In the fight for customers, enquiries and online exposure, every opportunity should be seized. But there is one area of online promotion that is neglected by many companies as they search for the magic seo bullet.
A Google business listing Local page set up correctly for your business, can bring page one rankings in no time and also give consumers the confidence that they are dealing with a professional ‘real’ company that is totally transparent.
Although a little confusing setting up your Google Local business listing, it will reap rewards many times this in the future. Your listing will show where you are, what you do, special offers, and real verified customer reviews of your business. The local listings for many searches are shown at the top of the search page as well. And armed with all this information, potential customers are more likely to use your services against a competitor who has not bothered
So lets get your business website optimised on Google My Business, and improve search engine visibility.
So first make sure you have a gmail account. You can set one up here if you dont. Next head over to Google My Business.
After entering your information you will need to very your page. This takes the form of a quick automated phone call, or about a weeks wait while they send a postcard with a verification number.
3. Have I chosen the right category for my business? It’s important to get it right for search engine optimization. Your hairdressing business, for example, will be a lot easier for the bots and customers to find if it’s not categorized as a bakery. You’ll be prompted to enter this as you’re getting setup with your new page.
4. Have I added all of my locations? Doing so will again make finding and getting in touch with you easier. The new GMB also makes it easier to edit and manage all of these locations from a centralized dashboard.
Page Management and Optimization
Once your page is established, making an effort at management and optimization will ensure you’re getting the most out of it. Again, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Have you figured out the new dashboard? This dashboard is one of the single greatest features of GMB, as it is effectively what combines all of these great Google features into one. This makes it much easier to edit, share, and analyze your listings and posts on Maps and Google+. So take some time to tour and learn all about its new features — it’s worth it.
2. Do you know what to put on your page? Google is great at making you look good, just as long as you give the platform juicy content and photos. In addition, make sure to include SEO keyword descriptors in both your listings and posts, and to set the mood with a striking, high resolution cover photo.
3. Are you making the most of insights? Insights help you see how well your G+ posts are performing — how many people are viewing them, who’s clicking on them and so forth. With this data in hand, you can better determine what type of content your audience is interested in, and how you can better drive traffic to and from your site.
4. Do you know about the Google Local carousel? The Google Carousel is that line of photos and reviews you see at that top of any local search you do — and you definitely want your business to be on it, as it attracts about 48% of clicks for any given search. To take advantage of this, just choose a good photo from your page to serve as the head photo and keep your page updated so Google knows to list you.
Engagement and Reviews
Once you’ve mastered your end of things, it’s important to make a concerted effort to curate a constant dialogue.
1. Have I identified and connected with local influencers? Social media at its best is a powerful form of networking, expertise building, and branding. Connecting with local influencers will help your brand quickly spread among your community, as they do a fair amount of the word-of-mouth marketing for you.
2. Am I getting a steady flow of reviews? There’s no doubt about it: customers today make the vast majority of their purchasing decisions based on reviews (check out our tap to review cards here). Through them, customers get a glimpse into how you work and whether or not you fit with their mentality. Encourage your customer to leave review with a post-purchase email request or reminder, newsletters and offers.