When running a business, having a website is not enough to get the success you need. You need to build an effective online presence that enables you to reach targeted customers and create fruitful relationships.
Google My Business (GMB) can help you leverage your current assets and reach new customers. GMB allows you to add information to your business profile, such as operating hours, contact information, and reviews.
In this guide, we will share some powerful tips on utilizing Google My Business to strengthen your digital presence and connect with customers.
What Is Google My Business?
Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool offered by Google which can be used to create and manage your business profile on the web. With GMB, you can easily connect with local customers and gain maximum visibility. This tool helps you to appear in Google maps and local searches.
GMB is easy to use and only requires a few steps to get started. You can create your profile, add information about your business, add images, posts updates, and add your website address.
How Can Google My Business Help Your Business?
Google My Business can help you find new customers in your area and build stronger relationships with existing customers. Here are some of the ways GMB can help you reach your business goals:
Increase Visibility
By adding your business information to the GMB profile, it can help you increase your visibility in local searches. This profile also allows you to create posts on important topics related to your industry, including special offers and discounts, upcoming events or promotions, product or service updates, and more.
Engage Customers
GMB allows you to engage with customers and create a positive online experience. You can respond to customer reviews and messages, offer personalized messages, and promote your business online.
Build Credibility
By displaying useful information about your business, Google My Business can help you build trust and credibility. You can add photos and videos, showcase reviews, and share useful information about your business.
The Benefits of Professional Google My Business Management
Google My Business management is an important part of maintaining an effective online presence. Unfortunately, it can be quite time-consuming and difficult to set up and manage a GMB profile, especially if you are unfamiliar with the process.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go through it alone. Professional GMB management can help you maximize your business’ local presence and optimize your GMB profile to give your business an edge over the competition.
Hiring an experienced digital marketing agency with experience in Google My Business management can help you build a powerful online presence and reach more consumers. Digital marketing agencies understand the best practices for creating and managing optimized GMB profiles and will be able to provide strategic advice to maximize the effectiveness of your online presence.
How to Set Up a Google My Business Profile
If you’d like to set up a GMB profile, the process is easy to follow:
Step 1: Find Your Listing
The first step is to visit the Google Business Profile page to manage or create a profile. Type in the name of your business in the search box. If you don’t have a GMB profile yet, you can add your listing.
Step 2: Create and Verify Your Listing
Once your listing is created, you will need to verify it. To do this, Google will send a postcard containing verification code to your business address. Once you enter the code on the website, your listing is ready for use.
Step 3: Personalize Your Listing
Once your listing is ready, you can start personalizing it. You can add hours of operation, contact information, services, images and videos, and more.
Step 4: Engage Your Customers
Once your profile is ready, you can start engaging with your customers. You can respond to reviews, messages, and comments. This can help you build strong relationships with existing customers and reach new ones.
Post Content and Promote Services
Once your profile is set up, you can start creating posts to engage with customers and promote your services or products. You can also add information about your website, discounts and special offers, events, and more.
You can also use posts to encourage people to book services with you by including a call to action. This can help you drive traffic to your website and create more business opportunities.
How to Grow Your Email List for More Visibility
GMB profiles can be effective for increasing visibility, but you can take it a step further by growing your email list. You can create content that users have to sign up for to receive, such as webinars or newsletters.
By building an email list, you can reach more people, engage with them on a regular basis, and build stronger relationships.
How to Leverage Other Search Directories
In addition to GMB, you can create listings on other search directories to reach more customers. The top five online directories are Google My Business, Bing Places, Yelp, Yahoo, and Foursquare. If your business is in a specific industry, such as travel or hospitality, you can also create listings in industry-specific platforms, such as TripAdvisor and Hooz.
Conclusion
Google My Business can help you increase visibility, engage with customers, and build credibility for your business. With professional GMB management and a few simple steps, you can create an effective online presence and achieve your business goals.
If you need help creating, setting up, and managing a GMB profile, Digital Ethos can provide you with powerful digital solutions that can help you maximize your success. Contact us today to get started.