Optimizing your Google My Business profile is an important part of doing business. The best way to do this is to learn to take advantage of Google’s features and make the most out of them. Here is how you can make your Google My Business profile stand out from its competitors and get more customers in the process.
Understand that Google My Business is not a replacement for your business website.
Google My Business is a free tool that helps you manage your business information on Google Search and Google Maps. This can be a powerful asset in helping customers find you online, but it’s important not to mistake this service as being more than part of a larger strategy.
For example, a search engine marketing agency would suggest this as one step in a larger plan for your business. Google My Business can help you manage your reputation online and connect with customers directly, but it shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for SEO or social media marketing.
Fill out your profile completely.
Filling out all the fields on your Google My Business profile is an important first step in optimizing it. The description field is the perfect place to talk about what makes your business special, and you should use this opportunity to include a list of services or offerings that make you unique in some way. You can also use this section to discuss why customers should choose you over other businesses in your industry.
Add as many photos as possible.
The number one way to stand out in search results is using photos. Adding more will help your business appear higher in local searches if you only have a few. If you have one or two, consider adding more. You may also consider using professional images if your current ones are outdated or low-quality.
Use Google Posts
Google Posts are a great way to get your content in front of your audience. It’s the perfect platform for you to post a blog post and then show it in Google search results.
How does Google Posts work? Google Posts work by allowing you to create a post on the Google platform. You can share it on social channels, and Google will display it in search results. This is great for getting your content in front of new audiences.
Respond to reviews and questions
Respond to reviews and questions from your customers as soon as possible. If a customer writes a review, thank them for their feedback and let them know that you’re working on improving the product or service. Responding to reviews is especially important if there is more than one negative review. The more negativity there is in the reviews, the more likely other customers will be to leave bad reviews themselves.
If you have a lot of negative reviews, it’s okay to apologize. Just make sure you don’t sound like you’re trying to get out of taking responsibility for the situation. On the other hand, if you have a lot of positive reviews, don’t be afraid to brag about it. It helps to show that you’re proud of what you do and that customers are happy with the product or service they received. The important thing here is to reply to your reviews and questions.
Use the Q&A feature
The Q&A feature is a great way to answer people’s questions about your business. You can also use it as a tool to ask questions and get feedback from your customers.
This is an excellent opportunity to generate leads, new customers, and sales, so take advantage of this feature by posting at least one question every two weeks on Google My Business.