Why You Need To Use Google My Business
If you want to do some SEO but is having a hard time with all the technical stuff, then Google My Business might be your best bet to start with. It is an easy way to get more exposure for your business.
Interestingly, a lot of companies overlook this and go ahead with the more popular SEO methods. Which is a shame, because according to Moz, Google My Business ranks number 1 when it comes to local finder ranking factors.
So before we go to more specific details on why your business needs to be in Google My Business, let us first find out how you can harness the marketing power of this tool
How to Create a Google my Business Account
- Log into your Google Account (Make sure this is the account you want for your business)
- After you have logged in, type google.com/business and on the top right corner of the page click on Start Now.
- The next step will be filling in details about your business. You will need to write things like your business name, address, delivery area, business category, phone number, and website.
- Google will then give you a variety of options on verifying your business. Choose one that suits you
- After the verification process, go to your Google my Business Account dashboard and start editing the details of your business. Here you can also put your business’ profile photo and other photos and videos you wish to share.
The Best Reasons To Get Into Google My Business
It’s like a calling card on the web
As you can see from above, Google My Business allows your business to have a formal and proper listing on Google. While Facebook and other social media sites are great when it comes to business profiles, Google My Business just gives off a much professional feel compared to those.
It also allows your potential clients to have easier access to your contact numbers, website, and location. It is more of a quick view option rather than searching contact pages on websites and social media profiles. In a nutshell, Google My Business is one of the best and most user-friendly business directories online.
Gets you on the map
Google Maps is fast becoming the go-to database when it comes to finding and navigating through different locations. As technology gets better and the internet gets quicker, the use of GPS and maps is slowly becoming an essential need in today’s world.
Not convinced about this? Then here is some food for thought, according to Statista, Google Maps has over 154.4 million users each month. That figure will almost assuredly keep climbing up over the next few years. Quite rapidly, people are relying on GPS maps to find locations, look where to eat, find services, and locate the best shopping hubs. It is, therefore, ludicrous to skip this when doing online marketing.
Google My Business puts you on the map and allows potential customers to spot you there. Definitely, a winning situation for your online marketing.
Be visible across multiple devices
Google My Business is web optimized for viewing across all devices. Now that is a tough thing to do when it comes to personal websites. Optimization over a broad range of devices is very critical in a highly competitive business landscape.
Did you know that according to ImpactBND, 57 percent of users say they won’t recommend a business without an excellent mobile-optimized website? Also by 2019, internet use with mobile devices will surpass desktop by a significant margin.
Having a great business page with Google My Business already gets you one step closer on having all your profiles optimized for all devices.
Make your customers know you are active (chat and video function)
If you think that Google My Business is just a static profile site for your business, then you might have to think again. Google My Business has a wide array of features that is undoubtedly going to delight a lot of potential customers.
First is the fact that you can do posts that promotes your various offers, products, news, and other updates. This will be seen in Google Maps as a more interactive way for customers to look at what you have to offer. Just imagine your customer looking at your location and seeing what promos and wares are currently in your store? Now that is real-time advertising!
Next exciting feature is the ability to post videos. Keep in mind that people are more engaged when watching video content than seeing a static post. Keep in mind though that videos are kept only at 30 seconds each, so make those very short and impactful for customers to know more about your business.
Another great feature of Google My Business is the ability to chat with customers. Your account has a messenger feature that you need to activate, and your customers can instantly communicate with you for more info about your business.
Lastly, Google My Business has a nifty new feature in store for those in the restaurant business. They have a slot that allows customers to view a restaurant’s menu. This is great as more and more eaters and foodie like to look at menus before deciding on which restaurant to go to.
Best of all it won’t cost a thing
Want to know what the best part of Google My Business is? It’s absolutely free! So if you are a little tight on the budget for your online marketing, then you should definitely put Google My Business on top of your list. The risk and reward favor you, and it will be a big mistake to skip this one.
Take your business to another level
Google My Business is a one-stop and streamlined way for customers to get to know your business. Imagine the customer journey from searching online, to pinpointing your exact location, to knowing more about your store, and even directly communicating with. All this before they have even left their couches.
It is just a great way to promote your business. Oh, and did I mention that this is absolutely free? No doubt about it, sign up now for this fantastic marketing opportunity!
Future Proof Your Business With The Hottest Online Marketing Tools
There is no denying it, the internet has forever changed the ways businesses sell to customers. The truth is, nearly all companies are realizing the marketing potential of the online world. One might even say that the internet is the biggest marketing opportunity for sellers since the early days of print ads and TV commercials. It is truly remarkable how a few decades could drastically change the way we live.
