Undoubtedly, Google Maps is one of the most useful tools Google has given the world. Still, it’s much more than just a way to travel around without having to fold paper maps or ask people for directions – it’s also a fantastic marketing tool.
This post will show you how digital marketers can – and should – use advanced tools presented by the largest search engine company in their overall marketing plans. We’ll go over the most important features and things you should be doing to increase your local business growth.
What Is Google Maps Marketing?
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In a word, this is the process of making your business simpler to discover by utilizing Google Maps’ features. Although this is useful (and anticipated) for huge corporations, it is even more so for small firms. On the other hand, it’s not all about just visibility; it’s also about positioning your store. Listing your business on Google may be a significant aspect of your digital marketing strategy if used appropriately.
Why do you need GMB marketing for Local SEO?
It is now more important than ever to ensure that your company gets a strong online presence. A business’s ability to contact nearby clients, create loyal customer bases inside their communities, and build trust will be harmed if a local store is not found directly on SERP results. Google Maps marketing entails optimizing your Google listing profile and makes your store more accessible to local customers. For neighboring clients, this will serve as a digital indication. Even local clients begin their purchasing experiences online more often than not, resulting in potential in-store visits being lost owing to a lack of local search engine presence.
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Attract High-Quality Leads
When consumers look at your business listing online, the site displays a comprehensive database of your organization, including your phone number. Because most searches are conducted by phone, people will be able to call your business with just one press. Today, more people rely on the Internet to get information, such as where to get donuts or find a nearby clothing store. The platform allows users to quickly contact the business, ask questions, and then decide whether or not to visit. This makes it simple for users to go forward and for businesses to engage directly with potential consumers.
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Everyone’s On Mobile
Over 79 percent of smartphone users, according to estimates, use their phones to compare costs, learn more about a product, and even locate a store. With an increasing amount of people utilizing smartphones and other handheld devices to search for local businesses, it’s critical to get your business listed so that potential customers may find you before making a physical transaction.
Nearly 80% of searches related to local businesses result in a purchase. If you want to boost your conversion rate, listing yourself on Google is the best option.
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Cost Efficient Marketing Technique
Unlike many other types of advertising, Google My Business allows you to promote your business to people looking for the services you provide in the area where you provide them. This is called intent-based marketing, and it can be a very effective method if you care about local business growth.
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Build Trust for Your Brand
When looking for a service, the first place most people go is Google. Potential clients can readily obtain information about your location, price, contact information, and more by claiming your business online. This helps to create trust, especially if you’re providing locals with business services.
Google Maps Local Pack Visibility
A local pack takes up a lot of space in any Google search, and when used appropriately, it may be quite beneficial to your business. One of the most important benefits of Local SEO with GMB is that, when properly optimized, you may have your profile appear directly on SERP results for relevant search phrases.
Getting ahead of your competition in local pack rankings is a good approach to steal customers. Even if your competition has a higher SEO ranking, you can get more clicks, purchases, and brand awareness from local visitors.
Many of your potential consumers will begin their search on Google, and the majority will pick a local business to meet their needs. A local pack satisfies this demand for a searcher by providing information such as directions, ratings, opening hours, names, and photographs on the search engine itself.
Elements to be displayed with the Google Map Pack:
- Business name.
- Address.
- Phone number.
- Reviews and Ratings.
- Google My Business description.
- Categories and sub-categories.
- Scrapping of trusted website content.
- Ecommerce “Sold Here” products for sale.
- Business image.
- Deals.
- Highlights.
- Availability.
How to do Google Maps Marketing?
The search engine gets information about your company from GMB listing, which is Google’s official business profile. Your company can create a free Profile and fill out a comprehensive list of your company’s vital facts. This information is then used to populate the Google Maps local listings data.
Google Maps showcases your business to users and drives brand awareness and conversions by providing up-to-date and thorough information.
What is Google My Business?
GMB is a free, multi-featured business listing that allows local businesses to manage their visibility on Google Search and Google Maps. Google My Business is similar to listings on online business directories like Yelp, except it appears immediately in Google search results, eliminating the need to visit a third-party site.
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Fill Exact Address
Unquestionably, this is the most important part of Google Maps marketing. A precise address is required for your Google My Business listing. Because Google does not accept remote mailboxes or PO Boxes, the address you submit must describe your company’s geographical location. You must use addresses that have been validated.
While filling up the address, keep the following points in mind:
- Instead of broad city names or cross-streets, you must offer a specific address for your business.
- Never include anything in your address that isn’t related to it, such as a URL or a phrase.
- If the algorithm cannot locate your address, pin your company’s location on the map directly.
After you’ve filled out the entire address, you’ll need to add a service area. Also, verify that your website, phone number, business hours, and category information are correct.
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Optimize Your Google My Business Introduction
GMB was created to assist Google in determining if your business is relevant to a search query. Here’s how to improve the look of your Google profile:
- Avoid cramming keywords into the first paragraph.
- In the opening, explain why you began your business and how you differ from your competition.
- All inquiries that your potential consumers may have will be answered.
- Remember to write the introduction to your listing in the same language and tone as your target audience.
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Get GMB Listing Verified
You should have your listing confirmed once you’ve uploaded all of your information into Google My Business and updated your introduction. You won’t be able to acquire a high ranking on Google Maps unless you do so.
The following are the methods Google provides for verifying a business:
- Method of Postcard Verification
- Method of phone verification
- Method of email verification
- Instantaneous confirmation
- Verification in bulk
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Ask for Reviews
By enhancing your company’s visibility, business reviews aid your Google Maps Marketing efforts. Encourage your happy customers to leave reviews on your website. In addition to helping boost your marketing efforts, reviews make your business appear legitimate and credible.
In addition to positive comments, you may occasionally receive an unfavorable review. It happens regularly. Rather than leaving negative reviews unanswered, you should respond to them according to Google’s guidelines.
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Create Local citations
A local citation is merely a mention of your business in the local press on the internet. What influence could local citations have on your Google Maps ranking?
Local citations help your business acquire visibility and relevance on Google, which leads to a higher rating. Some of the popular places to look for local citations are as follows:
- Directories that are specific to industries.
- Blogs from across the world.
- Directories catering to a specific geographic area.
- Local citations include mentions of your business on Yelp, Yahoo Local, or any other similar site.
- Aim for as many mentions as possible.
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Build High-quality Links
Of course, high-quality links back to your site help your firm rank higher in all search results. To boost the number of links back to your site, simply email other local businesses and ask if they consider linking to it.
Connect with more local customers
You will become a local industry leader and a valued business partner using the Google Maps marketing platform. Having a high Google My Business position can raise your enterprise’s visibility and get more leads and consumers. It is also a low-cost, high-impact technique for reaching a local audience. Not only does it increase local business growth, but it also raises brand recognition. Follow these excellent Google Maps Marketing tactics to reach out to locals on a budget.
Summary:
This post explains the importance of Google map marketing and its details, why one needs it to have great local market visibility, how to do it correctly, how to set up Google my business profile, etc.
