What’s New for Your Business in Google?
Keeping your Google My Business listing up to date is essential for boosting your local presence, showing up in Google Maps searches, gaining credibility in the eyes of your customers, increasing traffic to your website, boosting sales, and more.
And part of maintaining a relevant Google My Business listing is keeping up with any changes that Google rolls out.
Using Google to Promote Your Business
Before we get into recent changes to Google My Business, here’s a quick rundown on how to use Google to promote your business for FREE with a Google My Business listing:
Claim your business listing. The first step to utilizing Google to promote your business is to add or claim your business on Google My Business. Use a company Gmail account to sign in for added optimization.
Complete all sections. Your business will rank higher in Google searches if all of the sections in your profile are complete. Additionally, a complete Google profile will provide your potential customers with all of the information they need to decide if you offer the product or service they are looking for.
Focus on the “From the Business” Section Increase your chances of being found by potential clients by optimizing this section. Here are a few tips:
- Use all available characters.
- Include key details about your business in the first 250 characters.
- Do not include links.
Choose a category. This will also increase your rankings. Be sure to choose the one that aligns the closest to your business and select secondary categories, as well.
Add photos. Including photos in your listing will boost your ranking and increase visibility. It is also important to note that updating photos on a regular basis signals to Google and your audience that your business is active
What’s New for Google My Business
Once you have completed your Google My Business listing, it is imperative that you keep an eye on Google’s updates and make changes, as needed. Here are some of the latest updates that business owners need to know:
Coronavirus Health & Safety Attributes
You may now add Health & Safety requirements so that customers know what to expect when visiting your business. Options include Appointment required, Mask required, Staff get temperature checks, Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits, Staff wear masks, and Temperature checks required.
Google Guaranteed Badge
For $50 per month, you can take advantage of an upgraded Google My Business profile. This includes having your profile verified by Google and a “Google Guaranteed” badge.
Additional Messaging Capabilities
Google recently expanded messaging features, which were previously only available in the Google My Business app, to Google Maps, with plans to add it to Google Search. Simply turn on messaging in Google My Business and then start communicating with customers.
Years in Business Label
Show your customers that you’ve been around for years and you’re here to stay by choosing an opening date in your profile. The number of years you’ve been in business will then show up in your listing.
Community Feed
The new Community Feed is Google’s attempt to socialize the local business experience. This new feed may be viewed in Google Maps and displays reviews and updates from the users and businesses that you follow.
Preview Call History
A recent addition to Google My Business is a “preview call history” module. This is currently a US-only opt-in and records call logs for 45 days. If you are using other forms of off-site call tracking, keep in mind that this feature may interfere.
Google My Business is an excellent way to promote your company in a cost-effective manner. For more tips and tricks on using Google to get your business in front of your audience, contact us today.