The start of a new year is a fresh slate. For business owners, it gives you the chance to evaluate the previous 12 months and take stock of what worked, what didn’t, and why. Additionally, it offers the chance to decide what you want to achieve in the upcoming year.
As we move more and more online, both due to technological advances and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever to ensure your business has a healthy online presence. Google My Business (GMB) is the #1 tool you need to accomplish this goal in 2022.
For the last 20 or so years, Google has become the first place people go to find information. Whether it’s research for a college paper, what time a movie is playing at the local theatre, or the cuisine available at the new restaurant in town, Google is the first stop in a customer’s journey to their destination.
Business owners understand all too well how important it is to rank highly on Google. You’ve worked hard to get that coveted first-page position, and you want to make sure you don’t slip down the rankings.
Google My Business (GMB) is a tool that helps you to manage and optimize your business’ profile on Google so that you appear in the top local results. This means that your company’s profile will show up on the right-hand side of the screen, giving potential customers vital information about your business.
Using GMB increases your online visibility. This in turn drives more customers to your business, whether that be online or a brick and mortar store.
A completed listing on GMB shows Google your location, which assists with local SEO by ensuring your business appears when people search for your business type in your area. It offers you extra opportunities to appear in the ‘map pack’, showing customers where to find you.
GMB shows your business’ address, opening hours, reviews, photos, and more. When it’s 10 pm and a customer is looking for an open restaurant, you want to make sure your 24-hour diner shows up in that highlighted spot with all of the information at the ready. GMB also allows you to upload your menu so it’s easily accessible without having to navigate extra links, which can leave customers frustrated.
GMB is also integrated with Google Maps, meaning with just a couple of clicks or taps, your customer is on their way to you. Gone are the days of needing a paper map or needing to remember which way is north and which is south— Google Maps takes care of it all.
Word of mouth is just as important as a high Google ranking, and GMB combines these two aspects together. Online reviews can make or break a person’s decision on the business they intend to use.
When your business shows off its shiny yellow 5-star rating along with all its other important details, it makes it hard to ignore! When your competitor has significantly fewer reviews or a lower rating, that customer is more likely to turn to you than them. Having social proof of your business’ quality and reliability is a fantastic way to build trust and authority with your audience.
Time is of the essence, especially in our fast-paced digital world. GMB offers a social tool-like function that enables you to quickly post announcements that your audience will see straight away. When your bar or club has a last-minute artist line-up change, it’s important to let your customers know— the change may even bring in more customers who were previously on the fence about attending! GMB posting allows business owners to quickly share any posts or information both quickly and effectively.
GMB is free, easy to set up, and contains a wide range of benefits that are crucial in today’s market. It also provides analytics and insights built right into the platform, so you can monitor your increasing success and compare it to your business’ previous performance.
Thrive Design proudly offers branding, website design, and marketing services, with our staff based across the US and within the UK and Australia. To create and expand your business’ online presence, contact us and we’ll set up a time to connect.
