SEO SERIES (PT. 3) Market Your Pro Organizing Business Using Google My Business
Meet our guest blogger, Caitlin Strempel of CRS Digital Marketing. Caitlin is an SEO expert & digital marketing strategist who works with ambitious business owners to get their services found online. Today, Caitlin is sharing how to market your professional organizing business through Google My Business! This is the third of three blog posts to help you strengthen your business' SEO.
Market Your Pro Organizing Business Using Google My Business
Whether you just launched your professional organizing business, or you’ve been at it for a while, you’re always looking for ways to market your business and attract new clients.
Google My Business (GMB), a free business listing from Google, is a massively underused marketing tool that can unleash a whole new stream of fresh, local business for you.
Google is the leading search engine, claiming 92.42% of search queries worldwide. Having a Google My Business ensures that people who are searching for your exact service in your local area will find you. Additionally, it provides several awesome tools that can help you to market your business and encourage potential customers to choose you over your competition.
By creating and optimizing a GMB for your professional organization business, you can show up in the Google Maps area in search results, display your reviews, post critical information about your business, and even include mini blog posts that entice the reader to learn more by exploring your site and getting to know your brand.
There’s so much potential, and we’re going to tell you how to best utilize this tool and market your business using Google My Business.
Achieving Small Business Success With Local Customers
It’s estimated that around 70% of potential customers look up businesses online before they make a purchasing decision. Makes sense, right? There’s no such thing as a “blind” date anymore, we all do our research first, and rightfully so.
When it comes to business, services like Google My Business, Google Maps, and Google Places can be critical for small business success. This is where you’re going to get the bulk of your local customers online if you do things the right way.
One of the biggest things that Google did was roll out GMG Posts which allows you to advertise your business for free! In a world where everything seems to be paid, it’s crucial that small business owners jump on these free and effective opportunities to get their business out there and paint it in the most compelling light possible.
Let’s explore how to do this.
Harnessing the Power of GMB to Attract More Customers
Consumers love details and stories. Your potential customers are looking to make a connection with your businesses before they decide to do business with you. And customers connect more with a business that they feel they have ample insight into to.
This feeling is achieved when they see glowing reviews and documented experiences from other customers along with pictures, videos, and posts. By including these bits of helpful information, your potential customer can get a clear picture of who you are and what you offer—it helps them begin to see themselves doing business with you.
Per Google, “businesses that continuously keep updating photos on their listings tend to receive 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps. They also get 35% more clicks through to their websites.”’
You can use GMB posts to display information about upcoming events, special promotions and offers, new products or services, etc. These posts can contain URLs, images, videos, and even calls-to-action. Essentially, you can provide a short, enticing snippet of information on your GMB that will compel your potential customers to click your link and head to your website to learn more.
Next, let’s talk specifically about how your GMB listing can help you to market your business and optimize your online presence.
1. Share Your Latest Information
For many customers, they're searching online for local businesses and hoping to find a discount, deal, or special offer. You can use this to your advantage by adding in all your latest information including any special offers or promotions through your posts. Keep it fresh and exciting by sharing relevant photos and always make sure you have a call-to-action to head to your website to learn more. Give them just enough in your post to leave them hungry for more details and information, which they’ll find on your website.
2. Show Up in Google Maps
According to a survey from Manifest, 67% of smartphone users said that Google Maps is their preferred app for searching for local businesses. Your customers are using Google Maps to help them find a local professional organizing business, so if you’re not showing up there, that business is going to your competition.
Given this information, it’s a no-brainer to get yourself a GMB account ASAP and fill it out completely and accurately. The more information, the better. When searchers pull up relevant queries, your business can show up in the maps and the business with the most detailed information, reviews, and pictures will likely get the clicks.
3. Display Your Reviews
Reviews are arguably one of the most vital features of your GMB. A study by BrightLocal found that 49% of consumers wouldn’t choose a business unless it has at least a four-star review rating. So, for the businesses that have no reviews, or worse yet, bad reviews, your chances of getting new business are not great.
People rely on the reviews of others to help them determine whether or not your business is worthy. In your effort to optimize your GMB, market your professional organizing business, and attract more clients, it’s wise to ask your past clients for positive reviews.
Anyone with a Gmail account can post a review, so get out there and ask for those positive reviews, you deserve them! And your clients will likely be more than happy to leave you a glowing review for the undoubtedly great work you did for them.
Pro tip: You should always plan to leave a prompt, polite response after every review, even the ones that may not be as complimentary as you’d like. Your response shows the reviewer and other potential customers that you’re engaged, involved and that you care.
Get Started Marketing Your Business With Google My Business Today
If you haven’t done so already, go ahead and set up your GMB account as soon as possible. Don’t squander this tool or underestimate its power. With a little knowledge and know-how, you can use it to advertise your business and gain more online traffic on autopilot.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to your GMB is to fill out your business information completely and accurately and to keep it fresh and updated.
So, get out there and advertise your latest specials, take before and after images and display them, ask your clients to leave you reviews, and write posts that encourage the reader to want to learn and explore more. You’ll soon reap the rewards of your efforts!
Caitlin Strempel
Caitlin Strempel is an SEO expert & digital marketing strategist who works with ambitious business owners to get their services found online by the people who need them the most. Working with brands such as Under Armour, Lexus, and Olay, her work has been featured in Forbes, Advertising Age, and more. Advocating for the success of others, Caitlin firmly believes that if you are alive it's your duty to change the world with your talents and to do that your message needs to be seen and heard by as many people as possible.
Related Links:
SEO (Part 1) - SEO Tips for Pro Organizers
SEO (Part 2) - How to write a blog for SEO
SEO Tips for Pro Organizers with Caitlin Strempel
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