How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Los Angeles SEO experts agree that Google My Business is the most important thing to have to boost your online presence. It makes you more easily searchable on the web, gives you a lot of data you can use to improve your business, and even gives you tools to make yourself look amazing. So, if you don’t have a Google Business Profile already, make sure to make one as soon as possible!
Beyond creating a profile, you also need to optimize it. Think of it as the difference between a gorgeous advert and a listing on the Yellow Pages—one has a ton of flair and pizzazz, while the other is just mediocre. You can find three ways to optimize your profile below.
Reviews from Your Customers
People tend to trust a business that has a lot of positive reviews. That’s because reviews come from a customer that has already used your product or service. They don’t have an obligation to say anything nice about your business, so everything they say is usually truthful and genuine. This makes your brand look more authentic and appealing to potential customers.
However, please don’t try to cheat the system by offering freebies or gift cards for positive reviews. You should encourage reviews, yes, but not fake ones. This is highly unethical and can backfire on you—people these days can easily spot paid positive reviews from a mile away.
Additionally, businesses with 5-star reviews usually fare worse than businesses with 4-star reviews. Nothing in life is ever perfect, including businesses. If a brand has 5 stars, it’s usually too good to be true!
To remind customers to leave reviews, you should send reminders immediately after purchase. You can add it to the purchase page, or even slip in an email or two. You can also offer something in return—not a freebie, but an incentive! You can give things like a small discount code or reward points.
And you must remember to offer these things regardless of the review—treat positive and negative reviews equally.
Respond to Customers Respectfully
On a related note, responding to your customers’ reviews is also super important. You went through so much effort to get them to interact with you—you need to interact with them back properly and respectfully. This is especially important if a review is negative.
Responding to a negative review is very important for two reasons. The first is that you get to make up for it. If someone had a bad experience with your business and you did nothing to stop it, why would prospective customers believe that it couldn’t happen to them as well? You need to show everyone you care about giving great service by reaching out and apologizing to disgruntled customers, explaining why their expectations fell short and making up for it somehow.
Another reason you want to respond to negative reviews is that it helps you reflect on yourself and your business. Was there anything you could have done better? Is there anything about your company that needs improvement? Does anything need to change or stop?
It’s easy to get lost in the hustle-bustle of running a business. Negative reviews bring you back to reality and remind you to check the important things in life.
The good news about negative reviews is that it actually increases your credibility. As we mentioned earlier, businesses with 4-star reviews tend to be more trusted by customers simply because it’s impossible to have a business that’s worthy of 5-stars.
And if you still want to minimize the number of reviews that are less than 5-stars anyway, you can certainly try! You just need to make sure everything in your business is perfect from A to Z—no easy task.
Take Advantage of Google’s Tools
Google Business Profile isn’t just a place where you can look pretty. There are a wealth of tools Google offers that you can use to advertise your business.
One example is the Google Marketing Kit. Here, you can create and add lots of fun stuff to make your Google Business Profile more attractive. You can make stickers, posters, and infographics to make adverts shine. You can also create eye-catching graphics to announce new products, share reviews and testimonials, showcase results, and so much more.
Another tool is Google Posts, which is sort of like Google’s version of a social media platform. This is where you can use all the awesome designs you make and share them with your followers. Besides that, you can answer questions, announce sales and discounts, promote events, and so much more. Then, you can track your progress by analyzing the number of views and likes, and shares you get—this helps understand what customers like and dislike.
Conclusion
In conclusion, optimizing your Google Business Profile is crucial for increasing visibility and driving more traffic to your business. By following the tips outlined in this blog post, you can improve your profile’s search engine ranking and attract more customers. Additionally, Los Angeles SEO experts recommend that you continually monitor and update your profile to ensure that all information is accurate and relevant. By taking the time to optimize your Google Business Profile, you can greatly improve your online presence and reach a wider audience.