The world of e-commerce is constantly evolving with changes in customer behaviour and preferences. In addition to adopting digital, the price volatility, technological advancement, and competitive pressure are expected to soar in 2023. To keep up, companies and businesses can use Google My Business (GMB) to latch onto technological progress, increase their online visibility and attract new customers. By having an accurate and complete profile on GMB, businesses can drive more traffic to their website, increase revenue, and gain valuable insights into customer personas.
Here are 6 effective steps for GMB optimization to increase hyperlocal discovery and search traffic for businesses.
1. The primary Name-Address-Phone number and Description is a crucial aspect of GMB optimization. It is important to use the actual business name, verify that the address information matches the one on the website, use a local phone number, and provide valuable information in the description. By focusing on the first 250 characters which appear in the knowledge panel, businesses can capture the user’s attention with pertinent information.
2. Category and Attributes: Choosing a specific category that accurately describes the entire business, and not just a service or product is recommended Utilizing subcategories and attributes can increase the likelihood of appearing in search results and provide additional information to customers. This may include special features like child or pet-friendly, free Wi-Fi, a bar, open seating, wheelchair access etc.
3. Reviews play a crucial role in driving business success; they also hold immense value for new customers. With Google My Business, it is easy to gather and manage reviews effectively. This not only improves customer insights but also increases visibility in search results.
4. Customer engagement is key to providing a positive experience and maintaining a positive reputation. The messaging feature on Google My Business allows businesses to engage with customers. Ideally, a welcoming message should be sent as soon as a customer interacts with or sends a message to the business. Prompt response to messages is important to maintain a positive reputation and ensure hyperlocal discovery.
5. To improve search engine ranking and engage with the right audience, businesses should actively publish high-quality local blog posts on new products, services, recent events, and offers. Enriching the copy with visually engaging images and videos will provide users with an accurate and good user experience. Businesses should also encourage customer reviews and ratings and respond promptly to comments and messages. They can further experiment with different post formats and use relevant keywords and hashtags to improve discoverability.
6. GMB’s Insights Dashboard is an important tool that gives businesses a deeper understanding of their customers. It provides information on how customers find the business profile, their activity after reaching it, their location, and the engagement with photos and videos. This data helps businesses make informed decisions to optimize their profile and attract more customers.
According to a study by Think with Google, 50 per cent of people who do a hyperlocal search on their phone visit a store within 24 hours. Businesses can utilize strong local market understanding to frame successful hyperlocal strategies. This can be achieved by gathering consumer-level data and analysing it through marketing dashboards to quickly access relevant insights.
To make the most out of Google My Business, it is important to have a clean and accurate profile. Before beginning optimization, businesses should check to make sure all the relevant information is included and up to date. Regularly reviewing business listings and making any necessary updates will keep the business profile optimized and effective. By following these steps, businesses can ensure that their profile is showing up when users search for something with local intent, living up to its full potential.
Author:
Satya Prabhakar, Founder & CEO, ProManage & Sulekha.com
