Google My Business: The New Yellow Pages
By Sarah Beath, Junior Social Media Designer
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Whether you are on the lookout for a snazzy new place to grab a coffee & a bite to eat or needing some customized promotional goods, the go-to action is usually to ask Google. This is simply done by typing keywords into the search bar, such as “Durban, promotional products, lanyards & caps.” Google then determines which business profiles best match your keywords & spew out a list of directories that could interest you.
There are many positives to creating a Google My Business profile, which could assist in reeling in potential business opportunities. This could be done through exerting a small amount of effort on behalf of your brand, to experience the maximum effect of sharing everyday information. The most important information that should be included on your account is a short summary of your business, your website, the category in which your business falls under, your operating hours, contact details, address and album of images relating to your products and\or services.
Not only does your Google My Business account allow you to provide information pertaining to your business but it allows for past customers to post their own reviews, thus providing reliable first-hand experience of their contact with your brand. This will inform potential customers before visiting your website to ultimately see what they kind of service they can expect from your brand. These reviews provide vital insight into your branding and marketing potential, as well as what potential targeted traffic your website could expect.
Google My Business is completely free and open to the public, granted that you can verify your account via phone and answering simple security questions. The platform itself is user-friendly and easy to navigate when filling out the necessary information and uploading of images. A bonus to Google My Business is its integration with Google Maps and Google+, allowing for effortless navigation to your offices and increasing your visibility on Google searches.
When setting up your business account, one should remember that the page needs to be frequently updated in order to maintain your Google My Business Rating. This can be done by adding new photographs, responding to customer reviews, promoting upcoming events, announcing product releases or updates and announcing offers and sales. When posting, be sure to avoid spelling and grammar errors as this could inhibit your efforts.
There are many positives to creating a Google My Business profile, which could assist in reeling in potential business opportunities. This could be done through exerting a small amount of effort on behalf of your brand, to experience the maximum effect of sharing everyday information. The most important information that should be included on your account is a short summary of your business, your website, the category in which your business falls under, your operating hours, contact details, address and album of images relating to your products and\or services.
Not only does your Google My Business account allow you to provide information pertaining to your business but it allows for past customers to post their own reviews, thus providing reliable first-hand experience of their contact with your brand. This will inform potential customers before visiting your website to ultimately see what they kind of service they can expect from your brand. These reviews provide vital insight into your branding and marketing potential, as well as what potential targeted traffic your website could expect.
Google My Business is completely free and open to the public, granted that you can verify your account via phone and answering simple security questions. The platform itself is user-friendly and easy to navigate when filling out the necessary information and uploading of images. A bonus to Google My Business is its integration with Google Maps and Google+, allowing for effortless navigation to your offices and increasing your visibility on Google searches.
When setting up your business account, one should remember that the page needs to be frequently updated in order to maintain your Google My Business Rating. This can be done by adding new photographs, responding to customer reviews, promoting upcoming events, announcing product releases or updates and announcing offers and sales. When posting, be sure to avoid spelling and grammar errors as this could inhibit your efforts.