5th February, 2020
It is advised from an early age to walk before we run, this applies to a lot of things in life, including SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and online marketing. So let’s go back to basics; have you considered a local SEO strategy? If so, top of your “to-do list” should be to claim and verify your Google My Business listing.
A Google My Business listing can really increase your chances of showing up in a local search, predominantly on Google Maps. But this can be competitive depending on your sector, location, services or competition. Simply having a Google My Business listing is not enough to guarantee top spot. Like with organic SEO, you work hard and earn it!
So lets start our walk together… Google My Business (once verified) allows us/you to add and promote information about your company. A few of the main boxes to tick include; your address, phone number, business hours, website url, payment options, company logo and uploading several photos.
There are lots of other cool features you can utilise within your Google My Business account. If you want to influence local SEO and boost the popularity of your Google My Business listing, then why not take advantage of a few. Below I have listed some key areas within Google My Business for you to look at, utilise and experiment with…
Google Reviews
Google reviews are very important for every business, so please remind your customers to leave one. Constructive feedback is vital, it allows us to develop and improve the services or products on offer. Business reviews appear next to your listing on Google Maps or in a Google search, so having them can really help your business stand out. It is good practice to reply to a review from a customer, it shows you care. Why not make “get more Google reviews” a business goal for 2020, thus helping boost your local SEO.
Google Posts
Google Posts are like mini news bulletins or social media posts that show up in a Google search, assigned to your Google My Business listing. This is one way to stand out, making your business listing look more prominent in a Google search. The great thing about Google Posts is that you can add an image, a call-to-action (CTA), and even include a link back to your site. If you have just added a new blog posts or a new product to your website, then why not add a Google Post to help promote it.
Google Products
This is a great little feature that we should all look at! Google Products allow us to showcase a product or service, it is a way to help promote or encourage customer interactions. When potential customers view your Google My Business listing in a Google search, they will see a “Products” tab. This area (similar to a Google Post) allows you to link to a page or product on your website. I believe this was originally rolled out on mobile search back in 2019, however it is now visible on a desktop too. Why not experiment with few key products this year, adding them to your Google My Business page.
Google Questions & Answers
Earlier this week I did some research into Google My Business and their “Questions & Answers” area. It appears you can populate this Q&A area with your own questions and answers. Yes you heard me correctly; by using your own Google My Business account you can add a FAQ section to your business listing – how cool is that! Here at Tidy Design we have recently experimented with this, taking content over from our FAQ’s page and placing it into our Google My Business listing.
Conclusion
As it stands Google My Business listings are displayed above the standard Google search results. This means businesses previewed here will get more attention, attention is good! To make the most of your Google My Business listing, it is important to remain pro-active and create eye-catching content. This content should direct visitors to your website. It is time to go that extra mile, keep users engaged and encourage customers to leave positive Google reviews.
I hope you found some value and food for thought? Please feel free to contact us with any questions, we’d be happy to help. If you are thinking “not another thing to look at” or “I don’t have time for this” then we fully understand. But, if you are looking to promote and grow your business online, then you should seriously consider above. Why not invest a bit of time in your Google My Business listing and see if it helps to boost future search results.
Until next time, keep it Tidy!
Mike