Achieving a high ranking in Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) is one of the best ways to market a business effectively online. For small businesses, it’s especially critical to appear prominently in local SERPs.
Competition for the top slots is fierce, without question, but there’s a surprisingly easy and effective way to give your business a competitive edge. Read on to understand the benefits of claiming, verifying, completing and optimizing your Google Business Profile listing.
Top 10 Reasons Having a Google Business Profile is a Weapon For Any Small Business
10 - Appear in the Local 3-Pack
When you perform a Google search, you may have noticed that three relevant business listings appear at the top before the organic results. Known as the Local 3-Pack, this is the most coveted position for any local business to appear in Google results. Your business not only shows up at the top of the SERPs, but it is prominently displayed on mobile devices. Reportedly, companies that appear in the Local 3-pack see a 700% boost in clicks on average. Until you set up your Google Business Profile profile, you’re not even in contention.
9 - Show Up on Google Maps
The first thing customers consider when searching for products and services online is online reviews. Proximity is a close second, and setting up a Google Business Profile profile for your business helps it appear prominently on Google Maps search results. Customers can quickly confirm that your business is nearby and has what they need, so it’s a win-win situation.
8 - Garner More Reviews
As mentioned above, customers cite online reviews as the top determining factor when searching for goods and services online. Setting up your Google Business Profile profile makes it easier for people to post reviews of your business. By responding to reviews and interacting with customers, you’ll acquire more over time. The more star reviews displayed, the more prominently your business will appear in the SERPs.
7 - Rank Higher and Improve Overall SEO
Google strives to provide the most relevant results possible to users, so it constantly seeks out information about local businesses. The more info you can feed to Google about your company, the better, and Google Business Profile makes it easy. Completing and optimizing your profile also lets you confirm that your information is consistent and accurate – things Google weighs heavily in its algorithms.
6 - Gain Trust
According to surveys, customers find businesses with actual locations that appear on online maps to be 2.7 times more reputable than those that do not. Google itself is highly authoritative, and businesses must pass through several verification steps to appear on Google Business Profile. By optimizing your listing with photos, descriptions, posts and other info, you can make a great first impression and increase the odds of converting a new customer.
5 - Enjoy Free Advertising
Companies with deep pockets can compete effectively for online visibility through Google ads. For many niches and industries, however, this strategy is prohibitively expensive. Through Google Business Profile, your business will enjoy targeted exposure on Google SERPs at no additional cost to you. It’s one of the best ways to boost SEO, which is the most proven way to gain better rankings in the organic SERPs. Best of all, it doesn’t require a lot of effort. After setting up, verifying and optimizing your profile, you only need to do occasional updates to keep your listing relevant.
4 - Boost Traffic and Sales
Businesses that appear in the local SERPs on Google are 70% more likely to attract local visits from users. That alone should inspire you to complete and optimize your listing on Google Business Profile because having a fleshed-out profile will give you a considerable edge over the competition. Another survey revealed that people who find businesses via Google Business Profile are 50% more likely to make purchases.
3 - Gain Crucial Insights
Google Business Profile includes a free Insights feature that helps you understand how your business ranks on the SERPs. A variety of useful analytics provides insights into which customers you should be targeting and who is engaging with your content. You can also discover how visible your company is in online searches. The heatmap feature shows you on a map where your traffic is coming from, allowing you to gauge the effectiveness of local SEO efforts.
2 - Increase Engagement
With a completed and effectively optimized Google Business Profile listing, you give customers and prospects several easy ways to engage with your business. On desktop and mobile SERPs, a standard Google Business Profile listing includes a prominent link to a company’s website and a button that can be tapped to make an instant call. Recently, Google added a messaging button that allows people to contact your business directly through Google Business Profile. You can even customize your listing to allow people to book appointments or to place orders.
1 - Stand Out from the Crowd
Google Business Profile includes many features that help your business stand out from the competition. When you optimize your listing properly, you can provide a unique, informative description of your business and your products and services. Using keywords informed by SEO practices boosts visibility even more, and photos and videos help give your business a more approachable and human feel. You can even create posts announcing new products and services or any other news you’d like to share, which can help you cast an even wider net still.
Get Started with Google Business Profile Today
Now that you know more about the importance of Google Business Profile, you should be chomping at the bit to get your listing up and running. Claiming, verifying, completing and optimizing a Google Business Profile listing is relatively easy, but finding the time to do so correctly can be tricky for busy business owners.
If you want to capitalize on the incredible advantages of having a well-designed Google Business Profile listing, Sagentic Web Design can help. Our team can set up your listing , give you advice about handling reviews, keep your listing current and otherwise help you make the most of it.