Targeting your local market is a great way to reach customers in your local area. Google My Business (GMB) is an online listing for your business that ranks your website locally under Google searches and on Google maps.
Organic Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, an important digital marketing tool, is the natural placement that ensures that your website shows up in search rankings and drives traffic to your site. Many businesses invest in organic SEO but may not be aware of the ability to optimise their website more specifically for their local audience. By claiming and optimising your GMB listing, your business will be best placed to hone your online presence to attract more customers from relevant local searches. GMB forms the backbone of local SEO as it incorporates a geographical element that appeals specifically to potential customers within your immediate vicinity.
Not all businesses have an international appeal or customer-base. Plumbers, lawyers, accountants and emergency electricians all have a target market that is closer to home. Customers searching for these businesses may Google a search term and include “near me”, a post code, or their city, and get local search results. Google formats local search results separately from the organic ones and even includes location maps for the highest-ranking businesses in the area.
The GMB feature, combined with specific and targeted local SEO, is an effective way for your local business to extend its presence and customer-base by promoting your products and services to local customers in real time. Your GMB profile displays key information that your customers would need, including business hours, location, contact details and reviews. It’s important to keep this information up-to-date as this feature will increase the number of leads generated from local online searches and your online conversion rate.
GMB not only enables customers to locate and contact your business easily but also enables you to engage directly (and publicly) with these customers who are searching for your services. Businesses can also create posts to be displayed in their profile, as well as images and additional information about products, services, and promotions.
Review our checklist to maximise your business’s GMB listing and optimise your local SEO:
- Verify your GMB listing;
- Choose a business category;
- Add relevant keywords in your GMB title;
- Add your website link;
- Include relevant information that will help your customers, e.g. business hours, address (don’t forget to place a map marker), business contact number; and
- Photos
Your business’s GMB profile will benefit greatly from more reviews and customer engagements so spend the time on your profile and improve your local ranking.
GMB is an effective tool that can connect you to your local customers, improve your business’s online ranking and increase lead generation and conversion rates. At Digital Presence we can help you get the best out of your GMB listing. Let our team of digital marketing experts put their skills to use to create an effective local SEO strategy for your business today.
