Make your Business discoverable online
Local businesses are the backbone of the British economy. Google has committed to helping them develop a better online presence to survive and thrive in these troubled times.
One easy way to be discovered online is through Google Search and Google Maps. Google My Business is a free listing on Google Search and Google Maps that can help customers find important information about your business and be discovered locally.
By having a verified profile, it helps customers find your business on Google Search and on Google Maps. It enables them to see at a glance how to contact you and how others rate your services.
This is proven to drive more customer engagement and sales. Customers are 70% more likely to visit and are 50% more likely to consider purchasing from businesses with a complete listing. The information you enter into the profile will appear in Google Search and Google Maps, so it’s important to keep the details up-to-date. You can include your phone number and other contact details, opening hours, photos and respond to customer reviews – it all helps customers build a picture of your business before they click on your website.
KEEPING UP WITH CHANGING CONSUMER NEEDS
Since the onset of Covid-19 consumer habits have changed. Research by YouGov* suggests that many more people are now shopping locally and that consumers are searching online for local suppliers.
During the lockdowns of 2020 Google saw a significant increase in search terms that include the word ‘ local’, for instance ‘ local bakery’ or ‘ local food delivery’. Ninety-seven percent of people find out about a local business by going online, and businesses with a Google My Business profile are significantly more likely to be found by consumers.
HOW TO GET A GOOGLE MY BUSINESS LISTING
It’s clear how important it is to verify your business on Google My Business but how do you get one? The process is simple. If your business has been established for a few years, there may be a profile already online that you can claim. Use the search facility on Google My Business to find out or search for your business on Google and click on the ‘Own this business’ link.
Once you have a listing, it needs to be verified. Google sends a postcard to your business address with a unique code that must be entered online.
HOW GOOGLE MY BUSINESS HELPS
The most obvious benefit of having a Google My Business listing is the inclusion of your contact details and opening hours, with ninety percent of customers more likely to visit a business that lists a phone number on Google.
The more information consumers have about a business, such as photos, videos and reviews, the more likely they are to become customers. Using a Google My Business listing means you can ensure customers know the latest information about any new services you’re offering and you can create and share announcements, special offers, news and updates, or changes to your services using posts from your profile. Are you now offering deliveries, takeaways or click and collect orders? Are you changing your opening hours? Do customers need an appointment? All of these queries and more can be answered by updating your Google My Business profile. Another benefit is reviews, which provide customers with valuable information about your business. Two out of three customers say that having positive reviews is an important factor when making a purchase. Encourage your customers to leave reviews to help spread the word; it’s one of the best forms of digital marketing. You can request reviews from customers by sharing a short URL that’s specific to your business. Make customers feel valued by replying to reviews too to help build confidence and trust, or message customers directly with the messaging tool. Messages will appear in the Google My Business app (you’ll receive notifications). You can also reply with photos, which can be useful for providing more images of products.
For businesses such as hotels or salons – you can also set up bookings through a supported scheduling provider. You can also mark locations as temporarily closed on Search and Maps, useful for responding to changes in Covid-19 tiers.
HELPFUL INSIGHTS
Another valuable element of GMB is Insights. The data in Insights, which is accessible through a dashboard and a newsletter, allows you to look at how people find your business online.
of people find out about a local business by going online
For instance:
• Direct searches – a customer searched for your business name and address.
• Discovery searches – a customer searched for a category, product or service and your listing appeared.
• Total searches – the total number of searches.
This detailed understanding of customers will help develop your ongoing business strategy and allows you to help measure the success of your marketing.
Once you have a verified listing up-and-running, remember to keep it regularly updated.
70% more Customers are likely to visit businesses with a complete listing