Google My Business
Google My Business was launched in 2014 and is essential for any business that wants to appear in local listings and on local maps. Therefore, it is a great opportunity for local businesses to be seen and this feature should not be ignored.
As a business owner, you can leave posts for your business and reply to reviews. In addition, you can add useful information for your business including contact details, opening hours and photographs. It is an essential SEO tool!
The process to set up Google My Business is fairly easy. All you need is a bit of time and a Google email account which is free. Go to Google My Business Setup and follow the clear steps which should take a few minutes.
Once you’ve completed all the required fields, Google will send a postcode to the listed business address with a verification code. Verify the listing once you receive this and you’re good to go! Follow the tips below to get the most from this local SEO listing.
Correct information
Make sure that all the information that you submit is exactly the same with what is currently listed on your website.
Add Fresh Content
Sign in once a week or at least once a month to check that you have a live post (they expire after a week). Top tip (if you are short on time), put your post up as an event and it will last for as long as the dates you set. But also be mindful that google favours fresh content. You can promote special offers, events or content here. Furthermore, you can choose the dates that the post is displayed for. Always add a button to bring visitors to your website.
Have A Voice
Speak directly to your audience. Don’t use industry jargon, but rather focus on sharing content that will move your audience to engage with the post. Encourage reviews from all customers. Make it easy for them for example by containing a review page URL in any email marketing, or by having a clear link to leave a review on your site. Reply to both positive and negative reviews. This helps to build trust.
Use Video
There is no better way to attract, engage and communicate with your buyers that through video. Once you’ve got some marketing videos to share, why not upload a few (as posts) to your Google My Business page? The ability to upload video to your GMB page rolled out in January 2018.
Check your Stats
After you set up Google My Business you will get a monthly insights email from Google breaking down the performance of your local listing. This will display key stats like views for your listing, click through to the site, call you, or ask for directions.
It’s a really handy tool to see the results of your optimisation efforts, and you’ll get a quick idea of the strength of your Google My Business listing
You can now use one of the most powerful tools a local business has. Be sure to use it to position yourself in front of new customers and stay ahead of your competitors. At Surrey Web Studio we make sure that every business is signed up to Google My Business.