Chances are that, when you need a local business, for whatever reason, you head straight to Google. The search giant itself knows this, which is why it has tried easing its users’ plight by introducing Google My Business (GMB), where various details of a firm feature in a single box in search results.
Whether GMB will bring your own firm to a searcher’s notice will depend on that company’s relevance and physical proximity, plus prominence – the factor you can most easily change.
Does your NAP match up with other business citations online?
Your business is probably listed on various online directories; in fact, the more, the better for your SEO rankings on Google! However, you should keep your company’s NAP – that’s the business name, address and phone number – accurate, updated and consistent across all of the local citations.
That same information should also be on your GMB listing, which you can easily edit once you’re logged into your GMB account, as Google explains in a help document.
Allow customers to book straight from the search page
Once you’ve learnt how to manage your Business Profile directly from Google itself, you can also capitalise on the GMB booking feature. This is where, when offering a service or simply your time, such as with an appointment, you can let customers book within the search page interface.
In other words, the customer won’t need to visit your website. Many people you target might be pressed for time, so you mustn’t make the booking process needlessly convoluted or time-draining.
Collect backlinks from other websites
We’ve mentioned prominence as a ranking factor, but how does Google measure prominence? One way is by looking at your site’s link profile. Backlinks – links directed from other sites back to yours – suggest to Google that your site warrants respectability, provided those links are ethically placed.
In other words, the links should ultimately be there for the user’s benefit rather than yours. As part of our Advanced marketing package, we can source backlinks for you in the right ways.
Polish up the content
A site strewn with outdated information and sloppily-written copy doesn’t exactly scream credibility. However, you can foster that credibility by not only rectifying problem content but also setting up a news section or blog providing you with an avenue for posting further high-quality content.
A steady stream of news articles, tutorials and the like here could establish you as an authority in your field, perhaps helping you to land articles – and, consequently, backlinks – on other sites, too.
Make a good impression, as you need good reviews!
Naturally, you can attract those reviews on your GMB listing by improving the bread and butter of your company’s offering. Just one negative review can lose you valuable custom, so you should aim for both quality and quantity in those reviews. Endeavour to attract more reviews than competing businesses also on GMB, and feel free to phone us on 01325 582112 if you need further help.
