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The Importance of Having a Google My Business Listing
What does every business want more of? Exposure. One of the easiest ways to better your business appearance online is by creating a Google My Business listing and utilizing the essential (and free!) features. Google is one of the most trusted brands in the world, so when your consumers see your business listed on Google, you are already establishing trust between you and your audience. Not only will trust be created, but you will likely also see increased customer engagement, sales, new visitors to your website, and much more. Continue reading to discover the new Google My Business features that will help your business gain even better exposure.
1. Google Posts
One way to think of Google My Business Posts is to look at them as a mini advertisement for your business. Your Google My Business Posts can consist of an image, a call-to-action, and even a link to your business site. Whether your business is promoting a new product or a sale happening on a specific date and time, Google My Business Posts noticeably appear in your business’ Knowledge Panel, so you will never miss an opportunity to stand out from your competitors and draw in your audience.
2. Book an Appointment
If you run the type of business that heavily relies on booking appointments, then this Google My Business feature will benefit you as well as your customers. Through your Google My Business listing, your customers can now directly book their appointment. Not only will this be great for existing customers but also for attracting new customers, since they don’t even have to leave Google to book an appointment with your business!
3. Questions and Answers
Wouldn’t it be great if your business and customers could have a direct social platform for open communication through questions and answers? Now you can! Google’s free Q&A feature is a great way to allow all types of questions to be answered by your business, and by the public. From asking about holiday hours to inquiring about certain pricing changes, users can get answers directly through your listing. However, be careful, because anyone with a Google account can answer or reply, so it is extremely important to monitor the Q&A panel on your GMB listing. To save your business time, you can post questions and answers ahead of time if you are expecting an event and/or promotion.
4. Messaging
Direct messaging is arguably the best way to engage with your customers in the new decade. In today’s society, the majority of people regularly communicate through text messages. Now through GMB, your business can send direct text messages to your audience. Enabling direct messages on GMB allows local businesses to easily and effectively connect with searchers to answer questions and potentially attract more in-store visits and conversions. There are a ton of benefits of messaging your customers through GMB, including customer convenience, better user experience, personalization, as well as data gathering – meaning your business can learn exactly what your customers are interested in and more!
5. Product Catalog
This GMB feature is perfect for businesses who want to highlight their products without searchers having to look through your site. On your GMB listing, you can create your own product menu that contains images, content, pricing, and much more! The product catalog menu is located on the Knowledge Panel of GMB and is activated by specific keyword searches for each product. The main benefit of having a product catalog on your GMB listing is a boost in your amount of clicks and views, as well as an increase in the possibility of new and existing customers making an in-store or online purchase.
Optimize Your GMB Listing with Today’s Business
Listed above are just a few Google My Business features that can help your business gain better visibility, and in turn, more traffic and conversions. Optimizing your GMB listing can bring several benefits, including increased visibility in searches, better user experience, and increased traffic to your website, social media channels, and physical store location! Optimizing your GMB listing should always be part of your SEO strategy for your business. At Today’s Business, we have the SEO experience and knowledge needed to help implement SEO tactics to boost your business to the next level. Contact us today to discuss different SEO strategies that can help you organically enhance your business impact and gain more customers.
