Almost every business owner knows after reading our blog article “What conclusions do customers draw from Google Maps reviews?” what an online user thinks when evaluating a brand. With the information in this post, you will deepen your knowledge of managing your business online and learn why you should create a Google My Business account.
Have you ever heard the phrase “Every business should have a profile on GMB”? No? Google My Business, or GMB, is one of Google’s services, namely a free tool that helps you position your business online, as well as present basic information about it. Creating a company profile in Google My Business is the first step to make your business profile appear in Google maps, which plays an important role in increasing the visibility of your brand in the online space. Check out how to create a business profile in Google My Business?
However, it is important to remember that your competitors are also presented in the Google Maps panel in the search results. That is why you should stand out among them, so that users will choose you. Customer reviews and ratings will help. The more positive comments your company gets, the better users will perceive your company. If you want to get as many reviews as possible or improve your business profile, use modern application Rating Captain. It is a tool that makes the process of managing your company’s online reputation easier.
Verification of your business profile is a crucial step after creating a business account on Google Maps. This process protects you from activating false profiles on Google. There are several ways to verify your business profile:
Having Google My Business profile helps in gathering information by both customers and business owners. Some GMB services are described below.
Have you ever come across a business profile in Google searches? I believe you have! The most important company information a customer searches for is the website, company address, opening hours, phone number or e-mail address. Additionally, you can add a category of the company’s activity (e.g. online store, restaurant), attributes (e.g. payment methods), description. It is worth remembering about the company photos, e.g. team, inside and outside the office, logo, 30-second video.
If you run a blog or want to share additional information about your company, use the “Entries” option in GMB, of which there are as many as 5 types:
Google collects all possible data about your business profile. First, it shows you how customers select your profile, most often it is search engine and Google Maps. In the statistics panel you will also find information about views, organic actions, as well as from Google Ads. Google also includes statistics about customer integrations with your business (Source: support.google.com):
When choosing a local business, as many as 60% of Internet users check reviews on Google My Business (according to Review42). This is the basis for analyzing how a business cares about customer reviews. Everyone wants to be heard, especially clients who have the baggage of a negative shopping experience. That’s why Google created the “Reviews” tab on the business profile so other consumers can compare the reputation of companies and make an informed choice. Read on and find the answer to how effectively manage Google reviews.
It is important to remember not to delete negative comments. Sometimes there are fake reviews from competitors, in that case it’s good to know how to fight fake reviews. We already wrote about this on our blog, read here.
One of the benefits of having your business profile on Google is effective communication with your clients. With the “Messaging” service, or “Chat” and “Text Message,” which are available on the mobile version of search engine, you can take care of quality customer service. By clicking on the “Ask a question” button, Internet users can ask a question without switching to your website. If you are interested in such an option you should obligatorily install a special application in Google Play or App Store. As the owner you have 24 hours to answer, otherwise this function will be blocked on your Google account.
The service “Products” is most often chosen among the owners of online stores. Already from the name, it is clear that such an option allows you to add products that you sell in your store. All data you need to complete this section are: product name, description, price, photos and category. Additionally, you have the possibility to select any button for a particular product.
There is also a paid version of “Products” – Google Shopping. This tool promotes your goods by displaying them in the 1st row in search results, which helps to increase the visibility of your business. If you want to run an effective product campaign.
An entrepreneur is a person who not only runs his business but also keeps track of current trends. If you want your business to succeed, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on what’s happening not only in your industry but also in the market. Nowadays, most people decide to do things online: shopping online, studying online, working remotely. In order not to lose potential clients, use the tool we wrote about in this article – Google My Business and control your online visibility and reviews of your business.
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