We’re all yearning for the top spot on Google, it’s like gold dust. But did you know there’s an easier way to get yourself in front of more customers on Google without having to try your hand at complicated SEO techniques to get on the listings? Google My Business (GMB) is a FREE & super easy tool available to all businesses which will help to increase your chances of showing your business at the top of search results when people look for your products, services or brand online.

It’s core purpose is to help people discover your business locally, learn about you & give them the means to contact you. But it also gives you and/or your customers the ability to set your opening hours, write reviews & post updates about the business so that it’s easily seen to potential new customers.

In this blog we’ll go through some of the perks of Google My Business and why you should get your set-up as soon as possible to start reaping the benefits!

#1 be found on your local search engine results

We’re living in a time where online trumps all, and the majority of the time it doesn’t matter what industry you are in. Your customers, old and new, are online in some shape or form, and naturally that is where people tend to start when looking for businesses/products/services as it’s easy & instant access to information.

Google is clever, and as our behaviour changes to keep up with evolving technology, so does its algorithms. Have you ever noticed that when you search for a term on Google it suggests locations or “near me” as an option? This encourages the end user to be more specific with their search as it will return more accurate results for them.

Why is that important for you? It means that if your business has a GMB page, your business is more likely to show up in local search results when people search for terms like “restaurants near me” or “restaurants in Kidderminster” for example. Not only that, if you fill out all the information on the profile well and keep it up to date, you can even show at the top of the search results on a Google Map search which appears before the search listings. This is ideal as it’s the first thing that someone is likely to see when searching for a service and can encourage more people to interact with your business.

#2 be in control of your business information

Each business technically has a Google My Business listing, however if you haven’t intentionally set one up, it’s likely that Google has tried to do it automatically on your behalf. This can mean that some information may not be accurate or up to date. It’s common to see business descriptions, website links or contact information missing from these listings which is a real waste of potential as visitors won’t be able to access your details to enquire with you.

By claiming your business or setting up an account, you can make sure that all the important details are on your listing ready for potential visitors to read / interact with. By ensuring the information provided is accurate and up to date will show your business in the best possible light and encourage new customers to use your products or services.

Google My Business also has category specific features depending on your industry. For example, a hairdresser might add a booking button, or a hotel could add room rates.

#3 MAKE IT SIMPLE TO CONTACT YOUR BUSINESS

If you fill out your profile with all your available contact information such as your telephone number, email address, website link & physical address (if applicable), it makes it so much easier for potential clients to contact you.

GMB adds a button that links to your website and another that will open up directions to your business on Google Maps. It lists your phone number so that it’s easy to click on and call straight away should an end user need to. GMB also has a feature that allows a browser to ask you a question. This is a great way to tell your potential customers more about your services and reassure them that your business is legitimate. It also helps to show how you interact with your end user, particularly if you have just started and don’t have any reviews to encourage end users yet.

#4 SHOW OFF YOUR SHINING REVIEWS

We have always said that people buy from people. If you see lots of positive reviews for a product or service, you’re more likely to buy or interact with that business. It builds trust and confidence in your brand and encourages the end user to buy from you.

Once your Google My Business account is set up, you should try and ask some of your existing customers to write a review about their experience with you. These reviews will show up on the Google Search and the Google Maps search. You can read more about reviews and how to handle them here.