With the rapid increase in mobile devices connected to the internet, more and more people are using their devices to find local businesses and search for services on the go. According to a 2018 search engine study by Smart Insights, over 74% of users are searching using Google. This means that for many of your customers, your Google business listing is their first interaction with your business; and as we know, first impressions matter.
Your Google business listing should have the same level of importance as your business’s website, and you should invest in your listing the same way as you would in any other marketing medium.
One of the most important services that Google business listings are known for is helping to provide unbiased customer reviews about businesses. Customer reviews are immensely important when it comes to attracting new business. According to a study by Marketing Tech News, businesses with more reviews had up to 50% more clicks on average than businesses with less reviews. 60% of consumers look at reviews as one of the most important factors when making a purchase and 87% of consumers won’t consider a purchase with a low number of reviews.
When creating or updating a listing you should make sure your contact information and hours of operation are correct. You should also ensure your listing has high quality photos of your business/products, and if possible, a virtual tour of your business. If your business has a low review count you should ask satisfied customers to leave a review, as 70% of people will leave a review for a business when they are asked. Make it a priority to respond to all reviews, positive or negative, to show that you are responsive and there to help customers with their concerns. Filling out a business description, and listing out the services & products your business offers can help customers find you when searching on Google.
Your Google business listing is important for your local SEO, and not just on Google. Google has an API (application program interface) for business listings, which is used by many other websites and apps to pull data about local businesses. This means that your Google business listing information is used to create profiles on your business across the internet.
It is important not to treat your Google business listing as an afterthought. If you take full advantage of your listing, you can use it as a powerful tool to grow your business.
TL;DR;
- Google business listings are as important as websites
- 74% of people use Google as their primary search engine
- Higher review counts can increase engagement by up to 50%
- 87% of consumers won’t consider a purchase with a low number of reviews
Last modified: December 31, 2019
