Did you know that Google is the most visited site in the United States? That’s right. There are about 246 million unique Google users in the US, with over 3.5 billion daily searches, according to SEMrush. With Google’s most popular product being Google My Business or, as it is now called, Google Business Profiles, it is vital that businesses take advantage of this opportunity to connect with consumers.
If you’ve tuned into any, if not most, podcast episodes where Wild Coffee Marketing co-founder Amy Anderson has guest-starred, you’ll know that optimizing a Google Business Profile is one of the first things we advise clients to do at the beginning of an engagement. It is the prime way to capture the audience that is looking for your product or service from a mid-funnel level.
Google My Business, AKA Google Business Profile
Google My Business or a Google Business Profile is a free tool Google provides companies to connect with consumers. With Google Business Profiles, businesses manage how customers find and experience their business on Google Search & Maps, allowing greater visibility to customers. It is a place to provide photos and location details, list products/services or shop updates, and promote online ordering.
With so many people relying on search engines like Google to search for businesses and services, putting your business’s profile front-and-center gives you an edge when it comes to customer engagement. Coincidentally this is an even more cost-effective way to reach customers than traditional advertising campaigns.
The first steps in using and optimizing your Google Business Profile:
- Claiming and verifying your listing
- Updating your profile with your business name, address, phone number, website URL, and hours of operation
- Adding photos of your business location, products or services, and any other relevant images that showcase your offer
- Incorporate relevant keywords in your profile description and photo metadata to help improve visibility in search results
- Share info about upcoming events or promotions to keep customers engaged with your business
- Monitor and reply to both good and bad reviews
Let’s discuss five key benefits of utilizing this exceptional business service.
Great For Local SEO
Google Business Profiles offers businesses a powerful SEO edge in local searches, connecting them to potential customers via both Google Search and Maps. Recent data shows a remarkable 900%+ increase in mobile Google searches for “___ near me today/tonight” over the last two years, and that 89% of smartphone users search for local businesses once per week at least. With an optimized Google Business Profile listing, businesses can essentially put their address and phone number just fingertips away for online users – meaning easier access, more exposure and increased web traffic!
With local search availability, potential customers can easily identify if your business is conveniently close enough to them for a visit. Optimizing this functionality paves the way for more convenient consumer experiences and increases accessibility to businesses in their immediate vicinity.
At Wild Coffee Marketing, we understand the importance of knowing where your leads are and how your website traffic is performing. This is why our teams track these two performance indicators using our client Google Business Profiles. First, by adding UTM tracking codes to the website’s URL in our Google Business Profile, and second, by using the Insights tool. We are then able to track how many visitors and conversions came from our clients’ listings, how people found them, and what actions they took, helping us understand how effective our online presence is in driving business.
Enhances Brand Awareness
This local SEO factor also helps build your brand awareness! The presence of your Google Business Profile in search results can make all the difference when it comes to introducing potential customers to your brand. Even if they do not visit, simply being aware of what you offer may be just as beneficial.
Builds Brand Trust
Connecting with customers is integral to gaining their trust and loyalty and, in turn, their business. As a business leader, one of the most impactful tools at your disposal for doing so is your Google Business Profile — giving you an opportunity to make sure customers can easily find you in person or online. Especially since consumers are 2.7x more likely to trust a brand if it appears in Google search results.
This is why a Google Business Profile adds to the trustworthiness of your brand.
Boosts Brand Reputation & Engagement
With almost sixty percent of consumers turning to Google for help in making decisions about potential purchases, it’s no surprise that your brand’s reputation is an invaluable asset in business. A positive online profile can go a long way towards driving consumer trust, confidence and loyalty – making it vital to ensure your Google Business Profile accurately reflects the quality of services you provide.
That being said, with your Google Business Profile, you can build relationships with customers by engaging with them and responding personally to their reviews, whether good or bad.
Let’s go over some tips for answering reviews. For positive reviews, a simple thank you for sharing your experience will suffice though a response is not always needed. For negative reviews, first, apologize for any inconvenience caused and acknowledge their concerns. Try offering a solution or ask how you can make things right. Remember to stay professional and avoid getting defensive or argumentative. Lastly, try to take the conversation offline by providing contact information for further discussion.
Ultimately, no matter the type of review, remember to be timely with your reply and show that your responses not only address the reviewer but also show potential customers how much you value their feedback and care about their experience. This helps create trust, credibility and social proof, so shoppers can feel confident in their purchase decisions. Meanwhile, uploading photos of your business will give potential customers a peek at the experience that awaits them, helping make their purchase decision easier too!
Adds Another Spoke To Your Content Distribution Wheel
Think of your Google Business Profile as just another spoke on your content distribution wheel. Perfect for repurposing key messages and relaying promotions to thousands of local customers! When you optimize your profile, you can link your business’s website and blog and even post photos and make exclusive offers!
Curious to see how Wild Coffee Marketing can help? At Wild Coffee Marketing, we are your outsourced marketing team, delivering results-driven marketing strategies and programs that work. Contact us today to learn more. We love helping companies reach their audience.
