What’s the easiest way to find a cake store close to you in the city? Look it up online! A study found that 70 precent of consumers visit a store based on what they’ve seen online. So – is your bricks-and-mortar store listed on the web yet? If not, you’re missing out on sales!
Search engines are the next-gen, dynamic and evolved telephone directories and Google My Business (GMB) makes it easy for local businesses to be found online. Consumers simply enter a few key words into a search bar and a list of relevant businesses located nearby appear. Creating a GMB profile for your business puts you on the radar of hundreds of potential customers.
Here are some guidelines on what you need to know about Google My business.
GMB Google Local Pack
When someone runs a localised search, for example ‘pet stores in Christchurch’ or ‘pet stores near me’, a list of relevant pet stores is pulled up along with a map of the area, in this case Christchurch. The map has all the locations of the stores pinned. Just below this map, the top three rated stores are highlighted.
GMB Knowledge Panel
This is an information box that appears at the top or right-hand corner (depending on whether you’re using a mobile or desktop device) of the window. When someone runs a search specifically for your business, this box gives them all your relevant information at a glance. These details include the nature of your business, hours of operation, address, phone numbers, website, reviews, and FAQs.
GMB Google Maps
The location of your business is pinned on the map. Directions will be provided so people know the most convenient route to reach you. A link to your location on Google Maps is included in the knowledge panel.
There are seven ways that GMB contributes to helping your business grow. In a nutshell, GMB lets consumers know what you do, how well you do it and where to find you. This increases your visibility and helps you reach new customers.
- You’re Automatically Added to Google Maps
When you create a profile on GMB, you automatically appear on Google Maps as well as the local pack. You can update information about your business as required to ensure that consumers receive accurate information. Being pinned on Google Maps is an excellent way to stand out in the area.
- Customers Can Leave Reviews
Your customers can leave reviews and ratings based on their experience at your business. These reviews help form a reputation for your business and potential customers are strongly encouraged by good reviews. Gathering consistently good ratings is an excellent method of drawing in new business. It is recommended that you put in place a strategy to collect feedback from customers. The more reviews you collect, the larger your web presence is. The higher your ratings are, the higher you will be placed on the local pack results.
Unfortunately, no one is impervious to bad reviews. If you’re worried about these, you’re not alone. But how you respond to these can still leave a favourable impression of your business. Respond politely with a genuine apology and request follow up details to show that you’re committed to acting on their feedback. You could also come back and update your response, explaining that you have improved the situation. This will assure potential customers and existing customers that their patronage and feedback is valued. A study conducted by the Harvard Business Review showed that responding publicly to reviews correlated to improved ratings.
- Connect With Your Customers Beyond Reviews
Google My Business has a feature that allows customers to ask questions about your store, product or service. You can answer these questions on your profile as well. Not only does this enhance the consumer experience but it also gives potential customers who are looking at your GMB profile a better picture of your business.
- GMB Gives You valuable Business Insights
With a GMB profile, you will be able to see how many visits or views your business profile and posts have received. You can also see the kind of questions or queries people are typing into Google to find your business. This can help you improve your website’s search engine performance. You will also be able to tell how many clicks the link to your website has received, how many people have asked to be directed to your location via Google Maps and how many customers have reached out to you via the phone number you have listed.
Another important benefit is that you will be able to form a picture of your customer base. This includes details like the age groups they belong to, where they’re from and which gender they identify with. Details of your customer profile can help you tailor future marketing strategies to attract new customers.
- You Have an Even Playing Field
Whether you’re a store representing an international retail brand or a small, local business, you have full access to all the features of Google My Business. It presents your information in an objective manner and depends on customers to create an honest reputation for your business. GMB is a free tool that has no barriers to entry, so you can access everything it offers, and get started immediately.
Unlike other business insight tools, this one doesn’t have different tiers of subscription and you have access to the same features as your competitors – no matter what their size. Unlike on social media, expensive graphic design and professional photography is not likely to give your competitors a leg up on GMB.
- You Can Customise to Suit Your Business
Setting up a profile for your business is straightforward and largely involves filling in details about your business that you already have. You do need a physical address associated with the business, but you can choose to not display this information publicly. So, if you’ve just set up a small business out of your home, you don’t have to worry about putting your home address out there for the world to see. On the other hand, if you manage multiple businesses from different locations, you can list multiple locations as well (just use the location groups feature).
- It Helps You Paint a Picture of Your Business
Google My Business gives you a way to stand out from your competitors with the attributes or highlights feature. With these, you can let consumers know the unique characteristics of your business that appeal to them. For instance, if your business is pet friendly, you can let them know in this section. The business category that company fits into determines the attributes available.
Google My Business is very useful for your local business. It makes you more accessible to customers, increases visibility and gives you more credibility. Anyone with access to the internet can find your store with a few quick keystrokes. If you don’t have your free GMB account set up, start now, and put your business on the map.
