As a business, it is essential that you are listed on Google My Business. Google My Business is a free Google tool that will allow your business to appear in local search results. We don’t mean to sound too harsh, but if you don’t have this tool, you basically don’t exist. Without a Google My Business listing, your business will not appear on Google maps or in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) Google displays for the majority of local searches.
There are many ways to optimize your Google My Business listing so that you appear higher in search results and reach more customers. Take a look at the most important things you can do to ensure you are making the most out of your Google My Business listing.
Claim Your Business
Claiming your business in the Google My Business listing tells Google that your business is legitimate. It establishes trust with Google, which in turn, creates trust in the user. Your business will rank higher in search results if it is claimed, allowing you to reach more customers through local searches. Once you have claimed your business, you will have complete control over the listing. You will be able to update pictures, respond to reviews, and so on.
Correct Contact Information
It is very important that you supply as much correct information about your business as possible. Incorrect information can potentially make your business look illegitimate. The more the user knows about your business, the better.
Categories
Make sure you are choosing correct descriptive categories that relate to your business. For example, if you own a grocery store specializing in health food, the category “Health Food Store” will be more beneficial than “Grocery Store.”
High-Quality Photos
We recommend having not only pictures of the type of product or service your offer but high-quality pictures of the inside and outside of your business. Make sure these pictures are visually appealing and contribute to a positive image of your business. As we mentioned before, the more the user knows about your business, the better.
360° Photos& Virtual Tour
Another way to ramp up your Google Business listing and appear earlier in search results is to feature 360-degree photos of your business or a virtual tour. This will enhance users’ experiences when they are looking at your business listing. With a virtual tour, you can let your potential customers walk around, exploring and interacting with your business before they leave their houses. They will immediately have a connection with the business and feel more confident visiting or buying your services or products.
To add 360-degree photos or a virtual tour to your Google My Business listing, you need to hire someone who has a special camera to do so, like Milwaukee’s Ocreative.
Reviews
Reviews become very important when you are optimizing your Google My Business listing. Google wants to show the offline popularity happening in an online setting. According to a survey done by Bright Local, 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation, and 54% of consumers will visit the website after reading positive reviews. If you haven’t done so already, start asking your satisfied customers and clients to write you a review on your listing. According to Bright Local, seven out of ten consumers will leave a review for a business if asked. Unfortunately, negative reviews do sometimes happen. Make sure you personally follow up with each negative review in an appropriate way and end on a positive note.
Remove Duplicate Listings
Google does not like it when there are multiple listings on their platform for the same business, and frankly, neither does the user. This causes confusion, something Google is very adamant about avoiding. If you do have multiple listings, claim them and delete the duplicates.
Consistency
Make sure your business has the same information across all business listing websites, such as Bing, Foursquare, YellowPages, Yelp, and so on. Google notices if there are discrepancies and will rank your business lower when it detects them because discrepancies create confusion for consumers and reduce a business’s legitimacy.
Hire a Professional
If you are looking to optimize your Google My Business and create a better online presence, let Ocreative help you. We regularly set up and manage Google My Business for our clients. We also shoot 360-degree photos and create virtual tours to enhance our clients’ listings. We can help you claim and remove duplicate listings, ensuring your business information is consistent across all platforms.
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About Ocreative
In 2003, Ocreative began its business as one of the early pioneers of digital advertising and design in the Midwest. The company is made up of bright, honest digital innovators and creative gurus, carving out a niche for themselves and their trusting clients. Along the way, Ocreative grew to become more recognized as an award-winning, full-service, integrated marketing agency. And, Ocreative gets big results for its clients, and that puts big smiles on everyone’s faces. Even though the agency’s office is in the Midwest, its clients are located throughout the United States. Ocreative’s portfolio includes expert marketing and strategy, advertising and design, websites and digital marketing, video and multimedia.
