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!
