If you’re a bricks and mortar business (you have a physical office, restaurant or storefront where customers can visit you), or you work remotely within a specific geographical area (a window cleaner or mobile hairdresser, for example) then having a Google Business Profile set up can be pivotal to business growth and getting new customers.
In fact, according to recent research, 81% of consumers use Google to evaluate local businesses, so by not looking after how you appear across the search engine, you are likely missing out on customers.
What is a Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profile (GBP) – what used to be called Google My Business (GMB) – is a free online profile that you can update to manage how your business appears across both Google Maps and Google Search.
What are the benefits of Google Business Profile?
There are many benefits to having a Google Business Profile set up and keeping it regularly updated, such as:
Customers can find you easier – when people use Google Maps for navigation, and click on the ‘directions’ button, it uses the details you provide in your listing to help them find you. You can also provide the exact location of your business using a pin, rather than just relying on your postcode, which could be a wide area.
You can promote offers directly on the search engine results page. If you have a product or service you’d like to push, or a special offer on for a limited time, you can ‘add an update’ to your profile to alert new customers to it.
Collect and manage reviews directly through Google. We all know how important reviews are in making purchasing decisions for products and services. Google Business Profile allows you to collect and respond to reviews directly from the search engine.
Showcase what is important to your customers and what matters to your business. Your business profile lets you showcase directly from your profile attributes that make your business, well, your business. If your business is women-owned, LGBTQ+ friendly or has gender-neutral toilets, you can shout about it directly from your business profile.
Showcase accessibility – for those who have accessibility needs, being able to research new locations and find up-to-date relevant information is key. GBP allows you to give information on whether your property is accessible for wheelchair users, has an accessible toilet or wheelchair accessible seating.
Support with your Google Business Profile
If you’d like support with the set up or management of your Google Business Profile don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Head of SEO
