Having a digital presence has long been crucial to the success of any business, and something that most managers and entrepreneurs are aware of even before they start. One of the free tools that businesses can take advantage of and that continues, without much explanation, to be neglected, is Google My Business (GMB).
If we think that Google is the most used search engine in the world (92.7% of searches), it becomes essential today not only to be present but to have an updated profile with all the information that may be relevant to the markets we work with always at the distance of a single search.
GMB is currently the main entrance door to any business, being used daily by millions of users to find contacts, opening hours, photos and other information updated at the moment that are relevant at the time of the search. You can think of GMB as the yellow pages of the digital age, and just like when they were physical, if you're not there it's like you don't exist.
Why is Google My Business so important?
- It helps your local SEO ranking almost immediately;
- Creates a great opportunity to make a good first impression of your business with a dedicated panel to the right of Google search;
- Integration with Google Maps, the world's most used mapping platform, which allows your customers to find you when they are near your location;
- Instant messaging functionality (optional) - Allows your customers to ask you questions directly through GMB, which can prevent them from getting clarification before searching for a competitor in a new search;
- It is a good source of customer reviews that helps build trust in your business;
Additionally, with the steady decline in recent years of services like Yelp or TripAdvisor, GMB has grown greatly in relevance as a platform for immediate feedback on your services to new customers
How to optimize your Google My Business in 2022?
1. If your business underwent schedule changes during the pandemic due to government-imposed restrictions, it is a priority that you update your hours of operation in GMB again, so that your potential customers will always know at the moment whether or not they can contact or visit you. The process for updating your hours of operation is quite simple:
- Log into your Google account and log into GMB;
- Navigate to "Info" or "Business Information";
- Click "Edit."
- Update the opening hours for each day of the week;
- If you have services that operate at different times than your usual opening hours you can use the "more times" option;
- Click apply to save the information and do
a search to confirm that they have stayed online.
2. In the same business information section, take the opportunity to enhance your business description with simple, informative text that gets right to the benefits your customers get from using your services or products. Google allows you to use 750 characters so try to be concise and relevant.
3. Update the photos of your products, your space (if you host clients) or even your team. Remove old or outdated photos, revise your logo and cover photos and update this content periodically to become more and more relevant to the search engine.
4. To be found locally faster, make sure your business is categorized correctly. For example, if you have a hotel or a restaurant, make sure that the "Main Category" box is correctly filled in with "Hotel" or "Restaurant" respectively. If you need to, you can add a secondary category.
5. Take advantage of posts you make on social networks like Facebook or Instagram and put them on your Google My Business profile. This helps to move the page with updated content and increase the relevance of your page in the search engine.
Still need more reasons to create or update your Google My Business? In Google's latest report it was reported that 60% of smartphone users have already contacted businesses through the "connect" button in Google My Business, which reinforces the idea of this tool being increasingly seen as the main showcase and a success factor for your business.
Need help setting up your Google My Business? Contact Le Peach, we have a team ready to help you.
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