Google my what now?

Google my Business, or GMB - that pesky platform that you know you should have - but can’t quite get to grips with it. Is it another social media platform? Is it another micro-website? Is it a sort of new Yell.com? It’s a bit of all of these, and then some.

Here’s a breakdown, detailing why you DO need GMB, and how to make the most of it.

Why you need a Google my Business account

If you have a physical retail shop or service with an actual location, then a GMB page is a no-brainer. GMB makes it easy for customers to find you, via Google Maps. Get on GMB, and you get onto Google Maps. Simple.

But what if you don’t have a physical address? You still need GMB. GMB not only finds you physically but digitally too. By having a GMB account, you are helping to tell Google that you are relevant to searching clients wanting your services (hello happy SEO!).

What does GMB show?

GMB essentially shows customers a snapshot of your business - who you are, where you are, how to find you, how to contact you, what you offer and so on.

GMB also has a reviews tab, reviews are essential for garnering trust with prospective new customers and clients. Think of reviews as a means to collect recommendations, but also for showing great customer service if for some reason someone is unhappy with a service.

How do I use GMB?

You can add as much detail as you like to your Google my Business page, more is certainly better in this case, and certainly, utilise as much as you can for your listing.

• Business name

• Contact details, including phone number, email and link to your website

• Opening hours

• Products/services

• Photos (products, location, team etc)

• Blog posts

• Offers

• Events

In the case of the last three points, news items only last seven days so remember to try to keep this updated.

GMB also has a handy free insights tool, this shows you how and when people are finding you - including search terms, click-throughs to your website and so on.

If you’d like help setting up a Google my Business page for your company, or further SEO help, then get in touch. I’d love to chat with you.