"I buy a lot of books I’ve found via the Internet, whose existences I’d otherwise never have known about."
As a business owner, you have probably realized that online visibility is everything when it comes to searching for new clients.
A digital-first world has tremendously changed the way we live, and especially work.
It doesn’t matter anymore if you’re running a small local business or being an owner of a huge and still growing enterprise, everyone knows that building a digital self online is a must-do thing.
How to attract new customers in the easiest manner? By enhancing your visibility on the Internet.
Building trust this way has worked for a few decades already, and we cannot say that the importance of online visibility will disappear anytime soon.
For businesses of all sorts, we want to represent one of the most important available tools that can help you to get your services noticed and your business grow in a wanted & needed direction.
We talk about Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business.
What does GBP stand for?
It’s basically a free listing that Google provides with the purpose of allowing you to appear in all local areas.
One of the best things about Google Business Profile is that you will not only appear in local search, but also become visible on Google Maps, so people can find you in the easiest and most clear manner.
Besides that, GBP displays essential information like your business name, address, phone number, hours of operation, website, reviews, photos, and updates.
Now that we know that, there is 100% certainty that you want your GBP to look and function perfectly because that increases your chances of being found.
Let’s point out the top 5 reasons why Google Business Profiles are important for us:
1. Local visibility.
Want people near you to find your services? Optimizing your Google Business Profile is a must. It will bring tremendously Increased visibility in local search.
For example, countless people will search the nearest businesses for various services, so you want Google to use your profile to populate local search results.
2. Building trust with your customers is a serious and ongoing job.
How can people know if your services are of good quality and if they can rely on your business?
For sure, there are many things that will help them to choose from an overcrowded pool of businesses - don’t forget about the power of reviews, ratings, and verified information.
All these will make your business look legitimate. Google itself claims that businesses with photos and reviews receive more clicks and are more likely to lead to in-person visits.
3. Posting updates and promotions.
Another amazing benefit of GBP is that it allows your business to interact with the customer.
Engagement should be done through responding to reviews, answering questions, and posting updates or promotions.
In a simple way like this one, you will build customer loyalty over time without much effort.
4. Finding information online in the simplest way.
Google Business Profiles offer everyone completely accurate and easy-to-find Information in just a few clicks.
It’s very important that you provide correct information about your business, such as working hours, contact info, directions, or anything you think the customers may find useful and important.
The result? Improved customer experience that will prevent lost sales.
5. How to boost SEO by using Google Business?
Boosting SEO is often hard work that requires a lot of time, energy, and effort.
Luckily, we can use GBP for this purpose as well.
It will boost web traffic in a simple manner.
If you have an updated Google Business Profile, Google will rank your business higher in the search results.
Keep in mind that it is best to lead an active and well-maintained profile.
Okay, now that we have listed the top 5 reasons why GBP is important for businesses, let’s take a look at why you should start running it properly as soon as possible:
1. What is the impact of outdated Information?
It’s not hard to realize that outdated information will hurt your business in many different ways.
You may risk a bad user experience that leads to frustration and loss of trust.
Potential new customers will choose businesses that provide clear and concise information.
2. What should you do with negative reviews?
Got a negative review? Ignoring it isn’t the best choice.
Negative reviews require proper answers, and if you don’t do that, with time, you risk ruining your reputation.
How to respond? It’s always recommended that you act professionally.
3. Regular posting.
Improve your business by making and posting updates - regularly post offers, events, and news to your GBP.
You can think of your Google Business Profile as a mini social media feed.
Google claims that this will result in improving your local rankings.
4. Don’t neglect the power and impact of photos.
People simply love photos - Google Profiles that have photos, and especially high-quality ones, always receive more engagement.
Upload images at least from time to time - show your products, or let them meet your team.
5. Analytics.
Besides everything we have mentioned already, it is a good thing to know that Google will help you with insights as well.
GBP comes with valuable analytics that will help you improve your business in the future, as well as make better decisions.
What will you find out through GBP analysis? There will be plenty of useful information, such as how customers found your profile, what they clicked, where they’re located, etc.
With all this being said, you will finally learn how to optimize your online presence in the most professional manner.
