In just 3 years Google My Business has grown to touch over 1 billion consumers every month. That’s a lot of traffic! So what is Google My Business and why should you care?
Google My Business (GMB) gives people a place to add or claim their business on the web. This helps them show up in search results so that more people can hear about their business. In other words, if you have a website and/or want to be visible in local search results, Google My Business is probably something you should be using.
Here are the top reasons more businesses should claim their Google listing:
#1-It helps people find your website
A huge goal of GMB is to help people find businesses on the web, so make sure yours is one of them! If you’re not appearing in local search results, then you are missing out on potential customers and revenue.
#2- It helps people find your business location
GMB is also a great way to show up in Google Maps so that when people are searching for businesses near them, they’ll show up too!
#3-It makes it easier for customers to contact you
Customers ask a lot of questions before making a buying decision. They’ll often search to find out as much about a business as they can, and Google My Business is one way they can do this. By having accurate information on GMB, you’re providing great customer care before even speaking with them.
#4-It helps you stay up to date with Google
When you claim your GMB listing, Google will send you all sorts of helpful information about how and why people are searching for your business. This keeps you up-to-date on the latest search trends so that you can optimize your website and local search strategy as needed.
#5-It makes your website rank higher in organic search
Google wants to make it easy for people to find businesses online and that’s why they made Google My Business. By optimizing your GMB listing, you’ll be increasing the amount of traffic coming to your website organically. This will help your site show up higher in search results and get found by more people who are searching for you online.
#6-It helps you collect customer feedback and reviews
Another amazing benefit of GMB is that it gives customers a way to give great feedback about your business. With Google Local Guides, customers can review businesses as well as answer questions from other users or add tips on how to find your business. They can even take a picture of your business to add to their review.
#7-It helps you connect with others in your industry
By using Google My Business, you’re joining an online community and connecting with other businesses in your area. As more people use GMB, it’ll help you make new connections, share information, and spread the word about your business.
#8-It helps you connect with customers faster
With over 1 billion monthly active users on Google, it’s important to make sure that people can find your website fast! Having a GMB listing gives customers another way to get in contact with your business quickly and easily.
#9-It could improve your SEO
If you’re doing everything else right as it relates to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and want to kick things up a notch, claiming your GMB listing is a great way to boost your efforts. With that said, there are no guarantees; the powers of Google’s search algorithm are complex and in constant flux.
#10-It could improve your local rankings on Google Maps
You probably already know that if you have a website, it’s important to show up in the first few pages (1-3) of Google search results. Local businesses with a GMB listing can also show up in Search Results for their address, but they’ll also show up in Google Maps. If someone searches for businesses near them they are likely to see your business, driving more traffic and revenue to your website.
#11-It helps you create personalized marketing campaigns
With a GMB listing you can track who visits your website from search engine queries and other sources so that you can create personalized marketing campaigns and promotions for your customers. This is a great way to directly reach out to new leads and create relevant content that matches their interests.
#12-It helps you get found on Google Search
In the past, if someone searched for a local business on Google, they would have to scroll through a list of businesses, usually with only 1 or 2 being visible at a time. Now, if someone searches for your business by name on Google Search you’ll show up as one of the businesses located closest to that address.
So there you go, 12 reasons your business should be on Google My Business. Join our free Facebook group to get help with the process. If you want more tips and tricks, be sure to subscribe to The Collective Scoop!