However, while this mammoth opportunity is a blessing, it is also one which is quite complicated. Technology is changing at a rapid rate and so will a lot of your online marketing avenues. SEO techniques that work amazing just a few years ago may be out-dated and ineffective today.
Popular social media sites could become ghost towns in a year or so. A lot of popular blog sites are practically non-existent nowadays. Such is the fragility of online trends, one minute it’s the buzzword the next it becomes a mere afterthought.
Good marketers know this fact and know that you need to be always one step ahead of the game. Marketing techniques in the online space is an ever-evolving fact that requires accurately predicting which trends are going to go big in the next few months.
However, this isn’t going to be a simple case of guesswork, there must be some statistical data to better predict which online marketing tools you should be focusing on in the next few years. Here are some of those tools that are predicted to boom by next year and beyond.
1. Think Voice Search
Some people think voice search is ridiculous, I mean is it so hard to just type things? Well, apparently a lot of people don’t think that voice search is so ridiculous after all.
This is because despite all the convenience in the world, people still wan’t to push for more speed. And unless AI can start answering our thoughts, voice search remains our fastest means to search for answers online.According to Comscore, by the time 2020 rolls around, an astounding 50% of all online searches will be voice searches.
That’s a huge number and should be given attention. So what does this mean for your business? Well, unlike regular Google searches where customers can see lots of results, voice searches will only give a few answers to queries. So if you think that it is important to have a high SEO ranking in Google, wait till the rise of voice search takes this up a notch.
There are various way that you can start preparing for the future of voice search. Voice search is said to focus on local areas along with high search engine placement. So try to be visible in places like Yelp, Bing places, and Facebook pages. Fortify your SEO and Siri and the likes will be singing your praises in no time.
2. The Rise of Chatbots
While chatbots can be downright creepy, the fact of the matter is people are starting to adopt the technology so well. A few years ago, chatbots were crude and pretty much useless. Fast forward, and we have chatbots that can effectively help people buy groceries, order food, or even call a cab.
We Chat, the largest messenger app in the world, has invested millions in chatbot technology. Other large non-tech companies like Bank of America are expected to follow suit. The reason is simple: Chatbots are becoming more and more advanced and effective (faster response rate) while also being extremely cheaper to maintain. According to Forbes, chatbots will save up to 8.8 Billion annually in 2020.
3. AR and VR are the next big thing
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality seemed like Sci-Fi staples just decades ago. Now those are fast becoming widely adopted online marketing tools. According to PRNewswire, the AI and VR industry are going to be a 94.4 billion dollar business by 2023.
So how will this apply to marketers? Well, AR and VR are going to change how we consume our entertainment. A lot of people are going to be watching movies, TV shows, sporting events, and concerts through VR. AR is going to change how we interact with stores. The hit game “Pokemon Go” has already shown the world the potential of AR, imagine if we start using it with brand promotions and fan interaction.
There is already a service that you can purchase where you can watch a sporting event with court side views or from the perspective of players while in the comfort of your own home. If this catches on, then there could be a much bigger avenue for online ads aside from TV or arena spots. The possibilities are just endless with virtualand augmented reality.
Definitely, a game changer to watch out for.
4. No stopping social media
To those heavily invested in social media and are worried if it is fizzling out may breathe a sigh of relief. According to Hootsuite, social media is growing at a steady pace and data shows no slowing down. This is especially true for the rest of the world, where social media is adopting new users at a blistering pace.
This also means that you have to watch out for trends on how people take their content. For example, a study shows that in 2018, more people are paying more attention (about 5 seconds more) to video content than static ones. So you might want to bulk up on making entertaining and informational videos going forward.
Original content is also king when it comes to grabbing people’s attention. Gone are the days when you can just keep spamming and sharing posts on social media. Getting more unique on social media will become more and more of a factor as time goes by.
5. Google Adwords continues to evolve
The Pay Per Click (PPC) model that Google popularized is going to get even more in-depth and bigger in the coming years. Google has been evolving its advertising model to reach more customers into even more specific phases of their buying stages. Ad placements will become more targeted even by today’s standards and marketers would be wise to invest a lot in Google Adwords in the next few years.
The future of online marketing tools
With all the changing technologies and fads sprouting and going, the future of online marketing is quite tricky. However, if you harness the power of data and create a sound strategy, then the marketing potential is quite limitless. With all these great marketing tips, you won’t be left behind by the competition!
