What are the Benefits of Using Google My Business for Your Local SEO?

The landscape for local businesses has undergone a profound transformation. The Internet has become the go-to resource for consumers seeking information about nearby services and products. Local SEO is a game-changer that no local business should overlook. Picture this: 98% of consumers turned to the internet to find information about local businesses in 2022, with 76% making online reviews a regular part of their decision-making process. These statistics underscore the critical role of Local SEO in the success of your business.

When it comes to online searches, Google reigns supreme, commanding a staggering 92% global search engine market share. In our ever-connected world, where "near me" searches have become second nature, it's no exaggeration to say that Google is the primary gateway through which consumers discover local businesses. With its seismic shift towards online interactions, the pandemic has only amplified the importance of establishing a robust online presence. Enter Google My Business, a tool that can be your golden ticket to maximum visibility on the world's most popular search engine.

In this article, we'll delve into the six compelling reasons why setting up a Google My Business account is an absolute necessity in 2022. We'll also provide you with a treasure trove of practical tips to optimize your account effectively. So, if you're a local business owner still pondering the significance of Google My Business, it's time to pay attention. Your journey to harnessing the power of this invaluable platform begins here.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO, or Local Search Engine Optimization, is a digital marketing strategy focused on enhancing the online visibility of businesses that serve specific geographical areas or physical locations. The primary goal of local SEO is to optimize a company's online presence so that it ranks prominently in local search results when people search for products or services in a particular location. This strategy is particularly crucial for businesses that rely on local customers and foot traffic.

What is Google My Business?

A Google Business Profile, formerly recognized as Google My Business or GMB, serves as a robust tool for promoting your business on the Google platform. This profile, which can be established quickly and at no cost, provides an avenue through which you can impart essential information about your business to prospective customers.

Through your Google Business Profile, you can convey a wealth of pertinent details, ranging from your precise location and operating hours to contact information and compelling interior images of your physical storefront. This profile becomes a potent instrument, offering potential customers a compelling glimpse into your enterprise even before they have the opportunity to visit your establishment in person.

What’s noteworthy is that a Google Business Profile boasts visibility across the entirety of Google's expansive ecosystem. This encompasses integration with Google search results, placement on Google Maps, and presence within the Google Shopping interface. This extensive reach ensures that your business garners optimal exposure to a broad and diverse audience, effectively increasing its online prominence and accessibility to potential clientele.

Benefits of Google My Business and Local SEO

A Google My Business (GMB) profile serves as a powerful tool meticulously designed for businesses, both physical establishments like hospitality venues, pharmacies, and retail stores, and even online enterprises with physical office space to direct clients. This free online listing is instrumental in simplifying the process for local customers to discover your business and seamlessly access your brick-and-mortar shopfront.

The manifold advantages of having a Google My Business Listing in your marketing arsenal are nothing short of remarkable. Here, we enumerate six compelling reasons why integrating this online profile into your overall marketing strategy is not just worthwhile but imperative.

• Free Visibility in Google Results
  While content marketing strategies like SEO blogging and website copy optimization contribute to enhanced search visibility, a GMB profile stands as a notably potent tactic. Irrespective of whether your objective is to drive sales, augment brand recognition, or increase bookings, a Google Business Profile guarantees heightened visibility before high-value local customers.
  
  With adept profile configuration with precise address details, strategic keywords, and the appropriate business category, you position your business prominently in local search results, effectively amplifying the likelihood of prospective customers discovering your enterprise. Unlike paid social advertising or Google ads, a GMB listing is entirely cost-free, affording your business name a priority position in search results, ultimately elevating interest, inquiries, and even sales.
• Enhanced Local SEO via Google Maps Integration
  If your business offers products or services within a specific local area, it is imperative that your business information be readily available to potential customers. A Google My Business listing is an invaluable means to connect with warm leads precisely when they are poised to convert. Consider this scenario: You urgently require a new pair of running shoes and lack the patience for an online order's delivery time. You turn to Google and enter queries like 'sneaker stores near me' or 'sportswear stores near me'.
  
  Given that Google recognizes your search intent for a local physical store, it promptly furnishes you with a tailored selection of Google Maps results. This enables you to effortlessly locate a store with positive reviews, accommodating operating hours, and convenient proximity to your location. Optimizing your GMB listing helps to ensure your business emerges prominently when interested customers search for products or services in your local vicinity. Whether a customer performs a direct Google search or relies on Google Maps for guidance, your business invariably claims the top spot in search results.
• Establishing Social Proof with Customer Reviews
  Research underscores that 68% of consumers consult online reviews when making trust-based business decisions, with a staggering 93% swayed by these reviews in their purchase choices. Consequently, a pivotal benefit of a GMB profile lies in the capacity for your business to amass and exhibit reviews on a substantial scale. The accumulation of positive reviews from satisfied customers serves as a potent means to gain the trust of potential shoppers and facilitate their progression through the sales funnel.
  
  The efficacy of online reviews lies in their ability to permit contented customers to vouch for your expertise, service quality, and overall brand experience in their own words. While your marketing materials certainly play a role in expanding your reach, nothing surpasses the persuasive impact of authentic, external customer endorsements.
  
  Prospective customers, above all else, seek assurance that others have had positive interactions with your brand before committing. Consequently, by prominently showcasing Google reviews within your GMB listing, you expedite the path to purchase.


