The Role of Google My Business in Local SEO
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In today’s era of endless emerging startups, all businesses starting from micro level to MNCs face intense competition and to survive the established players and create a digital presence, establishing your Google My Business (GMB) has proved to be significantly useful in improving the Search Engine Optimization ranks and expanding the reach of the business in your locality.
This article will help you understand how to use GMB so that it gives you maximum reach and results in a short period.
What Is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free tool that allows business owners to manage how their business appears on Google Search and Google Maps. It essentially includes your business’s profile on Google, displaying critical information mentioned below:
- Business name and category
- Location and service area
- Hours of operation
- Contact information
- Website link
- Photos of your business
- Customer reviews and ratings
Once you search for a business, you generally come across its GMB profile, which appears in the local search results and Google Maps. This helps you connect with the audience who might be searching for the products or services you offer.
Importance of Google My Business (GMB)
Enhanced Local Visibility:
If you are searching for a coffee shop near your residence on Google, you might come across a list of places based on their distance, relevance and prominence. The positive side of creating a GMB profile would result in easy location and business identification by Google and would help your business rank amongst the top in line
Mobile Search Dominance:
With the majority of searches now happening on mobile devices, GMB plays an even more critical role. Mobile searches often have local intent, and Google My Business listings dominate these results. When someone searches on a mobile device, GMB listings appear at the top of the screen, often before traditional organic results.
Trust and Credibility:
If you are a businessman, it’s essential to keep track of your GMB profile as it helps attract customers, and it reflects the trustworthiness of the business. A profile with positive ratings helps attract maximum traffic to your website and in return gets your website top ranked in the search results page
Direct Customer Engagement:
The Q&A sections and messaging features help customers directly interact with businesses, and this acts as a positive sign, indicating that the business is genuine and highlights responsiveness
Key Features of Google My Business:
Business Information:
The most essential pillar of your Google My Business would be accuracy, so make sure to double-check all data, starting from the name of the business, location, operational hours and website URL to make sure there is consistency across the platform.
Photos and Virtual Tours:
The more visually attractive profile yields maximum customer engagement as images directly affect the subconscious mind of the consumers, and they would always choose a visually appealing profile over a dull profile. Adding photos of your product, service, and team members creates a positive environment and helps customers know what they can expect from the brand.
Reviews and Ratings:
Trusted customer reviews are perhaps the most influential component of your GMB profile. They not only help potential customers make decisions but also impact your local search rankings. Businesses should actively encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews/ experiences and respond professionally to all reviews, whether positive or negative.
Posts:
Another impressive feature of Google My Business is that it can act as a mini social media platform for you on Google. To make it easier, if you are a small business owner, you would be active on other social media platforms like Instagram to promote your business. Here, at GMB, you can directly update by uploading those posts. Regular posting on GMB indicates to Google that your business is active
Insights:
The Insights section provides valuable analytics about how customers find and interact with your GMB profile. You can see what search queries lead people to your business, how many people called you directly from your GMB listing, and which photos generate the most engagement, which will help you focus on your strengths and work more towards converting the prospects.
Q&A Section:
This feature allows users to ask questions about your business, which you or others can answer in the given comment section. Monitoring and responding to these questions enables you to provide accurate information and creates engagement, making the site look authentic.
Best Practices for Optimizing Google My Business
Complete Every Section:
One should carefully fill out all the details in the Google My Business Profile as it helps good understand your business and showcase it to the right audience and provide them with accurate information
Choose Categories Carefully:
The selection of primary and secondary categories of the business is very important. It helps Google understand when to show your business profile.
Verify Your Location:
Complete the verification process to confirm your business location. This typically involves receiving a postcard with a verification code at your business address, though some businesses may qualify for phone or email verification.
Add High-Quality Photos:
Upload clear, well-lit photos that showcase your business in the best light. It’s advisable to include exterior shots, interior views, products, and team members to give your viewers an overall view of the business. Update these regularly to keep your profile active.
Actively Manage Reviews:
The most important part of a business is to actively respond to customer feedback. Respond professionally and thank customers in case of positive feedback, and address negative reviews with a proper explanation.
Create Regular Posts:
Publish GMB posts weekly to keep your profile dynamic and engaging. Highlight promotions, events, new products, or helpful information relevant to your customers.
Keep Information Updated:
Always keep a check on the information you save and make sure to keep updating the timings, holidays in case incorrect information does not hamper your business and customer trust.
How Digispire Can Help You Master Google My Business
At Digispire Digital Marketing Institute, we understand the critical role Google My Business plays in local SEO success. Our comprehensive training programs equip businesses and marketing professionals with the knowledge and strategies needed to maximise GMB’s potential.
Our expert instructors provide hands-on guidance for:
- Setting up and optimising your GMB profile from scratch
- Implementing advanced strategies to outrank competitors
- Creating engaging content for GMB posts
- Managing and leveraging customer reviews effectively
- Analysing GMB insights to inform your broader marketing strategy
- Staying updated on the latest GMB features and best practices
Whether you’re a business owner looking to enhance your local presence or a marketing professional wanting to add valuable skills to your repertoire, Digispire’s specialised courses in Local SEO and Google My Business optimisation will give you the competitive edge you need in today’s digital marketplace.
Remember, in local search, Google My Business isn’t just one factor among many—it’s often the deciding factor in whether potential customers discover your business or your competitor’s. With Digispire’s expert guidance, you can harness the full power of this essential platform and watch your local visibility soar.
So what are you waiting for? Contact Digispire today to learn more about our Digital marketing training programs and start your journey toward local search dominance.
Conclusion:
It’s advisable to create and maintain your GMB profile to keep your audience updated on any later developments and provide an assurance of authenticity to your brand to Google.
An optimised profile helps in improving local SEO, thereby making it easier for nearby searches to locate your store and enhance your overall presence by increasing customer footfall. It helps in building trust in real time as we keep updating information.
Yes, Google My Business is completely free to use. You can create, claim, and manage your business profile on Google Search and Maps at no cost. However, while the platform itself is free, businesses often choose to invest in Google Ads or hire professionals for optimisation and management, which are optional paid services.
To verify your business on Google My Business (now called Google Business Profile), start by signing in at google.com/business and entering your business details, such as name, category, location, and contact info. After setting up your profile, Google will offer one or more verification options based on your business type. The most common method is by postcard, where Google sends a code to your business address that you enter online once received.
You can’t remove negative reviews yourself from your Google Business Profile, but you can take action if the review violates Google’s policies. If a review is fake, inappropriate, spammy, or contains offensive content, you can flag it for removal by clicking the three dots next to the review and selecting “Report review.” Google will then review the report and may take it down if it goes against their guidelines.