Google is the world’s most visited website, with more than 92 percent of the search engine market currently controlled by the website. A key strategy for growing a business through Google search and Maps is to create a Google Business Profile, also known as Google My Business.
This article aims to understand what Google My Business is, and why it is important for SEO and local businesses?
Why Is Google My Business (GMB) Important for SEO?
A Google Business Profile makes it more likely that customers will find a company when looking for similar goods and services in their neighborhood.
Searchers can find businesses by using the information on one’s Google My Business listing. Additionally, a Google Business Profile helps with local SEO. In particular, when customers use Google Maps to search for nearby businesses, a listing for a local business is more likely to show up.
Furthermore, one can manage and change their contact information, business hours, and other critical information in their Google My Business profile as needed.
They can utilize updates to announce service expansions, temporary closures, or full reopenings. Since Google Business Profiles have effective local SEO, the data one gives will rank above external websites that might contain outdated information.
Additionally, reviews are a crucial component of social proof and a significant approach towards increasing credibility and trust.
Customers can contribute as much or as little information about their interactions with the company as they would like, thanks to Google’s combination of star ratings and space for in-depth evaluations. All of it aids current and potential customers in choosing which establishments to visit and what goods to purchase.
Google believes that a mix of favourable and unfavourable ratings is more reliable than endless pages of glowing endorsements.
What Is Google My Business Listing?
Google offers a free listing for businesses called Business Profile. One can include information and images about their company’s location, offerings, and goods. This is a smart strategy to boost one’s presence across.
Only firms that interact with customers can create a Google Business Profile. Both companies that have a physical presence (such as a restaurant or store) and those that offer services by meeting with clients fall under this category (like consultants or plumbers).
What Are the Features of the Google Business Listing?
With the most recent upgrade, Google has pushed the most beneficial elements of Google My Business to a more prominent location: the search results page. With this new upgrade, Google search and maps now allow one to have access to their GMB. It is an overview of every function one can use frequently, right there in the local search results. These options are now more readily available, making it simpler.
The messaging functionality is not widely advertised, much like other Google My Business functions.
If messaging is enabled, there will be a “Chat” button on the Google Maps business profile. With this tool, customers can message the owners at any time.
This is a fantastic addition to the toolkit because most small businesses are quite active online, and by opening the chat, they can rapidly respond to queries from possible customers.
How Does Google My Business Listing Impact Local Businesses?
The ideal tool for local businesses to increase their internet visibility, connect with potential clients, become more visible, and keep in touch with new clients is a Google Business Profile. It is the most successful digital marketing technique that takes advantage of clients’ widespread use of Google Maps when choosing to use local services or goods.
Businesses that have been verified are more likely to appear in local search results across Google products, like Maps and Search. Additionally, adding a verifiable location raises the rating for the distance ranking factor.
Ultimately, a smart approach to appearing in more local searches is by adding business listings to Google (through Google My Business). One will effectively receive more local clients’ phone calls, emails, and website visits thanks to this improvement to their local SEO.
Why Is Google’s Business Listing Important?
Google My Business (GMB) is now a necessary component of every company’s online presence and is frequently the first place clients visit for the most recent information about a business.
A completed GMB listing can boost a company’s local SEO ranking on its own. When searchers see the most important information about a company shown on the right side of the interface, it creates an immediate first impression.
According to a recent Google survey, 60% of smartphone users made direct phone calls to businesses using the “click to call” feature on the GMB interface. Given that the majority of customers utilise it as their main method of communication with local businesses, it is obvious that GMB listing is not a fad.