Google My Business, also known as Google Business Profile, is a key part of local marketing strategies for businesses. It allows businesses to create and update their listings, providing potential customers with important information like location, contact details, and operating hours. Here are some ways to use Google My Business for local marketing:
- Optimize your profile
- Make sure your profile is complete and up-to-date. You can add high-quality photos, write a business description, and include product and service information.
- Encourage reviews
- Ask customers to leave reviews on your profile, which can help improve your local search rankings and build trust with potential customers. Businesses with more reviews and higher ratings are more likely to appear at the top of search results.
- Respond to reviews
- Google says that responding to reviews is one way to improve your local ranking.
- Add products
- You can add product names, prices, descriptions, images, and links to your website to your profile.
- Become a local sponsor
- Sponsor a local event, sports team, or fundraiser to get your business name in front of new customers. You can showcase your brand on signage, uniforms, and marketing materials.
- Connect with local influencers
- Get to know local bloggers or influencers in your community and offer them a free product or service.
Table of Contents
- How to use Google My Business for local marketing
- How to use Google My Business for SEO
- What Is Google My Business & Why Do I Need It?
- How to use Google My Business for local marketing
- How to sign up for Google My Business
- 5 Benefits of Using Google My Business for Local Businesses
How to use Google My Business for local marketing
So we’ve established that Google My Business is not your Business Profile, but rather a tool by which you enhance your Business Profile to boost its visibility and effectiveness. Let’s cover the four core ways you can use Google My Business to make your profile on Google Listing a better local marketing tool.
1. Engage with consumers
There are a lot of ways consumers can interact with your Business Profile, and you use your Google My Business account to engage back with them. You can respond to reviews, answer questions, enable direct messaging, and set up associated alerts. You can even use Google My Business to publish posts to your Business Profile, much like you would with Facebook and other social media platforms.
- Highlight your business
A Business Profile alone contains limited information about your business.
Source: Safalta
But through your Google My Business account dashboard, you can provide hours, a link to your website, products and pricing, attributes, and other details that make your business unique. You will also use your Google My Business to make edits and updates as needed.
- Gain insights
You can use the Google My Business dashboard to gain key insights into your audience and local search performance. In the analytics tab of the platform, you can see the queries customers are using to find your Business Profile, whether they found you on Google Maps or Google Search, a breakdown of actions taken on your listing, and how your photos are performing compared to other profiles in your category. Note also that there are ways to track clicks from a Business Profile via UTM parameters and Google Analytics.
- Perform local SEO
Just as Google has algorithms for ranking its ads and websites, it also has one for ranking Business Profiles. Through your Google My Business dashboard, you can incorporate keywords into your Business Profile and perform other optimizations to help it rank in local results, which we’re going to cover next.
How to use Google My Business for SEO
Google Business Profiles are dynamic. Not only do they change form based on platform, but Google will also prioritize sections of your profile according to the term that was searched as well as the type of information most important to consumers in your category. Even better, Google will embolden keywords in the content of your profile that it thinks are relevant.
But there needs to be information to prioritize and keywords to embolden your profile in the first place. Just as you (or your agency) would use a content management system like WordPress to optimize your website for search engines, Google My Business is used to optimize your profile and expand your reach. How do you use Google My Business for local SEO? Well, since optimizing for Google is essentially optimizing for searchers, it all comes down to the same three things: targeting, quality of information, and trust.
- Target your information
To use Google My Business for SEO, make sure to incorporate relevant keywords into your Business Profile so you can tell Google what you’re trying to rank for. Use them in your “from the business” description, your responses to reviews, your answers to questions, and in the posts you publish. Make sure to incorporate them naturally just as you would with any other SEO strategy.
Google My Business goes beyond just providing visibility and facilitating interaction. Incorporating Google tools like Insights and Analytics, it also supplies businesses with data about customer behaviors and preferences, aiding them in refining their marketing strategies.
Increased visibility, broader reach, enhanced customer interaction, insightful marketing data, and cost-effectiveness make Google My Business an invaluable tool for small businesses in today’s digital marketplace.
- Maintain quality of information
The completeness and accuracy of your Business Profile impact its rank, so make sure to provide the requested information in every section of your Google My Business dashboard. Especially important here is your contact information, special hours, and attributes.
- Build trust
The final approach to using Google My Business for SEO appeals to the trust component of Google’s algorithm. Keep your information updated and accurate as your business evolves. Keep a steady stream of reviews coming in and respond to them. Also, signal to Google that you are active by regularly uploading photos and publishing posts to your Business Profile through Google My Business. Home — Blog — What Is Google My Business & Why Do I Need It?
What Is Google My Business & Why Do I Need It?
