Are you a local business owner and want to use a Google My Business listing to attract more customers and grow your business?

Then this article is for you, keep reading and I will share with you 7 amazing Google My Business Secrets which will help your business to grow in the digital world.

Many small and medium business owners believe that prospective customers only search for their business name online to find directions, learn the business hours, or get contact details like phone numbers.

However, that’s simply not true. A Google My Business (GMB) listing contains more than just your business’ address and contact details. There are many amazing Google My Business secrets that make it an extremely useful tool for small, local businesses.

What Is Google My Business?

Google My Business is a free tool that helps business owners manage the online presence of their businesses on the Google platform. Essentially, a GMB profile is a combination of an online directory listing and a social media profile.

Businesses can use their Google My Business listing for posting essential business information like working hours, location, and contact details.

In addition, similar to social media accounts, businesses can also publish posts and photos to their GMB listing. Customers can also upload photos of the business to the listing, as well as write reviews for products and services.

Where Does Google My Business Listing Appear?

Google My Business is not a regular online directory, where users just type in the business name and search for its contact details and address.

Instead, GMB is a database of businesses and their information, which Google uses to provide relevant details on Google Maps and in Google search results.

When somebody types your business’s name in Google search or when they are looking for a business that provides the products or services you offer, Google will display your business listing in the local section of its search results. Google will also display your business location on Google Maps.

How to Create a Google My Business Listing?

To create a Google My Business listing, follow these steps:

1. Create a Google account for your business.
2. Ensure you have a business profile.
3. Create a Google My Business account.
4. Claim the business profile.
5. Verify ownership of the business.

Google My Business Secrets to Success in 2020

A research report published in 2019 studied 45,000 GMB profiles spread across 36 industries. They found that on average, a business listing is found 33 times a day in Google searches—which is over 1,000 times every month.

The average Google My Business conversion rate is 5%, so the typical business saw over 50 actions, like website visits, calls, or requests for directions, every month as a result of their GMB listing.

It is clear that a GMB listing can have a very positive impact on a business, so it is important for business owners to become familiar with general practices and useful tips for their Google My Business listing.

Here are 7 Google My Business secrets to grow your business in 2020:

1. Add Lots of Photos

The online world is predominantly visual. As such, it is important that you incorporate many photos into your GMB profile.

A report by Google stated that businesses that had posted photos received around 42% more requests for directions to their location and 35% more clicks to visit their website compared to listings with no photos.

Businesses that have several photos on their GMB listings tend to do particularly well. In general, they will receive more requests for directions, clicks to their website, and phone calls. Google suggests that you use a cover photo for your profile which best represents your business.

Other photos of staff members, the office, a production line, and other aspects of your business can also attract the interest of potential customers. These photos help the visitor decide whether they want to purchase any product or service from your business.

It can also be helpful to add an image of the exterior of your shop or office, which will help customers find it easily.

Be sure to update the photos on a regular basis. You might also want to encourage your customers to post their own photos of the products they purchase from you, which will help to build your business’ credibility.

In short, having a variety of photos on your GMB profile will help you achieve higher views, and getting higher views often leads to a greater number of conversions.

2. Add a Quote Button

The Google My Business platform now provides you with the option to add a quote button to your profile. You can easily set up the “request a quote” button on your listing.

This will allow prospective clients to ask you for a price quote for your products or services without having to visit your store or website. If the prospective client is happy with the quote, they can immediately order or purchase the service or products from you.

3. Allowing Online Appointment Booking

If a person calls a business for an appointment and is then put on hold for some time, there is a high chance that the person will disconnect and try contacting another company which is providing similar services or products.

Google My Business allows customers who visit your listing to schedule an appointment with you directly through your GMB profile. All you need to do is link your existing scheduling service to your GMB profile.

Online booking of appointments helps in reducing cancellations, as it gives people a chance to look over their schedule before booking and makes it easier for them to remember their appointments.

4. Introduce Offers

You can introduce offers for your new or existing customers on your GMB listing. The offers will help to encourage brand loyalty and also increase the number of your followers your business has.

For example, offering 10% off of a first purchase or receiving free shipping for the first purchase irrespective of the order amount will help to encourage prospective clients to place an order with you.

In addition, the offer will act as an incentive for them to visit your website. Displaying an offer on your Google My Business listing will motivate visitors to click through for further information.

5. Request Reviews

Google reviews are a very important part of your Google My Business profile. Google ranks businesses depending on their trustworthiness.

Receiving positive reviews on a regular basis from your customers is the best way to prove your credibility. One strategy to make this happen is to reach out to happy customers and request a review.

Positive reviews from satisfied customers will help you earn a top spot on Google’s local listings, as local SEO is highly dependent on Google reviews. The reviews posted by your customers will also be displayed next to your Google My Business listing.

6. Use Google Posts

According to Oberlo, more than 3.5 billion searches are processed by Google every day. A number of these searches include words like “near me” to find a listing of service providers and companies in the nearby vicinity.

Google Posts are a part of the GMB profile and allow the business to have added control over what readers see while viewing the GMB profile.

Using Google Posts is an easy and quick way to get important content noticed by potential customers without them having to visit your website.

Google Posts last for only seven days, so be sure to keep updating them at least once every week.

7. Upload Videos

Videos offer one of the best ways to connect with your target audience. They are powerful marketing tools and can be shared on your Google My Business listing. You can post videos up to 100MB easily on GMB. By uploading a video as a Google Post, you can achieve your weekly target of keeping your posts fresh while also improving user engagement, as videos are more powerful as compared to text posts and photos.

Get in Touch with GSM Marketing Agency

Google My Business is one of the best local SEO tools for local small and medium-sized businesses.

GMB will help to position your business well and keep it ahead of the competition. If you are looking for help with your local SEO needs and want to create an effective and successful Google My Business profile, GSM Marketing Agency can help you.

Get a Free Health Check of Your Online Business Listing to determine if any inaccurate listings are affecting your search engine results.