Google is one of the decisive interfaces for the visibility of your company. Selling products and services locally also means attracting attention on Google. But how do you do that? We present the Google tool for local businesses and explain how you can benefit.
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business (GMB) was formerly known as Google Places and is Google’s free platform for local businesses. It forms the interface between companies and the numerous Google products such as Google Search or Google Maps.
Companies, such as chain stores and businesses with many locations, use the Google My Business Dashboard to manage their entries in the local Google search and on Google Maps. Based on the entries stored in Google My Business, private users can find exactly the stores and companies that offer the desired services and products and can contact and rate them.
How does Google My Business work?
In Google My Business, companies manage their presence in Google services. Companies register free of charge and verify their local location. They then receive a Google My Business entry and are displayed in Google Maps and for relevant search terms in Google Search.
In the Google My Business dashboard, not only can all important information about a location or company be stored. Valuable figures and statistics on the visibility and interaction rate of the company presence can also be called up here.
For Google users and potential customers, Google My Business functions as an integrated business directory: When users search for phrases with a local reference (“tax consultant Neuss”) or Google assumes that it is a search term with a local search intention (“good restaurant”), data from Google My Business is displayed in the search results.
By clicking on an entry, users can view the following company data, for example:
- Name, address and telephone number
- Location on the Google map
- Opening hours
- Link to the company website
- photos
- Customer reviews
- Average star rating
Why is Google My Business so important?
With a Google My Business listing, local businesses can reach their customers exactly when they are looking for specific services or products.
A verified listing links your business to the location where you want to receive your customers. Any search query that suggests a user is looking for products and services you offer in your area will immediately be associated with your business.
Google places My Business entries before the standard search results. As a result, companies often receive more attention than through the placement of their company website. If a company’s website already ranks well in Google results, a My Business entry can further boost its visibility.
However, a Google My Business entry not only increases reach and visibility, but also acts as a signal of trust to potential customers.
Users searching for certain services or products pay attention to whether a search result appears trustworthy. A verified entry with all important information and visible customer reviews is convincing – in contrast to automatically generated listings with possibly incorrect data.
A Google My Business entry makes it easier for interested parties to search for information, opening hours and offers. It simplifies contact between customers and companies.
Is a Google My Business entry enough for digital success?
No. A Google My Business entry creates a highly visible element in the local results. A website optimized for mobile devices, social media marketing, reputation and presence management, for example, are also part of a viable online strategy. These measures cannot be adequately implemented via Google My Business.
Local SEO also means more than just registering and maintaining a Google My Business entry. It is true that visibility in the search services can be strengthened via GMB. Nevertheless, many other factors play a role in Google’s evaluation of a site. For example, the structure and content of the website, social media signals and the presence on other platforms are just as important.
What needs to be done?
First of all, you should check whether your company already has a Google My Business entry. A simple Google search for your company and its location is enough to find out.
If an entry already exists, you can claim it for yourself and verify it. Otherwise, you will need to create a new entry. In another article on this topic, we explain step by step how to create a Google My Business entry.
Once you have created and verified your entry, you should enter as much meaningful information and content as possible. This way, interested parties and customers can get the best possible information. Use additional functions such as Google Posts and respond actively and promptly to online customer reviews.
Do you have any questions about Google My Business? Would you like to make the most of your Googly My Business entry for your company? We will be happy to help you.
