Google Business Profile: Why Is It Important for Your Business

Digital marketing is about how best to reach your target audience in today’s market. If you are like most small or medium-sized business owners, digital marketing may not be one of your strengths, but it’s a vital part of modern commerce. But with so many niche online groups and platforms, attracting the attention you want can still be a challenge.

Fortunately, many tools and resources help business owners boost their online presence with minimal effort. Google Business Profile is one resource that can be vital in helping you connect with existing and potential customers. Therefore, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with this tool so that you know how to make it work for your company.

What is Google Business Profile?

Google business profile is a free service designed to digitally promote local businesses and organizations. It often includes vital information that customers need about a business, such as:

The company name
Hours of business
Phone number
Website
Address
Customer service
Product
Services
Categories
Service areas
Videos
Photos
Logos
Hours
Delivery information (if applicable)

It is essentially a small listing of the most important information a customer may need when looking for a good or service. And it makes it easy for customers to contact, visit, or get directions to your business. Google Business Profile can also link back to your website, or users can call directly from the entry, making it even easier to potential customers to reach your business.

What are the benefits of a Google Business Profile?

There are multiple additional business benefits of using Google Business Profile. These benefits include:

It’s a powerful local SEO ranking factor. Google Business Profile is one of the most – if not the most – important local ranking factors. It is a central location for all of the vital information for your business, which feeds into the local search algorithm. And with more than 90% of the world using Google, you can bet your Google Business Profile will be a huge factor in getting your information out to potential customers. In addition, having a profile means you will appear in the search results more frequently and rank higher. And this translates into greater visibility in your market, which is one of the key objectives of any digital marketing plan.
It’s convenient for customers. There is no denying that making things easy for your customers is a huge business benefit. Since Google Business Profile makes sit easy for customers to click on your website, email, address, or phone number, they can immediately contact your staff. And even if they don’t use these features, customers are provided with additional information, such as the address and location of your business, which makes it easier to visit. Google Business Profile provides a complete and comprehensive summary of all the information your customers want in a central location. And this can be an excellent way to kick things off as the first touchpoint your customers have with your business.
It’s a way to showcase your products, reviews, and special offers. In addition to your company’s vital information, Google Business Profile lets you share images and videos, which is a great way to promote your products or services. It also allows you to highlight reviews that other customers may find relevant and special promotions you want to share. And since the vast majority of customers read reviews before purchasing, having good reviews showcased on Google Business Profile is one great way to improve your reputation and attract new customers. And rather than pushing this information out through multiple advertising outlets to customers who may or may not want to know about it, you are reaching customers who are already looking for something similar to what you offer. This means your conversion rate from Google Business Profile can be very high. Simply put, it’s effective at reaching the right people.
It lets customers see how you stack up to the competition. Since Google Business Profile is a local tool, it can compare similar businesses side by side. And while this may sound intimidating initially, if you focus on customer service, you will likely come out ahead of the pack. And even if you aren’t, it can give you a good idea of what items you may need to work on to have more satisfied customers.
Increase sales. Approximately 50% of individuals who use their mobile phones to search for a local business visit the store. This means that when your business pops up during these local searches, it can easily boost your sales. And you don’t have to wonder what factor leads to increased sales since Google Insights can provide valuable data about where your new leads and sales traffic originated.
You can become a part of Google’s Local Pack. Advanced users on Google Business Profile may have noticed that some profiles appear just under the map feature but before the general search results. These results are called the Google Local Pack. As a part of the Local Pack, your business could become one of the first things a user sees on the Search Engine Results Page, exponentially increasing the chances they will patronize your business.
It’s easy to use and free. Many small and medium-sized businesses spend a huge chunk of their profits on digital marketing. Often with little assurance that their efforts or investment will pay off. Google Business Profile is free, which means you will only invest the time it takes to create the profile. Additionally, it’s a tool that has proven effective at enhancing exposure and increasing visibility. Therefore, you have everything to gain by using Google Business Profile and nothing to lose.

There is no doubt that digital marketing is a huge challenge, especially for small companies that may not have the resources to devote a ton of time or money to marketing endeavors. But if you want one small action that will greatly impact your digital visibility, it’s creating a Google Business Profile. With only a little effort, this tool can lead to a massive increase in your online rankings – and, hopefully, sales. To learn more about leveraging Google Business Profile as a part of your digital marketing plan, contact E Local Web Solutions today!

eGlobal Web Solutions specializes in marketing your business via the digital marketplace. We use search engine optimization, social and review promotion, and Email marketing for all types of businesses, from local to global. We utilize various digital marketing techniques to increase your internet presence, optimize your traffic and generate new business.