Visibility, brand awareness, lead generation: these may all sound like corporate buzzwords, but each of them is an essential component to a business’s success. If potential customers don’t know your business, if they’ve never heard of it, and if they can’t find it, then it is doomed to failure. Especially if you are a small business owner, it is absolutely crucial that, while building your brand, you are building your customer base as well. One tool that is essential in spreading this awareness is Google Business Profile.
Google Business Profile Defined
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free tool that allows you to promote your business website and profile directly on Google Search or Google Maps. You can post updates, list your services and products, read and respond to customer reviews, and accept online orders, all in one place. This is a particularly invaluable utility for small business owners due to the searching habits of customers looking for a certain product or service.
By using Google Business Profile, you are privy to these statistics and can track how potential customers are finding you via Search and Maps with Google Business Insights. This allows you to see who has looked you up, where they are from, even if they placed a call to you requesting more information. Knowing how customers have engaged with you is indispensable data that you can use to engage with them right back more effectively.
Over 80% of customers use Google or other search engines to find information on what local businesses offer and 70% of those typically visit a local business to make a purchase once they have the information they need.
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/local-seo-stats
Making Statistics Work for You
Google Search and its often-mysterious algorithms can be a tough nut to crack and frustrating if you’re a new proprietor who is trying to get their burgeoning business noticed. You might ask yourself “Why isn’t my business higher on the list with this search? Why isn’t it showing up at all? How do I get noticed, goshdarnit?!”
To ease this branding bellyache, Google Business Profile can be your friend. Google not only has algorithms for searching, but for business profiles as well. By analyzing and tweaking keywords, you can enhance your local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and effectively expand your business’s reach. This can greatly increase the odds of capturing a customer who is searching for what you offer that you may otherwise have never connected with.
How Do I Get Started?
The easiest way to set up your Google Business Profile is to search for it on Google Maps or Google Search. Once you have found your business, you can claim it as your own. Google will give you a list of options to verify your ownership and you can just follow the on-screen steps to confirm your identity as the business owner. Voila!
Once Google has authenticated and accepted you as the business owner, you will be able to edit your Business Profile, update information, and manage your business’s online reputation. You can post updates and photos on your My Business page, change hours of operation, create and oversee online advertising campaigns, and grow your customer base, all from the comfort of your home or office.
Back to the Basics
Are you looking for more insight on marketing concepts and useful tools in the marketing space? Our Back to the Basics blogs are handy, concise guides that can help you get started down the path of success in advertising, brand recognition, and more!
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Hot Dog Marketing LLC is positioned to meet all your small-to-medium business marketing needs. From branding & design to growth strategy to website creation and more, we have the tools to place your business front and center in your industry. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you achieve your marketing goals!
Gabe Ruzin is a content creator and digital marketer who enjoys writing blogs, solving the mystery of SEO, and working towards creating the perfect social media post someday. He lives in Colorado with his wife, teenage son, four cats, and lots of cat hair. A former movie theater programming director, Gabe loves watching movies, writing film reviews, and wondering why Michael Keaton has never won an Oscar.