To gain more visibility on Google, many businesses create a Google business listing (known officially as a Business Profile). If you’re one such business owner, something you might not realize is that creating a Business Profile does not give you management over it, and you need those management and editing capabilities if you want your Business Profile to work for you as an effective SEO and lead generation tool.
So how do you gain management over your Google Business Profile? The answer is that, in addition to creating a free Business Profile, you must also separately create a free Google My Business account for that profile.
A Google My Business account is the only means by which you can claim ownership of your Business Profile, attain management rights to it, and unlock additional free features to increase your visibility on Google.
How to use Google My Business for local marketing
So we’ve established that Google My Business is not your Business Profile, but rather a tool by which you enhance your Business Profile to boost its visibility and effectiveness. Let’s cover the four core ways you can use Google My Business to make your profile on Google Listing a better local marketing tool.
- Engage with consumers
There are a lot of ways consumers can interact with your Business Profile, and you use your Google My Business account to engage back with them. You can respond to reviews, answer questions, enable direct messaging, and set up associated alerts. You can even use Google My Business to publish posts to your Business Profile, much like you would with Facebook and other social media platforms.
- Highlight your business
A Business Profile alone contains limited information about your business. But through your Google My Business account dashboard, you can provide hours, a link to your website, products and pricing, attributes, and other details that make your business unique. You will also use your Google My Business to make edits and updates as needed.
- Gain insights
You can use the Google My Business dashboard to gain key insights into your audience and local search performance. In the analytics tab of the platform, you can see the queries customers are using to find your Business Profile, whether they found you on Google Maps or Google Search, a breakdown of actions taken on your listing, and how your photos are performing compared to other profiles in your category. Note also that there are ways to track clicks from a Business Profile via UTM parameters and Google Analytics.
- Perform local SEO
Just as Google has algorithms for ranking its ads and websites, it also has one for ranking Business Profiles. Through your Google My Business dashboard, you can incorporate keywords into your Business Profile and perform other optimizations to help it rank in local results, which we’re going to cover next.
How to use Google My Business for SEO
Google Business Profiles are dynamic. Not only do they change form based on platform, but Google will also prioritize sections of your profile according to the term that was searched as well as the type of information most important to consumers in your category. Even better, Google will embolden keywords in the content of your profile that it thinks are relevant.
But there needs to be information to prioritize and keywords to embolden your profile in the first place. Just as you (or your agency) would use a content management system like WordPress to optimize your website for search engines, Google My Business is used to optimize your profile and expand your reach. How do you use Google My Business for local SEO? Well, since optimizing for Google is essentially optimizing for searchers, it all comes down to the same three things: targeting, quality of information, and trust.
- Maintain quality of information
The completeness and accuracy of your Business Profile impact its rank, so make sure to provide the requested information in every section of your Google My Business dashboard. Especially important here is your contact information, special hours, and attributes.
- Build trust
The final approach to using Google My Business for SEO appeals to the trust component of Google’s algorithm. Keep your information updated and accurate as your business evolves. Keep a steady stream of reviews coming in and respond to them. Also, signal to Google that you are active by regularly uploading photos and publishing posts to your Business Profile through Google My Business.
SEO is important for any business, but particularly for small businesses that can use local targeting to compete against large competitors on the SERP. Google is making local SEO even easier with its robust Business Profiles, so a Google My Business account is essential for any business trying to maximize visibility in their local market.
How to sign up for Google My Business
A free tool that turns my Business Profile into a power marketer for my business? Where do I sign up?
To get a Google My Business account, go to google.com/business and click “Manage now,” which will take you through the steps of creating an account. Remember, a Google My Business Account does not automatically create a Business Profile—it gives you access to it and the ability to add more to it. So you’ll want to make sure you have an existing Business Profile to access.
Also, remember that creating a Google My Business account does not give you automatic access to your Business Profile. Once you create and log into your Google My Business account, you will then need to locate your separate Business Profile on Google Maps and then select the “Claim this business” or “Own this business?” link seen right on the profile. Once you complete that process, your Google My Business account will then be connected with your Business Profile and under your management.
5 Benefits of Using Google My Business for Local Businesses
- How Does Google My Business Boost Local Visibility for Your Business?
Typically, Google My Business employs relevance, prominence, and proximity to determine local results. Therefore, these three elements ensure local businesses obtain relevant results during a customer’s search. For instance, if a client searches for a local business nearby, google displays the local results through Google Search and Maps.
If a client searches for baking shops on smartphones, they are likely to get local results. Google ensures that they present every kind of bakery near that search area. Local businesses need to update their profile to benefit from GMB. This ensures that the company appears in the local relevant searches.
- Are Customer Reviews on GMB a Game Changer for Local Businesses?