• Streamlined Accessibility to Your Physical Shopfront
  As previously mentioned, a GMB listing seamlessly integrates with Google Maps. Beyond bolstering your business's organic visibility on Google, this integration facilitates customer navigation to your physical storefront. Through Google Maps directions, users can effortlessly access precise directions to your physical store with a single tap.
  
  Furthermore, they gain access to vital contact information, including your business hours, website, email address, and phone number, streamlining the process of getting in touch with you. The easier it becomes for new customers to reach your shopfront and establish contact, the more likely they are to forge a positive association with your brand. It all culminates in the provision of a seamless online-to-offline experience, a vital catalyst in converting users into paying customers.
  
  
• Unparalleled Control Over Your Online Presence on Google
  On many marketing platforms, particularly social media, businesses find themselves subject to the algorithms of major tech entities, which dictate how their business is discovered and the impression it leaves on users. In stark contrast, a Google My Business profile empowers you to meticulously curate the type of experience prospective shoppers have with your business.
  
  From prominently displaying your contact information to updating operating hours to align with special events or holidays, you can deliver an optimal experience to every potential customer engaging with your brand. By mastering the art of profile optimization, you can significantly enhance the likelihood of your business information securing a top-ranking position in search results. This positions you for the greatest impact on the purchasing decisions of individuals who chance upon your brand.
  
  
• Harnessing Valuable Insights on Customer Behavior A little-known gem within the GMB arsenal is the robust analytics and insights it offers. Within your Google account, you can delve into a trove of invaluable statistics that provide a deeper understanding of your listing's performance in organic search results. These key metrics include:
  
  1. Views: Offering insight into how frequently your profile, photos, and posts are viewed by searchers.
  2. Search Queries: Illuminating the keywords searchers employ to discover your brand is invaluable for refining your SEO strategy.
  3. Engagement: Revealing which posts generate the most interaction from searchers.
  4. Audience Demographics: Providing insights into the age, gender, and location of searchers discovering your GMB listing.
  5. Website Clicks: Offering a glimpse into the number of users undertaking high-value actions, such as visiting your website directly from your Google business listing.
  
  Incorporating a Google My Business profile into your marketing repertoire, therefore, equips you with enhanced visibility and the capacity to make data-informed decisions that can refine and strengthen your marketing strategy.

How to Optimise Your Google My Business for Local SEO

If you are ready to harness the full potential of your Google business listing, we present a comprehensive guide with actionable steps you can implement today to supercharge your performance on Google.

• Complete Your Entire GMB Listing
  Enhance the effectiveness of your listing by providing comprehensive information. Businesses with complete profiles are 70% more likely to attract visits from searchers.
  
  Key sections to prioritize for maximum impact:
  1. Business Category: Choose the most suitable category for your industry.
  2.Location: Ensure your physical address is accurate to guide customers correctly.
  3. Contact Information: Keep your phone number and website address up-to-date.
  4. Business Hours: Maintain current hours and promptly update for special occasions or seasonal changes.
  
  
• Verify Your Business Location
  Verification is a critical step for publication of your GMB listing. Google will send you a letter by mail containing a unique code for activation. It's imperative not to overlook this crucial step. Upon receipt of your letter with the five-digit code, promptly enter it to verify your business.
  
  
• Add Up-to-Date Images of Your Business Location
  Offer potential customers a captivating glimpse into your in-store experience through professional, high-resolution images of your establishment.
  
  Showcase your premises' exterior and interior within your GMB listing to instill confidence in prospective shoppers. Keep these visuals current and well-lit to present your business in the best possible light.
  
  
• Leverage Keywords Throughout Your Profile
  Given that Google is fundamentally a search engine, optimizing your GMB listing with relevant keywords is imperative. Strategically incorporate high-volume search terms pertaining to your products, services, or industry throughout your business listing. This strategic integration enhances your visibility in Google search results when high-value searchers are actively seeking what your business excels at.
  
  
• Encourage Positive Customer Reviews
  Reviews wield substantial influence in building trust with potential customers. Distinguish your business from competitors in your local arena by actively encouraging satisfied customers and clients to leave reviews on Google. Employ straightforward methods like sharing a review form with past customers via email to augment the number of favorable reviews associated with your brand. This straightforward yet potent approach significantly elevates the likelihood of new customers choosing your business over competitors.

In Conclusion

As "near me" searches become second nature, Google has become the gateway through which consumers discover local businesses, a trend further accentuated by the pandemic. Google My Business is a game-changing tool that offers maximum visibility on the world's most popular search engine.

To fully harness the potential of Google My Business and local SEO, follow the practical steps outlined in this article to optimize your business listing. From completing your entire GMB profile to verifying your business location, adding up-to-date images, leveraging keywords strategically, and encouraging positive customer reviews, these actions will help you maximize your online presence and attract more local customers.

If you're seeking expert assistance in optimizing your local SEO or Google My Business profile, look no further than Saffron Edge. As SEO experts and leaders in SEO lead gen services, we specialize in local SEO for the healthcare industry, along with others. Our team of experienced professionals can serve as your trusted Google My Business manager, ensuring that your business thrives in the competitive digital landscape. Don't miss out on the opportunity to elevate your online presence - contact Saffron Edge today and take your local business to new heights. Your success in the digital world awaits.