Google is looking for the best experience for its users. It’s at its most profitable when users receive a good experience and when they find what they are searching for, then they’re more inclined to use the search engine again, which makes Google’s ads more valuable. When businesses get more visibility on the search engine, they’re more inclined to use it. Accordingly, Google constantly introduces new tools and features that businesses can use to improve their visibility. One of them, Google My Business, promises to help local companies get more visibility (and search engine accuracy) than ever before—but is it worth the effort?
What Is Google My Business
Google My Business is an interface that allows business owners to take charge of how their business is displayed throughout all of Google’s products and platforms, including its search engine results pages (SERPs), reviews, and instant content. You can get the app on Google Play or the App Store, or sign up on your desktop. From there, you’ll confirm a handful of details and have access to several features, including posts, bookings, and insights.
The Benefits
Let’s take an individual look at the benefits and features that Google My Business offers:
1. Information consistency. Have you ever seen your business misrepresented online? Updating your entry in Google My Business will practically guarantee the accuracy of your business’s information in Google, and by extension, any third-party apps or services that rely on Google to get their data. You’ll have the chance to update your business’s name, address, phone number, and specific details like your open hours. You’ll even have the opportunity to write out common questions and answers about your business (and have them appear on Google Maps). That informational consistency is invaluable to make sure customers are contacting you at the right times and getting the right idea of what your business does.
2. Visibility throughout the web. Using Google My Business also improves your business’s visibility. Many third-party sites rely on Google for their information, so completing your business profile will increase your chances of getting featured on them. Google will also have more information to categorize your business, so it’s more likely that you’ll show up for relevant local searches.
3. Better first impressions. One of the best perks of Google My Business is your ability to upload photos or videos, which might show off some of your best products and services or simply display your storefront. Whatever you choose, you’ll have full control over the images your customers see when they encounter your business for the first time, leading to more powerful first impressions.
4. Insights. Google also offers businesses using the platform “insights,” or analytics data that show exactly how and when customers are finding your entries. With these data, you’ll be able to figure out where customers are seeing you—and where they aren’t seeing you. With that information, you can tweak your campaigns to improve your visibility further or cater to a specific target audience.