Here’s a quick and VERY IMPORTANT tip for amplifying your business’ online presence. If you are a local small business owner, you will want to ensure that you have claimed your Google My Business (GMB) profile for your business. Why? The more Google knows about your business, the more they will like you… the more they like you, the more likely you are to show up in their search and map results. It’s that simple.
Surprisingly, we have consulted with many small business owners that did not know they should have a GMB profile or they did not realize the importance of optimizing their business profile.
Here are 5 key benefits to having a Google My Business profile.
- Rank higher in search results
First and foremost, having a GMB profile lets Google know that your business exists. That’s step #1. From there, it’s a matter of supplying good, quality, and accurate information about your business on your profile. An optimized profile is a significant ranking factor (among other factors) that will help boost your search engine ranking. Also, consider that nearly 50% of web searches have local intent, meaning that people don’t just search “pet groomers,” they search “pet groomers brecksville” or “pet groomers near me.” Having a GMB profile helps Google connect the dots between your business’ services/location and the searcher’s location. - Show up in map searches
When people are searching for a service or product on Google Maps, Google will take into consideration area businesses that are in proximity to the searcher’s location. If you have a GMB profile that lists out your products and services, you are more likely to appear in these map searches. This will also aide in people finding directions to your business location quickly and easily. - Increase conversions
It goes without saying, the higher you rank in Google search results, the higher the probability users will click through to your website. But did you know, if your business ends up appearing in Google’s 3-Pack (the 3 map results that appear before the organic results on a Google search), you can experience a 700% boost in clicks over businesses that don’t? - Have a way to start collecting Google reviews
Once you have your GMB profile, you can start collecting Google Reviews. These reviews not only help showcase your reputation, but they also highly influence your search engine ranking. The more reviews you have, along with a high rating, the more Google will believe that you are a reputable business that will be helpful to those searching for your services. - Earn trust from consumers
Having a GMB profile offers a layer of trust to users who don’t know about your business. Google will verify your business’ existence before it allows you to appear in local searches; therefore, this provides consumers some degree of assurance of your legitimacy. It also provides users the chance to quickly learn more about your business (products, services, reviews, hours of operation, phone number, website, etc.) from your GMB profile and thus build confidence in your business.
Other notable mentions: A Google My Business profile also offers you an easy way to communicate with consumers requesting a quote or information about your services, as well as a convenient way to respond to reviews, through the Google My Business app.
Well, we hope this helps. Please give us a shout if you would like more information on setting up or optimizing your Google My Business profile.
To set up your free Google My Business profile, click here: https://www.google.com/business/
Need help with setup? The AMPED creativ experts will set up your Google My Business Profile for only $150. Contact us to get started!
