Google My Business Optimization
We want to share some valuable tips on optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing to increase your online visibility. The higher your listing ranks, the more potential customers will discover your business. The best part is that you can optimize your GMB listing for free, and it’s something you can do on your own.
However, we understand that as a small business owner, you have multiple responsibilities to handle. Marketing is just one of the many hats you wear, and it can be time-consuming. That’s why many business owners choose to partner with an experienced company like ours. Our Business Growth Package includes comprehensive GMB optimization, ongoing monitoring, and regular updates. It allows you to focus on other important aspects of your business while we take care of your online presence.
We provide tailored solutions for businesses at different stages. While we offer GMB optimization and monitoring services at a competitive price, we also recognize that not every business has the budget for it, especially those just starting out. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you navigate and leverage your GMB profile effectively, even if you’re managing it on your own.
In this section, we will share valuable insights and strategies to maximize the visibility of your GMB profile. These tips will help you attract more customers, enhance your online reputation, and drive business growth. Whether you choose to handle it independently or explore our Business Growth Package, we’re here to support you on your journey to success.
1. Keep your business information up to date.
Consumers rely on the information they find on your GMB profile. As such, it is important to provide accurate information consistently. For example, suppose you recently made changes to your operating schedule, phone number, or even address. In that case, you should update your profile immediately to keep your account verified and visible online.
2. Upload plenty of photos and videos of your business.
The human brain is hardwired to process visual information. Your GMB listing can be instantly improved by adding photos (which also helps with GMB SEO). Google My Business statistics 2021 from Google show that businesses with pictures in their listing receive 42 percent more requests for driving directions and 35 percent more click-throughs than those that don’t. You should also make sure that the photos you use were taken locally to your business, there is metadata embedded into every image, and the location in which it was taken is looked at by Google so you want to make sure your photos are taken locally or you modify the location data on the image.
You would be very surprised at how many people look at photos on a business so this is something you do not want to overlook. We try to add 4-8 new images per month.
3. Write Posts.
Establishing yourself as an expert in your field usually helps grow a business as well so writing informative posts that users can read and learn from improves your Google My Business listing position as well as helps potential customers connect with you and establish trust.
Note that Google Posts only stays on your profile for seven days, so you will have to continuously share content updates, preferably once a day. You also want to make sure that all your posts are also added to the blog section of your website so you are fully utilizing that content.
4. Ask your customers for Google My Business reviews.
84 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as recommendations from a friend. Google My Business reviews are vital because they can influence your customers’ buying decisions. Additionally, they also help to improve your online visibility and reputation through SEO.
Politely ask your satisfied customers for a review. A good strategy for this is to simply send out a text message to them with a direct review link. We handle this for many clients and when we send out SMS messages to their customers with a direct review link we see a 70-80% success rate. One client just a few weeks back went from 32 reviews to 110 in 3 days and all we did was send an SMS to each of their previous customers asking for a review.
If You Need Help
If you need assistance applying the strategies discussed in this short guide, feel free to reach out to us at FOCUS Digital Marketing. As a full-service agency, we specialize in helping businesses like yours improve their local visibility through GMB profile optimization. Our Google My Business services are designed to drive more traffic and customers to your location.
If you’d like us to evaluate your current GMB listing and provide you with a comprehensive report on its performance, we’re happy to do so free of charge. Simply give us a call or send us an email, and our team will be glad to assist you. We’re dedicated to helping businesses like yours thrive online and maximize their local presence. Contact us today to learn more and discover how we can support your business growth.