Google My Business which is now called Google business profile is a free business tool that is essential for the growth of both small and large businesses in 2024.
With the help of Google business profile, business owners can manage business listings on search engine or Google search results with the aim of promoting their business.
It is clear that one factor that drives business growth is online presence and one of the ways to achieve a firm online business presence is with the aid of Google business profile.
Therefore, I’ll help you explore the key reasons why Google business profile is an essential tool in fostering business growth. Also, I’ll help offer you a simple guide on how to get a Google business profile as well as how to promote your business using Google My Business.
Key Benefits of Google Business Profile For Small Businesses
The benefits of Google my business cannot be overemphasized for business owners. With proven results over the years, Google business profile has been a key factor in outranking local business competitors.
The following are the key benefits of Google my business:
1. Better Search Engine Optimization
Have you ever searched on Google for a product near you or services near you and you get a list of available businesses including their address and contact details? That was simply achieved with the help of Google business profile.
Therefore, it is necessary to say the benefit of Google business profile is to optimize business search result and enable business owners rank above their competitors in search engine.
Local SEO is the a crucial reason your business will get better visibility when new customers search for products or services that you offer. This is the reason for optimizing your business for search results with the use of Google My Business.
2. Free Business Tool
One mouth watering benefit of Google business profile is cost effective. Google my business is a complete free tool for business owners to gain exposure and visibility for their small businesses.
Google standing as the biggest search engine offers Google business profile listing as a free tool and this cannot be denied as a key benefit why you should adopt this tool for listing your business and gaining maximum exposure or brand visibility.
3. Business Authority
Imagine a customer looking for a product or services then finds your business profile and information at the top of Google search result. This rings a solid bell to the customer that your business or services can be trusted.
Also ask yourself, would you prefer the services of a business listed at the top of Google search result or a business listed at 20th position? We definitely all want the services of a business listed at the top of Google search result.
Having your business listed at the top of search result would build customer loyalty and business authority and this can be achieved with the help of Google Business Profile.
4. Increased Traffic
Google business profile offers the benefit of increased traffic towards your local business. This is because your Google business profile contains information like your business website, business social pages and the likes.
Customer tend to pick up these pieces of information about a business on search results and this boost your traffic regardless of customers trust that comes with it. Also, Google my business doesn’t benefit only with traffic, these traffic can be in form of lead generation that converts to sales on the long run.
5. Free Form of Marketing
Google my business serves as a free form of marketing for small businesses. With this free business tool, small businesses can market their product and services on the biggest search engine for free without spending a dime.
With that being said, Google my business provides a great deal for small businesses to promote their business without advertising or marketing budget.
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6. Professional Insights
Google my business gives room for business owners to understand how customer interacts and engage with their business listing on Google. This affects how local businesses rank on search results
Google business profile gives you insights on how many people viewed your business profile, the photos, clicks to your website and also how they react to your business listing.
How To Promote Your Business Using Google My Business
Having understood the key factors why Google business profile is essential for small businesses, it is also important to know how to use Google business profile to promote your business for maximum growth.
Let’s get started with it.
1. Claim & List Your Business
When it comes to promoting your business growth with Google business profile, the first step is to claim your business listing and get it verified.
This can be done in two ways, either your business is already listed or not. If listed then just go ahead and set up a new business listing for your business. If not listed then it is necessary to claim your business listing right away.
Don’t let it sound confusing. All what this means is to submit your business Information and get it verified to prove you’re a trusted business owners and your information can be served to customers.
2. Fill Up Basic Information
The next and necessary step is to fill up the basic details and information needed about your business in order to get you up and running.
These information include your name, business address, phone number, hours of operation, a link to your website, product and services you’re offering. These information are necessary in order to give your business profile a credible look and gain customers trust and loyalty.
Nobody would patronize a business on Google without a contact details or hours of operation. Therefore, these basic information are necessary to give a professional look to your business profile and gain customers confidence.
3. Upload High Quality Business Photos
Imagine after uploading all your basic details and you back it up with high quality pictures of your business location and also pictures of the product and services you offer. This gives an extra boost to your business profile which helps to gain customer’s trust and boost search ranking.
Customers would be more willing to check out the services of a business that has a high quality photos of its location and also the products attached to other basic information. What better way to attract customers? I don’t think there’s any other than this.
4. Update Google Business Profile Regularly
Updating your Google my business profile regularly is another way to promote your business and ensure growth. If any changes occur in your business such as hours of operation or contact details then it is necessary to make sure you update such information immediately.
Keep in mind that providing information that are up to date on your Google business profile will ensure customers don’t get your business information mixed up.
Failing to update changes in basic information will only lead to customer’s frustration and loss of credibility to your business.
5. Manage Feedback & Reviews
When it comes to promoting your business with Google business profile, managing feedback and reviews is really important. Reviews from trusted customers will give new customers more confidence and trust towards your business.
It is necessary to encourage reviews and feedback from customers in order to attract new customers checking out your business profile on search results.
New customers tend to focus on reviews left on Google business profiles in order to pick their choice of business to patronize. Therefore, encouraging reviews from previous customers is really an essential step in promoting your business using Google business profile.
Final Thoughts
Owning a business is one thing, getting it noticed online is another thing. With the help of Google business profile, Google my business offers a free marketing strategy to boost your ranking on Google search result among other businesses.
Optimizing Google business profile for the best results should be the aim of every small business trying to outrank higher competition.
Aside the basic strategies in this article, advanced features of Google business profile should be considered and applied by small businesses to get the best results.