If you’re a local business seeking a wider spotlight, you may already have considered posting on Google My Business (GMB). If so, kudos to you! Doing so is a great way to boost your brand’s visibility.
To review: Google My Business is a one-stop-shop for customers to access your company’s address, contact info, hours of operation, customer reviews, and a link to your web page. This makes it far easier for a casual viewer to learn about your organization, rather than navigating what could very well be a labyrinth of a company site.
Harnessing the Magical Power of SEO
Thanks to Google My Business, reaching customers in your geographic region has never been simpler. All the better, tapping into the right keyword and search engine optimization (SEO) strategy can drive your brand to the forefront of local searches.
Let’s examine how to create those optimized Google My Business posts so that your company can continue to appeal to new customers nearby. We promise it’s much easier than you think!
Use All the Right Keywords
Web services and programs like Google Search Console already exist to give you insight into the keywords your clients are searching when they come across your website. They can also allow you to see which keywords got the most click-throughs when your visitors came across them.
With the help of localized Google Search Console content, you can review the keywords that those specifically in your geographic location are searching when directed to your site. From there, you can strategically place those popular keywords right in your Google My Business posts, whether you’re creating videos or writing short answers to frequently-asked questions. GMB’s algorithm, paired with the keyword phrases your customers are already searching for? The bond that’s being created here is, in short, magnetic.
Determining How Often to Post
If there were ever a philosophical debate in the realm of digital marketing, it would revolve around a question like this: how often should I be posting online, anyway?
We have several answers to this question—the short one being, it depends. Your posts on social media require different types of upkeep than the ones on your company site. For our purposes, your Google My Business SEO strategy involves something a little different.
You probably won’t be updating your Google My Business page as often as, say, your company’s Facebook profile. Still, it pays to review your keyword strategy and pop relevant words into your Google My Business description as needed.
We recommend reviewing your profile at least once a week while continuing to conduct relevant keyword research for your local demographic. You don’t have a static audience, so there’s no promise that certain popular keywords will remain popular forever.
Keeping Your Contact Information Current
This one’s a no-brainer, but it’s worth a mention. If your contact info is outdated, update it! Make sure that it matches the information on your company site, too. Again, this is all about making your customer’s search experience as smooth, seamless, and consistent as possible.
Encourage Customer Reviews—and Respond to Them!
Google My Business displays online reviews directly in the search results, which then influence keyword rankings. Pretty impressive, huh?
Just as crucial as those reviews is how your business responds to them. An unanswered review suggests a disengaged company, or perhaps a stingy one. Thank your customers for their positive feedback (and maybe even slip another keyword or two into your response while you’re at it).
What do you do with the negative reviews, though? Exactly as you’ve already been doing: respond. You can’t control what’s being said about you online (not in the age of internet trolls, anyway), but you can influence the conversation and show your customers that you really care.
While this doesn’t directly affect SEO, your customer will think more highly of you for your response. Potential customers will see how adept you were at handling a tricky situation—again, right on that first page of the search results, where it’ll be hard to miss.
Want to Create a Flawless Post on Google My Business? Let Snap Show You the Way
SEO strategy isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation, especially when you’re a local business or you’re trying to drive traffic to a new branch of your company; that’s where the help of a digital marketing agency comes in. Pairing your Google My Business profile with Snap’s intelligent keyword strategy is guaranteed to give you a leg up on your local competition. Partner with us today—we look forward to helping you craft a strong online presence.