Google My Business: Why and How You Need To Be On Top Of It

The days of small businesses not engaging in eCommerce are over.

Still, it can be hard to know the first steps to take when cracking into the online market. Fortunately, there is one clear place to begin and that is to set up a Google My Business account.

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business allows you to manage everything related to how your business appears in the Google search engine.

It includes:

Accurate hours of operation
A map and directions to your shop’s location
Photos
A forum for customers to ask questions
Review and reputation management
Reservation and appointment booking services
Restriction/health and safety information
Promotions or special events
Contact information
Website address
Proof-of-performance data
Buyer’s journey insights

Best of all, the Google My Business account is free and comes with a mobile app so that you can update information or respond to reviews on-the-fly.

The benefits of Google My Business

Google My Business helps your current customers get the information they need on you and it’s a great way to find new customers for free, simply by showing up in their local search results. In fact, 80 percent of local searches end up in conversions.

In other words, filling out a Google My Business account is essentially signing up for free advertising – and one of the most effective advertising options out there.

The number of people who include online searches in their buyer journey goes up each year. In 2020, it was found that 81percent of buyers will do some online research before making a purchase, and 60 percent start with a search engine. Having a Google My Business account moves you further up to the top of those searches, skyrocketing your chances of being selected by a potential buyer. Comprehensively filling out your profile and consistently supplying up-to-date information will help even more. Having a Google My Business listing also helps to earn potential buyer trust. Research shows customers are 2.7 times more likely to consider a company reputable if they have a Google My Business Listing, and are 50 percent are more likely to make a purchase from a company found through their Google My Business Listing.

If a business wants to be found, they need to manage their GMB listing. Google is the top-used search engine, and Google Maps and Google Home are connected tools that also help customers find local businesses. Google has also reported that 46 percent of all searches have local intent, so that’s a primary spot customers are looking for local business information. Having a complete GMB listing builds trust with Google as well, ranking a business higher and increasing their chances of getting found.

Dani H.

Product Marketing Manager, Green Stick

Consider integrating Google My Business with other business tools

While Google My Business is arguably the most powerful small business tool existing today, it’s not the only one you’ll need to run your agency. There are other important review sites including your own website and other search engines as well as other software solutions your clients will need to run their businesses.

The best way of covering all your bases is to use an all-in-one tool that instantly updates information across multiple services, receives notifications anytime a new review pops up on any platform, gets SEO tools and data reporting, and manages everything from one dashboard.

However, just because the tool has a lot of other features, don’t let that distract you from the importance of covering Google My Business well. Make sure though that the tool has Featured Google Partner status to ensure you’re receiving top-quality service and know-how from the company with whom you partner.

And finally, the best-case scenario is having a tool that integrates with the rest of the software solutions you need, like the Green Stick Marketing App

Chris Beckwith-Taylor

Chris Beckwith-Taylor is a marketing innovator, known for progressing the multifamily industry forward with his behavior-based, data-driven approach to digital strategy. Beckwith-Taylor currently guides all strategic digital and technology initiatives across Green Stick Marketing's growing business portfolio. Before launching his marketing agency, Chris was the Vice President Of Marketing at The Franklin Johnston Group, where he was responsible for the strategic marketing and leasing efforts across the organization's 20,000-plus conventional, senior, and affordable assets. Chris also worked as the National Marketing Manager for Fore Property Company, where he ran the lease-up efforts for new apartment developments in Denver, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Orlando, and Portland. Prior to joining Fore Property Company, Christopher managed the advertising for over 150 multifamily communities at CoStar, a commercial real estate information and marketing provider based in Washington, D.C. Beckwith-Taylor’s marketing experience began in 2006 as a leasing consultant in Chicago for Village Green, a management company based out of Farmington Hills, Michigan. He last served as a Regional Marketing Director there, overseeing sales, marketing and assisting with business development initiatives.