Taking Advantage of the Best Optimization Tools

Imagine you are a consumer looking for a specific product or service in your area. As you go through the search results, one business stands out to you the most in reliability, credibility, and quality of service. Just based on this search result, you decide to go with this business and see what they have to offer. What components do you think it would take as a business to show your consumers that you are the best choice for them? 

Especially on the internet, first impressions are everything. As e-commerce continues to bring success to businesses online, creating a strong internet presence is crucial in allowing consumers to discover your business. Ultimately, how you present yourself online will translate into how many leads you get onto your website and further your conversion rate. Your business must not only be discoverable, but also be actively present in a way that demonstrates to potential consumers that you are open and a favorable business to interact with. 

But how can you successfully manage the general internet presence of your business, and where would you even go to improve that? 

Google My Business is a free tool that allows businesses to manage how you appear on google search and maps. As a business, you enter important information such as your name, location, hours, and content such as photos and videos that will be displayed for visitors to see. The more accurate and complete your display is, the better your business will be optimized in searches. On average, businesses with photos see 35% more clicks to their website and 42% higher requests for directions in Google Maps. Not only is Google My Business a key way to establish your brand identity on the internet, but also gives your business the opportunity to easily connect with consumers online and in turn do more business. 

Along with dominating in brand identity, Google my Business also gives you the opportunity to review and actively respond to reviews customers leave about your business. Responding to reviews demonstrates that your business is thankful and values consumers. On the other hand, responding to negative reviews shows that you take your clients’ feedback seriously, that you care, and that you want to fix whatever bad experience they had with your business. Taking care of bad reviews not only sets a precedent for the customer who left the review, but also those who go through and read your reviews when searching your business. For your business itself, reviews are also helpful in that your consumer’s perspective on your products or service is valuable, and allows you to learn more about your target audience or how you can better service them. 

Through Google My Business, you can also post to showcase your products, services, and latest offers. This component will drive up your engagement and interest consumers in visiting your website and converting from a lead to a sale. The more active you are with your online presence, the more attention your business will receive online and further will make your business even easier 

Local searches have also recently surged in popularity for consumers finding businesses. According to recent research, 46% of google searches have local intent, and “Near Me” searches have doubled just within the last year. Also, 1 in 2 people who conduct a local search end up visiting a store that same day. Therefore, building relationships with consumers, especially locally, has extreme benefits to creating a loyal consumer base that trusts your business. Google My Business gives you the opportunity to see where and how people are searching for you, in a way that will increase your business both locally and to your overall consumer base.

To learn how to optimize Google My Business for your own brand and be guaranteed a top 3 spot every time when listed, schedule a strategy call with our team today.