Google Business Profile is a free and simple platform that can be utilized by your company to present information that is appealing to people when they search for your company. This information can be address, description of business, website link, hours of operation, website link, and contact information.
The setup for a Google Business Profile account is easy to follow. One of the biggest benefits for a Google Business Profile account is the reviews feature. Responding to those that have left a review is vital for a local company. This helps create a relationship with the customer. If there is a negative review, and depending on the content of the comment, this is a way to offer a discount or a special deal to them to win them back as a customer. One more thing, do not be afraid to ask someone to leave a review! Reviews establish credibility to those that are on the fence of using your business.
Google Business Profile allows you to upload videos and photos, this is a fantastic opportunity to show the consumers a visualization of the actual location. Also, uploading team photos is an effective way to build engagement. That way, people can associate themselves with the business if they identify someone they know from the pictures.
Further reading on Google Business Profiles (formerly Google My Business)
- Google Business Profile Must Dos
- Reminder to Check Your Google Listing
- Managing Your Google Business Listing
- Getting Google Reviews
Online Business Directories
There are plenty of online business directories out there. There are MapQuest, Yellow Pages, Yelp, Apple Maps, etc. On these websites, you are allowed to enter your business name, phone number, address, website URL, and a description of your business. Adding all these components will help build your SEO presence and increase brand awareness. If your business information were to change, updating these platforms will be convenient to consumers.
Keyword Optimization
Understand what keywords are going to be best for your campaign and audience. There are tools available out there that allow you to forecast and plan your keyword research. For example, Google Ad’s keyword planner tool is very convenient. It allows you to breakdown keywords by specific landing pages, so you can get keywords that pertain to a specific topic. Also, you can filter it by location, so you can break it down by your city or county and then target those local keywords.
There are other keyword research tools available such as SEMRush and SpyFu which give better competitive research; however, these are more costly. Also, by using these tools, you can compare keywords with close competitors. Once you identify which keywords suit you best, you can use those keywords to your advantage by creating content circulating those keywords and hoping that your work will rank higher on the SERPs.
Participation in the Community
Attending local events and getting familiar with those in your area will help create a relationship to those in the community. Just being present in your local community will help you promote content and attract more customers. Sponsoring local events will be beneficial as it will help with brand awareness. Collecting images from local events and uploading them to your Business Profile can increase engagement as well.
