Why Google My Business Page is Crucial for Local Businesses

One upon a time, a short time ago, in a place near you people used a telephone book equipped with a yellow page section that listed businesses in your town. If they wanted a “Plumber,” they would turn to that category, look for a number and dial it right away. When your toilet is broken, you don’t want to wait too long for a simple telephone listing.

Well, times have changed…Not the use of telephone books, instead the use of smart phones. We search for a plumber, three numbers come up on the top of the search rankings and we can click the number and the call is made. This is the ultimate in speed gratification for a crucial need. The internet revolution has changed the game!

Google searches used to feature websites and list the first three sites as paid ads. We were forced to look at a website and then look for a telephone number. Most of the time, it was hard to find. Google knew this business model was not working. So they created the Google My Business Page and everything changed dramatically. 

Now, the consumer can find numbers quickly and easily. What does this mean for you, the local business person? If you have an old, outdated website and you are not listed with the GMB page, you will never be seen. You become the invisible business as far as Google is concerned. 

If your telephone is not ringing during this post virus lockdown economy, this might be the reason for the lack of activity. This means it is time to adapt. No more using a printed telephone book listing which costs hundreds of dollars a month for no results. When people call, ask if they got your number from the yellow pages. Chances are pretty good they will say “no.” 

Now, the GMB page (Google My Business) is a FREE business listing on the internet! Yes, it is free to list your business. Yet, many businesses are not aware of this . That one lack of knowledge may be the business killer you never saw coming. 

A properly optimized GMB listing will allow people using their smart phones to call you without looking any further. It is easy to claim your page. Go into your Google account, click the GMB and search for your business. If it is there, you need to claim it. If it is not there, you need to create an account.

Enter the correct name of your business, the correct address , and your correct telephone number. There are sections for business hours, business reviews, and Google Maps. You want to set up all these features.

You will want to link your GMB page to your website, blog, Facebook Business page, etc. GMB really likes social media and it will search for favorable and unfavorable reviews written on other platforms. 

Needless to say, GMB is now a powerful platform that will not only improve your search rankings, but offer an easy portal for your potential clients, customers, or patients to check what other people think of you. Fortunately, you only have to check your GMB page to see this.

Do you need help setting up and optimizing your GMB page and creating the links to help improve your search ranking? Email me at [email protected] today with your telephone number, and let’s start a conversation on how I can help you.

Make the telephone ring now. Email me today.