What Does Google My Business Do?
Google My Business lets you control your business information that appears on Google Search and Maps. By verifying and editing your business information, you can both help customers find you and tell them the story of your business. You can also use Google My Business to see how customers interact with your business online.
There are three primary benefits of having a GMB profile:
Builds brand reputation: When people search for your business on Google, they’ll not only find basic contact information like your address, phone number, and hours of operation — they’ll also get a taste of what others have had to say about working with you in the form of reviews from past customers. These reviews appear prominently on your GMB profile (and in search results), so it’s important that you do everything possible to encourage happy customers to leave them. Not only will this improve your chances of converting searchers into leads and eventually customers, but it will also help you rank higher in search results since Google takes review count, star rating, and more into account when determining ranking factors.
Helps local SEO efforts: In addition to the direct benefits above, having an accurate and optimized GMB profile also helps with indirect SEO benefits. That’s because GMB profiles are often at the top of SERPs (search engine results pages) for local keywords — meaning searchers are more likely to see (and click!) your listing before any others. Furthermore, if searchers see that you have positive reviews, they’re much more likely to click through to learn more about your company, even if you don’t have the top spot. This is called “snack pack” listings (since they appear in a neat little box at the top of SERPs), as opposed to organic listings further down the page. All things considered, then, it should be pretty clear just how important it is for local businesses like yours to have strong GMB profiles!
Allows for targeted advertising: Paid advertising can be expensive, but by utilizing GMB features like “Posts” or “Offers & Events” (among others), local businesses can create content that reaches searchers without breaking the bank every time someone clicks on their listing in SERPs.
To sum it up, appearing prominently in relevant SERP listings is vitally important if you want potential customers to be able to find (and eventually choose) your business over others in the area — which is exactly what GMB profiles help with. If you haven’t already verified and claimed your profile, now is the time! Not sure where to start? Don’t worry — we can help.
In short, Google My Business is an essential tool for any local business that wants to remain visible and relevant online—which should be all of them! If you need help getting started, we would be more than happy to lend a hand. Just give us a call or send us an email and we’ll get you set up in no time.