What is Google My Business? Three Basic Functions.
According to Google, a growing number of searches have local intent, meaning that potential customers are searching online for local services to spend their consumer dollars. For those companies that rely on local search traffic, we would like to highlight the importance of your business being found. So, how do we do this?
This post introduces you to the basics of Google My Business while follow-up posts will dive into individual functions and explain how they work and how they can benefit your digital marketing strategy.
Google My Business is now a cornerstone piece of any business’s local SEO strategy. It is at its most basic, Google My Business is a free tool provided by Google that allows a business to organize and update their company information that is found by searching their business on Google.
The first basic function of Google My Business is company information. This allows you to input basic but critical company information such as:
- business name and description
- address and phone number
- services provided
- website and hours of operation
These basic listing criteria must be accurate and up to date so that potential customers can connect easily with your business. Before this information is published on Google, it is also verified by Google by a phone call, email or code mailed to your business that must be entered to publish.
The second basic function of Google My Business is to connect to customers with:
- Google Maps
- Customer Reviews
- Direct Messaging
Google Maps clearly shows your address and can open up a map function when clicked that can provide directions to your business from where the customer currently is.
Customer Reviews and an average Star Rating provides real word customer experience and feedback for others to view. You as the business owner can respond to customers via this platform with thanks or address issues that may be raised.
Direct Messaging allows you to connect a phone number (not a land line) where customers can text you via Google’s Allo app with quick questions and you can respond via text.
The third basic function of Google My Business allows you or your SEO team to track, interpret and plan your digital marketing with Insights.
Google My Business Tracks statistics on how customers searched your business, how they connected with you – by calling you, or looking up directions to your company. You can also view how many visitors viewed your posts. Posts are pieces of content that can include general information on products and services, promotions or keeping customers engaged with what is new.
All of these statistics can be analyzed by your online marketing team can use Google My Business to publish content, links or CTAs (calls to action), photos and other pieces of information that can help drive more traffic to your website and generate more calls and views to your business.
