Paul Crichton
Google My Business is a service provided by Google that literally puts your business on the map.
You’ve probably seen ‘Google My Business’ before when searching for ‘restaurants, shops, petrol stations, etc. near me’ on your mobile phone. The listing will display the name of the business, its rating on Google Reviews, opening hours, address and contact details. Depending on the kind of business you run, you can list a menu or a list of services too. Customers then have the option to make bookings directly through your listing.
Despite being so helpful, a high percentage of UK small businesses don’t manage a search engine listing or map listing for their business. It’s easy to set up in a few clicks and you can track updates through the accompanying app. Google can also help you to create a fully mobile-optimised website in less than 30 minutes.
Recently, Google added a new functionality where you can add your branding as well as a cover photo and a selection of other photos that really show what your business is about. To target even more customers, you can add special offers to your listing.
Analytics on the tool help you monitor engagement, including clicks, calls, bookings and follows. You can review these performance metrics in your business profile page on Google. Users can also control how their business appears on Google search and Google Maps.
It is important to keep your listing up to date. Customers can leave online reviews and you can engage with your customers by responding to the reviews, encouraging customers to return. It’s worth noting that you can’t remove customer reviews from your listing. However, if there is a particular review that is unhelpful, you can flag it to Google and request that it is removed.
Many potential customers search online when they want to find a business (usually using their mobile phone). By listing your firm on Google My Business, you maximise the chances of new customers finding your firm.