure that your business is ahead of the game, it is important to optimize your Google My Business profile, display accurate information, and utilize some of its interesting features.
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