What if I told you that your website is DECREASINGLY as important as it once was. Would you believe me?
What if I told you customers can get important information about your business without entering your website. Would you believe that? You should!!
Google My Business (GMB) is transforming how you capture your online customers. They have developed a feature that allows consumers to get information quickly, without having to click on ads, or even click-thru to your website. This does actually save you money on your Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. Are you paying attention now?!?!
By working our Google My Business (GMB) listings, we have found that our "organic" clicks to our website are down. Why is that? Simple. When a customer does a Google search for our business, the GMB listing shows up on the right of the page, giving them nearly everything they need.
~ Is the customer looking for business hours? Check.
~ Is the customer looking for your phone number? Check.
~ Looking for your address? Check, and then some. They even get an an interactive map!
If you want to improve your presence on Google, then you MUST work your GMB account. This is NOT AN OPTION if you want to stay competitive.
The cost of claiming and working your Google My Business (GMB) account is shocking. It's FREE! You can add photos, create post, offers, etc. This is all free of charge.
In the past five years of really working our Google My Business (GMB) accounts, we have seen our stores improve visibility on the Google Map Pack. We have seen our qualified leads improve drastically. And we have been able to serve up information quickly to our consumers without having to get a web manager involved. All bonuses!!!
GMB has also made it easier for our customers to connect with us. They can get their "social proof" (reviews), ask questions, and even contact us all from that GMB listing that serves up. In addition, once the consumer "saves" the GMB listing, then we will show up on their Google Maps in the future, thus constantly serving up our brand when they use Google Maps.
This article is not a tutorial how to work or manage your GMB account, but it is a WARNING SHOT of things that are coming. Don't play the catch up game, regardless of your business! Get someone involved that can help prevent your company from sinking into the internet black hole of despair and irrelevancy. Be an advocate for your business, whatever that business may be.
If you have questions about Google My Business (GMB), I can answer them fairly quickly. It really is easy to navigate and the insights they provide (Insights really is a tab) is unbelievable.
Brian Byrd
Chief Operations Officer