How Google My Business can raise the profile of your brand
Google My Business (GMB) helps businesses increase their visibility in their local area and quickly display key information quickly to people searching online. A GMB profile creates a virtual storefront which includes your location, opening hours, a link to your website, your phone number and Google reviews. It helps potential customers make a snap decision you, helps them get in touch (or visit you in real life!) or makes them keep searching online for another business... I’d say it’s just as important as SEO for ranking in results pages. Even if you pop up first in some keyword results, people often pay attention to GMB first, so you could lose out if you don’t have it.
This visibility online is so important for all sizes of business, but especially so if you serve customers in a specific geographical location. A childminder working in Bristol doesn’t need to be visible to people living in Manchester, but it’s vital that they appear when people search for childcare options in Bristol! Plus, GMB is also becoming a key tool for building reputation and sharing the experience a customer can expect. People can post reviews including photos to Google, and these are included in GMB. If you encourage your happy customers to leave a review, your profile will have plenty of sparking 5* reviews for visitors to see.
GMB isn’t relevant for all businesses, and some won’t qualify at all. You need to have in-person contact with customers either at your own physical business location or by travelling to where they are located - like an electrician or plumber. Luckily GMB profiles are super easy to set up, and Wix has made it even easier for us by adding a link from the Wix dashboard. Here are my three top tips when you’re filling in your GMB profile or editing an existing one:
Get the basics right - put in your location, contact details, website, opening hours and double check them. You don’t want a website link that doesn’t work or to annoy customers if they turn up at 8:00am and you’re shut until 9:00am!
Be specific when it comes to categories - the more you can narrow it down, the less competition you’ll have. For example, if you’re a solicitor specialising in family law, include that information.
Add images and logos - these are especially important if your clients have expectations of what it will look like (such as a beauty or hair salon, a cafe or a restaurant) as people love to nosy before they come!
If you’d like any help with GMB in your Wix dashboard, just drop me a line.