If there is one thing we have learned over the years as digital marketers, it is that you must learn to love what Google loves. Most people do not even think about choosing a search engine. They simply “Google it”. Google is the most popular search engine, by far, in the United States. They have spent a ton of money creating a user-friendly and popular search engine that supplies the best search results, quickly. So, how do you make Google favor YOUR business? We hope this article sets you on the right path to a loving Google relationship.
Increase Your Online Visibility
Any growing business needs strong visibility on Google. There is A LOT that goes into that. Optimizing your website and utilizing Google Ads is a great place to start, but there is also something else that needs consistent attention to gain Google’s full trust: Google My Business.
Google My Business is a tool that enables you to promote a robust Business Profile and business website on Google Search and Google Maps. With your account, you can see and connect with your customers, post important updates, and monitor how customers are interacting with your business. With your Business Profile correctly optimized, your business is guaranteed to grow by showing up when it matters most: when customers are searching for your business (or businesses who offer services like yours).
Did you know that there are 167 BILLION searches performed on Google each month? Despite that huge number, businesses are only receiving a teeny tiny piece of that pie. This is because they are not taking full advantage of what a Google My Business profile can offer. A fully optimized and branded profile simply encourages customers to choose YOUR business over competitors.
Improve Engagement
There are other benefits of utilizing Google My Business. Over time, we have noticed that consumers are entering and exiting Google without ever going to another website. This is because the information in search results pages is fully answering their most common questions like hours of operation, directions, and contact info. With more and more people interacting with your business through your Google profile over your website, you must set everything up as if it’s the only online place for quality engagement and conversions for your business.
Your Local Ranking
Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy and Google wants to do everything they can to ensure their longevity. They combine search capabilities with proximity and location targeting to create custom, local results for their users. When someone searches for a business, service, or place near their location, they will find local results on Google in Maps and Search. For example, quality, local results will be generated when someone searches for something like “restaurants near me”. Google will be sure to show you local restaurants sorted by distance from where the search took place. They will also give further options to narrow down the search based on restaurant preference.
The use of local search dramatically opens up the competitive playing field for businesses in all industries. Google provides users with better results based on both search intent and geo-proximity of where the search took place. These customized results are one of the many things that have led Google to the top of the search engine food chain.
SEO Enhances Your Google My Business
According to Social Media Today, 97% of search engine users search online to find local businesses. 46% of all Google searches are seeking local information in general. If your business doesn’t rank in local search results, you’re missing out on a HUGE opportunity to gain valuable traffic and customers. SEO is the key to staying relevant in results. If you are serious about growing your business, an SEO strategy is imperative.
So, what is SEO? In short, SEO ( Search Engine Optimization) is the strategic process of optimizing your online visibility to show up in those local searches we mentioned above. A professionally managed, localized SEO plan will:
- Boost your visibility
- Increase your business foot traffic
- Obtain quality traffic, which improves lead conversions
- Enhance your credibility
Visit our SEO page for more information about how SEO works and the importance of increasing your local online ranking.
Give a Great First Impression with Google My Business
Now that you know more about the importance of your visibility on Google, let’s talk about how Google My Business can enhance the quality of your brand. At Newell Ledbetter Advertising, we know how important it is to stay updated and modern in all of your marketing efforts, and GMB is no exception. Catering to your customer’s needs efficiently so they can quickly connect with you is the ultimate goal of a good GMB strategy.
We especially love Google My Business because it gives you another opportunity to captivate your customers visually. Uploading photos, videos, and catchy copy for your products or services will increase the probability of potential customers wanting to work with you. At NLA we recommend the following ideas for images that can be uploaded to your Google My Business:
- Inside/outside of your store
- Employees
- Local surroundings
- Awards and events
- Happy customers and/or testimonials
Adding visual content consistently is the key to maintaining your local visibility and social proof. It’s very important to maintain a strategy that can be time-consuming for business owners and managers. Hiring our team to help manage your updates and visuals will save you valuable time and energy. At NLA, we streamline this process and guarantee growth through our expert GMB practices.
The Future of Online Marketing
Google is growing at an impressive rate, expanding its data and online features for consumers and businesses alike. They have merely scratched the surface by creating online tools to help small and large businesses, increasing sales and brand awareness (our two favorite things!). It’s our recommendation to NOT WAIT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE. Start tapping into the power of Google now and stay ahead of your competition. A great place to start is getting your Google profile and business page developed and optimized. Signing up for Google My Business is a small step into a solid future for your business. Until you put effort into these tools, your business is missing out on a great opportunity.
Ready to take that first step? Let’s start a conversation!
