To gain more visibility on Google, almost every business around the world has created a Google business profile. It doesn’t matter if the business is a small startup or a large corporation, the Google business listing is a necessity. However necessary it is, not every business owner realizes that they do not own the management over it. Without such power, they are not able to change the details — crucial information that help search engine optimization and lead generation efforts. One of the first things that an SEO agency in Burlington should do is to help you gain management control of your profile.
What Is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a tool that enables users to manage and optimize their Google Business Profile or the listing that appears in Google Maps and local search results. If you take a look at a search, you will find relevant information about the business. If these bits of information are inaccurate, it would be more difficult for you to gain new customers to your store.
Creating a Business Profile is just like adding your place to Google Maps. When you have no control over it, anyone — even a random stranger — can put up random or inaccurate details which will appear when a search is made. You need to have control over crucial information including your business name, category, location, contact numbers, and operating hours among others. If Google confirms these types of information are not duplicates, they will create the profile for the location. It will then become open for customers to leave reviews, ask or answer questions, and add photos.
Basically, the profile can exist even if you are not doing anything. Anyone with internet in Saskatchewan can create a profile regardless if the information is accurate or not. However, whether you created your own profile or not, you will not have any control over the information it displays or the reviews being collected unless you put up your Google My Business Account.
As a search engine, Google gives high value to local business listings. The top of search results are businesses that are near the searcher’s location. The online searches most often turn to customers. Your trusted SEO agency in Burlington can guide you through the journey of taking over your GMB profile. And here are some of the ways that you can take full advantage of this to gain more clients:
1. Get on the map
The most important step that you need to take before setting up your profile is to make sure that there has not been one generated for you based on third-party information. Google has an easy-to-follow guide to setting up and building your own profile. You can start your search end profiling efforts in Google Maps because this is where you can find existing customers who have your location pinned or potential customers who want to find the most accessible physical location around them.
2. Make the listing pop
A web design agency in Toronto can help you build a preppy website. For your Google My Business profile though, what you need is a short and engaging description that uses your business keywords that perfectly describe the type of business you have. It will make the search easier for your future and existing customers and also help Google spider bots to crawl your site and give it a higher index.
Aside from the text elements, you also need to make sure that there are visual elements to add to your profile. Photos and videos are excellent ways to showcase your business, products, employees, and even the customers in the best possible way.
Finally, make sure that you have provided the correct and all information needed to help people find you easily. Include your physical location, phone numbers, operating hours, and a booking or shopping link.
3. Ask previous clients to post reviews.
Word of mouth remains to be one of the most powerful ways to market. In the age of worldwide connectivity, customer reviews are Google’s way of determining your GMB ranking in the search results. You can encourage customers to post reviews to your business profile especially if they are going to express positive ones. Some customers would be willing to share their positive views of your business but there would also be some sentiments to come along the way. The best way you can elicit these positive reviews is to offer incentives like a discount to their next booking or next purchase.
4. Take advantage of its extra features
Your primary concern is to cover the basic information of your profile but there are other features that you need to take advantage of. Some of these features allow service businesses to display their service area and promote coupons, special events, and blog posts through your Google My Business Posts feature.
Posting regularly can help boost the SEO efforts of your website when related keywords are included. As these posts appear on your GMB homepage, you can consider them as a mini ad or social media post that can maximize the effectiveness of your SEO plan.
5. Highlight your business
What you are showcasing in your Google My Business profile is your business and that alone means that you need to maximize your limited space to gain the attention of everyone. Your priority is to add all the details that tell people how they can reach you.
6. Perform local SEO
Google algorithms for ranking ads and websites also apply to ranking Business Profiles. Through your GMB profile dashboard, you can incorporate your website keywords and do the necessary optimizations to help your site rank in the local results. Make sure that you have the necessary keywords and use these on all platforms your business is listed.
Google My Business is a dynamic tool. Google prioritizes the sections of the profile according to the terms of what the searcher is looking for. With the help of an SEO agency in Burlington you can take over your profile and make sure that you use different SEO techniques to gain the attention of customers, gain website visits, and get more conversions.
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