As a small business owner, you’re always looking for ways to increase your visibility and grow your customer base. A powerful tool that can help you do just that is Google Business Profile (GBP). This free tool offered by Google can help boost your visibility, credibility and even get insights into your audience. If you are not familiar with what Google Business Profile, don’t worry I got you covered. I am going to quickly dive into what GBP is, why it’s important and some quick tips on how you can optimize it for your advantage.
So What is Google Business Profile?
Have you ever typed something into Google and on the right hand side of the screen this little box popped up with information about a business? Well, that is Google Business Profile (formerly called Google My Business). When someone searches for your business’s name on Google, your GBP will appear in the search results (like I said typically on the right-hand side of the screen). I like to say it is sort of like having a mini website, but directly connected to Google. What is great about this is that you can quickly grab your audience’s attention by having a strong profile that helps people with what they are looking for.
It must also be noted that having a Google Business Profile does depend on the fact that “…you run a business that serves customers at a particular location, or you serve customers within a designated service area“, there are certain (albeit very few) businesses that are ineligible. To see if you qualify check out this link here by Google.
Why is Google Business Profile important?
This can be one of, or a person’s first point of contact with your business. Sort of like a free digital ad of sorts, or the yellow pages of the internet age if you will. In fact, the more accurate and comprehensively filled it is, the more likely that potential clients can find you easily and quickly. On top of that there are 3 other ways that having a Google Business Profile helps you.
Boost Visibility
As mentioned earlier, the more filled out your profile is the better Google can match you with potential clients when they search for you and your type of business. So for example, let’s say someone types in dentist near me, the GBP that is more complete will most likely show up higher (obviously there can be other factors such as that company paying to show up higher). So, by filling out your GBP and optimizing it you can show up more when people search for certain products or services. This makes it easier for people to find you, especially if you have a storefront, and/or then lead them to your website, where you can start turning them from visitors into clients.
Credibility, Trust and Authority
The second thing that a GBP does, that relates also to the first point, is help you establish better credibility, trust and authority. By having a more complete and filled out GBP, people know they are working with a real business. Customers can actually interact with you via Google Business Profile. They can ask questions, as well as leave reviews for your business. Not only that but you can link back to your website which helps establish your authority and improve your rankings.
Insights
Lastly (for this post), having a GBP can help you understand your audience a bit more. One way is that you can see how many views your profile gets. in addition to that you can also see how they found you, and what keywords they used to get to you. By having this data you can make better decisions regarding the content you put out, as well as how to market your business more effectively.
Bonus: Some tips on optimizing your Google Business Profile
To get the most from your Google Business Profile, I wanted to share a few quick tips on how to better optimize your profile. As I stated before make sure to fill out your profile as best as you can. On top of that, make sure you use your GBP to link back to your website. Think of your website as the Central Hub, and all your marketing whether it be through social media, ads, whatever needs to link back to it. Your Google Business Profile is no different. As I said before use your GBP as a mini website of sorts.
One cool way to stand out and help your clients is to use your Questions section as a FAQ page. Think of the top 5-10 questions you typically get from customers and put them in your GBP. As the business owner ask a question and then answer that question, as the business owner. This way when people see your people and they have a question they can see what has been asked and you can help ease their mind by answering questions they may already have. Also make sure you post updates and services and products on your Google Business Profile and make sure you link back to your website!
Conclusion
A GBP can be a powerful tool for small businesses looking to improve their online visibility, credibility, and authority. By completing your profile, optimizing it, and engaging with customers through the platform, you can attract more potential customers, build trust, and improve your website’s performance online. So take advantage of the free tool offered by Google and use it to boost your business’s profile and start turning more visitors into clients!
If you need help setting up or optimizing your Google Business Profile, schedule a Call with me today!