It’s with no doubt that customer reviews are a game changer for local businesses. This is because it guides the company to make informed decisions based on customer needs. Customer reviews are a crucial ranking variable that will help raise the business profile rating. Undoubtedly, Google’s top five local results are highly rated and have numerous reviews.
- How GMB Improves Mobile Discoverability for Local Enterprises?
GMB integrates technology from various sites to help in its discovery. Customers mostly rely on Google searches and maps to find the local enterprise. GMB works in the following ways to improve mobile discovery for local enterprises:
- GMB Increases Business Visibility
GMB maps out the local enterprise throughout the world. Usually, there are about 63,000 searches every day. Therefore, mobile discovery makes it easier for customers to find local enterprises.
- GMB Updates Business Information
As the enterprise expands, there may be a change in the business information. GMB helps to notify clients about the changes made. Changes can be in terms of sales and operating hours. Business owners will need to update their information to keep customers informed.
- Enhanced Local Visibility
In Google, the Google local pack occupies a significant space on the search results page. This function allows clients to access the necessary information after typing their queries. It also consists of pertinent details that clients might find relevant. Google will also show the business opening and closing hours and star ratings.
5. Improved Local Search Rankings
GMB helps to boost the value of the business’s Google rankings. GMB helps in market research as well as promoting goods. GMB consists of ideal features that offer guidance on crucial topics. The guide helps businesses formulate effective plans and make informed decisions. Therefore, local companies can obtain accurate insights. They can also get data to connect them and their clients. GMB contains some of the following insightful features:
- Search Queries: GMB offers reports to help comprehend how various clients reach the company. The search queries display how new clients find the listings using ideal keywords.
- Views: GMB enables individuals to see customer views on their profile.
2. How can I display local ads on my website? For instance, ads for local businesses, or businesses with a local presence?
Well, you can certainly go direct and sell the ads to local businesses yourself. Barring your interest in being an ad-sales rep, the easiest way to get some local ads on your site is through Google’s AdSense program for both display ads and video advertisements via YouTube, which you can limit to only “local” advertisements. Another option is to contact a local newspaper, TV, or radio station and ask if they’d like to “rep” your pages. You’ll need enough traffic to get their interest, but since they’re out there selling anyway they may not mind adding your site to their mix. There are loads of ad networks such as OpenX and Conversant you could also try, but you’ll need sufficient traffic and ad-serving capabilities to get approved.
As a local business owner, you want to ensure that when consumers search for local services, your company appears on their screen. To do this, it’s critically important that you optimize your Google My Business listing. Google My Business is one of Google’s free features that help you increase your company’s visibility by showcasing all the relevant information in search engines to your area’s locals.
Can I use Google Ads to advertise my local business?
- Set up a Google AdWords account and choose your target audience and location.
- Create ad campaigns with relevant keywords, ad copy, and landing pages that highlight your business's unique selling points.
- Use local targeting options like location extensions, targeting specific zip codes or cities, and using radius targeting.
How do I advertise locally on Google My Business?
Here are the steps to follow:
- Set up your GMB account: If you haven't already, create a GMB account and verify your business information. This will ensure that your business shows up in Google Maps and local search results.
- Create a Google Ads account: To advertise on Google, you'll need to create a Google Ads account. This will allow you to set up and manage your ad campaigns.
- Choose your advertising goal: Decide what you want to achieve with your ads. Do you want to drive more website traffic, get more phone calls, or increase foot traffic to your physical store? Your goal will determine the type of ad campaign you set up.
- Set your budget: Determine how much you want to spend on advertising. Google Ads offers several bidding options, including cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-impression (CPM).
- Create your ad: Write compelling ad copy that includes a strong call to action (CTA). Include relevant keywords that potential customers might be searching for.
- Target your audience: Use targeting options to ensure your ads are shown to the right people. You can target based on location, demographics, interests, and more.
- Monitor your ad performance: Keep an eye on your ad performance and make adjustments as needed. Google Ads offers robust reporting and analytics tools to help you track your results.
How can I promote my business locally?
The best method in today’s age to promote local business is digital marketing including local business listing. Local businesses need traction on the internet which could be achieved by hiring services from companies like FINNDIT. It is a local business listing platform that has over 27 lacs businesses listed on its platform already. The reason for such massive success is that the users have experienced immense growth in their companies.
The key to promotion lies in digital marketing tools like digital banners, flyers, brochures, mini-websites, SEO support, google listing, review management, and more. With these modern tools, one could establish and expand the digital identity of any business.
What is an easy way to promote a local business with a local listing?
Two ways, both free!
- List your business on Google My Business.
- List your business on local directories for free like JustDial.
