Google Business Profiles, or GBP, offers businesses an excellent opportunity to appear in Google search results. The best thing about creating a Google Business Profile is that it’s FREE! So, what is the fuss all about, and why would you want a GBP listing? This list will tell you Why every company needs a Google business profile.
What is a Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profiles are free local marketing tools that enable marketers and business owners to manage how their company is displayed on Google Maps and Google Search. This listing shows important business details, such as your company name, hours of operation, address, website link, and contact information.
Claiming your Google Business Profile listing is simple. All you have to do is verify the business data by creating a GMB listing or claiming an auto-generated profile that already exists. Having a Google Business Profile is crucial and should be included in every local SEO strategy. Doing this makes it simple for consumers to find information about your company and even review it! Hence, it’s vital to ensure that the information you provide is complete, accurate, and optimized.
Why Every Company Needs a Google Business Profile
If you still aren’t sure if you need a Google Business Profile, keep reading to learn 5 reasons you want to get started immediately.
#1 Increase Your Visibility
The primary benefit of having a Google Business Profile is that it improves your company’s internet visibility. When customers search for a service or product, Google usually displays three Google Adwords Ads, which are followed by a map and a local 3-pack, and then organic results.
So, what is a local 3-pack? It comprises the 3 top local businesses based on the person’s location. The best part about this feature is that customers can arrive at your business without ever seeing your website.
#2 Allows You to Share Important Business Information
A Google Business Profile enables you to share pertinent information about your company. For example, you can display your contact information, address, and working hours. There is also an area to share updates, news, offers, announcements, and more. These posts appear on both Maps and Google Search, helping you stay in touch with prospective customers. Just be sure that if you’re sharing updates, include a clear call-to-action, such as Visit, Buy, Call, or Learn More.
#3 Boost Your Company Appeal with Customer Reviews
Today’s customers rely on reviews to influence their purchasing decisions. Many consumers spend time reading online reviews to give them an idea of the quality of services before choosing the perfect provider.
A Google Business Profile helps with this because it allows your customers to share feedback and leave a review. This helps appeal to potential customers and allows you to receive honest evaluations, which can be used to improve your services.
#4 Drives Traffic and Sales
Google suggests that companies with a Google Business Profile are 70 percent more likely to attract local customers. Thus, increasing website traffic and sales. Since Google requires companies to go through multiple verification steps before activating their GBP, customers trust the results.
#5 Free Google Marketing
Most business owners and marketers now understand the power of Google advertising. With that, there are a few ways you can use the platform to put your business on the first page. One method is to run Google Ads campaigns. However, these ads are very costly, so you will probably need a hefty budget. Another effective way is to improve your website’s SEO, but it takes time to build your ranking and authority.
This is where a Google Business Profile can help. A GBP listing offers a cheaper and faster way to get targeted exposure on one of the world’s biggest search engines. Creating or claiming and then verifying your listing costs nothing, but the exposure you will receive is priceless.
Closing Thoughts To Why Every Company Needs a Google Business Profile
At the end of the day, you have nothing to lose! Creating or claiming your GBP is free, so all you have invested is the short amount of time required to set it up. If you’d like to learn more about Google Business Profiles and how they can help your local SEO strategy, speak with a member of our team today! If you have any questions feel free to contact us.