What is google my business?
Utilizing GMB for Lead Generation
Managing your business’ online presence has never been as important as it is in 2021. Due to the increased digitization most businesses have undergone to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, online competition across all business sectors has substantially escalated. Google My Business (GMB for short) is an underrated and lesser known tool that can help businesses manage their presence when customers research their services.
Google My Business is a Google tool that allows businesses to shape and manage their business profile listing that appears on search results, including the Google Maps feature. Through Google My Business, businesses of all sizes can optimize their searchability and storytelling as well as ensure that all the information customers come across about their business on their Google searches is as accurate as it can be.
Accurate information about the business is key to ranking in GMB
Google My Business allows business owners to adjust information about their business hours, exact website URL, physical address, and business photos. Information can be inaccurate when, for example, business hours are adjusted for the holidays. Logging into your GMB account and updating the hours to reflect accurate holiday hours can be incredibly helpful for customers and help secure sales. Google My Business also allows business representatives to directly respond to customer reviews and inquiries, which will show potential customers researching the business just how digitally savvy and engaged the business is with both customer needs and feedback. Keeping on top of these will ensure positive branding for businesses in both the eyes of the customer and the eyes of Google, which will more highly prioritize in rankings a business listing that is constantly being updated for accurate information and engaging with its consumers through their platform. Google My Business also offers key insights to see the Google Search terms used to lead customers to businesses, details about actions that customers took upon that specific business profile such as visiting their website or calling their number. It also gives businesses the ability to view where customers researching their business are physically located and the proximity to their physical address.
Appearing in local search results is key to being discovered through Google searches, and due to Google’s business profile rankings, it is optimal that business profiles are optimized with keywords in order to appear high on their list of suggested local businesses. This is key to SEO. The Google My Business dashboard allows businesses to add keywords that will help them rank in local searches, and this is where knowing the relevant keywords that customers are searching for will become key to gaining more leads within a business’ designated proximity (ensuring a business is local enough for the Google algorithm to find the address relevant and convenient). By including these popular keywords in a business description, business owners can ensure that their listing gets a higher rank by Google and shows up on the first page and perhaps even as the first link listed. Google’s algorithm is fairly straightforward in prioritizing search results that contain the exact keywords that are being searched by customers, so, it is key that businesses know what these keywords are for their individual business goals.
All in all, It is a great tool that is often under-utilized by businesses both big and small. By keeping their information on Google listings recent and accurate, replying to customer questions and reviews, and optimizing their keywords, businesses of all sizes can utilize this service to generate more leads.
APEX Digitech is The GMB Expert
By appearing in the Google Maps Pack. Local businesses can enjoy a continuous and steady stream of leads. Let us help you achieve that. APex Digital Technologies is here to help.
