Benefits of Google My Business

These days people want to find business information quickly and easily. Luckily you can find all your business information online in one place: on Google My Business.

What Is “Google My Business”?

Google My Business is a Google-powered platform where businesses can manage their online presence in full. Once setting up a GMB account, a company can add in all its crucial information such as contact details, business hours, website URL, products categories etc… and simultaneously reach multiple Google Platforms. This means that a company will gain not only increased visibility in search results, but will also be shown in reviews, maps and in locations. Overall this will multiply a company’s exposure in Google search results if nothing else.

Why is it important to have a Google My Business account?

• Online presence: This element alone will help to attract more clients and, coupled with a smart business description, good pictures and some positive reviews, can considerably improve the first impression made by your business listing.
• Audience outreach increase: Whether on a phone, tablet or desktop, your GMB listing will consistently appear in search results, no matter which device your potential customers are using to look for your business online. This is extremely important because, recently, mobile search has slowly been taking over desktop search and the assurance that your listing will show independently from the device used for the search is really important for your long-term online growth. A business that does not appear in search results is non-existent in the eyes of Google! and the majority of clients.
• Google My Business facilitates a customer’s interaction with your business. Everything is at hand: business contacts, website address, reviews, location and business hours.
• Everything in one platform: The latter is one of the most important benefits of using GMB. It includes everything a potential customer may need to evaluate your products or services: business’s name, address, phone number, description and reviews. Moreover, now you can manage your entire Google presence from Google My Business: Google +, Pictures and many more, making Google My Business a one-stop shop for your main online presence.

Top 3 reasons for using Google My Business, particularly if you are a small business or a start-up

1. Google My Business Insights: Google My Business has some valuable insights stats which you can check on a monthly basis. These are simpler analytical information about your business, compared to Google Analytics, but they give you a snapshot of how customers search for your business online. In order to find Google My Business Insights, once you are logged into your Google My Business dashboard, you will see your core details on the top of the page. Just below there is a blue insights box on which you can click and start reviewing Google My Business Insights:

• How customers search for your business
• Where customers view your business on Google
• Customer actions

2. Virtual Tours: Google’s Virtual Tours have been around since 2010 but they have gained increasing popularity over the past couple of years. The 360 degree Virtual Tour, which is linked to Google my Business and Google Street View, delivers a 360 degree view of both your business’s premises and the adjacent street. Based on Google Street View’s mapping technology, a virtual tour is designed to allow your customers inside your business in order to give a proper idea of your company and the way you operate. The fact that Virtual Tours are fully integrated with your Google My Business listing means that your business will get maximum Google exposure as a result.

3. Google My Business Posts: Posts are one of the best new additions to Google My Business for 2017. These posts, which will appear just under your Google My Business listing, are the perfect way to drive customers’ attention to offers, news, events, or new products.
The first and easiest step in building your online presence and visibility is claiming your Google My Business profile. As a SME, your online presence is crucial, but keeping track of the daily changes to your keywords performance and analytics can be challenging in today’s ever-changing digital landscape.

Get in touch today if you need advice on how to claim your Google My Business listing or if you wish to know how we could help your business’s visibility and SEO strategy.