In a digitally-driven economy, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses looking to succeed. One way to boost your visibility on Google and reach potential customers is by optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) profile. Many businesses will quickly set up their profile and rush through the process as they are hurting to launch their business.
The following 5 key seo-boosting features are often underutilized:
Pre-seeding Questions & Answers We see so many businesses that have not taken advantage of pre-seeding your profile with FAQs. Not only is it helpful to your customers, the questions are often the same questions that users are searching google for answers. Because you are providing an answer, your profile has a higher likelihood of being shown to users in your service area. The Q&A section will show the name of the person who places the question. Start by logging into google with a personal account. Search for your business. Click the “Ask a question” button on the GMB profile and type in the question. Then, you can answer using your GMB profile.
Adding Photos and Videos with Keyword-Rich File Names Images and Videos help bring your business to life on your profile. When you thoughtfully name your files and include a relevant target keyword, it helps to bolster the SEO of your profile.
Listing your Products (or Services) as Products When you add your products or services to your profile as a Product, you are providing more keyword-rich information to help Google serve your business to your target customers.
Adding Custom Services Google will pre-populate service options based on your industry, but taking the time to brainstorm all of the services you offer, and what keyword a customer might use to search for them, can lead to an even longer list of services that are keyword rich. Don’t hesitate to consider longer-tail keywords.
Soliciting Ratings and Reviews One of the highest factors determining the position of your business in the map search results are your ratings and reviews. Not only can you be intentional about sharing your link with your customers, but you can take it a step farther and utilize Reputation Management Services to monitor, manage, market, and generate reviews.
To increase the impact of your GMB profile, we recommend thoroughly looking at your profile from a customer’s perspective as well as taking the time to pre-seed FAQs, add keyword-rich media, list your products and services, as well as routinely solicit ratings with reviews.
By implementing these tips, you can improve your profile’s search engine optimization (SEO), increase your visibility in local search results, and ultimately drive more traffic to your business.