Google My Business

[Mark T Jones]

OK - I'm clueless - which should save some time.

I have a Google Business Page. I do F-all with it.

Apparently some people go there. To the best of my knowledge it's never generated an enquiry (hardly surprising!)

Is this a wasted opportunity?

Any ideas whether/what I might do with it?

 

[fantheflames]

Definitely not wasted methinks!

I think a Google business profile is worth it. A GBP can help your business appear in local search results. For most businesses that's a process. Rankings are based on relevance, distance, and prominence. It's especially good for physical locations. If your profile is relevant than your business can be shown to users further away too which is great.

I find that Google reviews and messages are a good thing to focus on and how you reply to them so users can learn more about your business. Even though anyone can write a review, users generally trust reviews. I'd audit your GBP against your competitors and go from there.

 

[Shopclicks]

There's certainly a lot more you could do with your profile. But who are you targeting? Is it shops, hotels, restaurants, etc. directly? Or fit out suppliers you can partner with?

 

[fisicx]

It adds trust. People search for you and see your profile in the results. They also see the reviews people have written.

You can add all the services you provide as 'products'. You can post about things you have funded in the posts and link them to the full monty on your sites.

 

[ACM Design Company]

I run my business without premises on a freelance basis, but I have my 'pin' over my house. I've had a lot of interest through my Google Business Page. I also think it's a confidence thing. I've had more than one person say that although I may not have an office/shop, the fact that I'm on Google and they 'know' where I am gives them peace of mind!

 

[Mark T Jones]

There's certainly a lot more you could do with your profile. But who are you targeting? Is it shops, hotels, restaurants, etc. directly? Or fit out suppliers you can partner with?

It's a fair question - and I don't know the answer:

Long version:

The foundation of the business is very much about me connecting, chatting and generally being pally with introducers, advisors, specifiers etc to my target sectors.

It produces a reasonable flow of business (currently a bit 'stodgy') with 80% conversion rate.

Website leads are nearly all end-user. Poor quality - 3% conversion rate BUT as of next months, 2 of my 5 biggest customers will have come from the website (again, end-user contact). The site itself gets no investment or marketing spend.

I'm assuming that Google would be more aligned with the website?


TLR

Possibly online should focus on end-users?

 

[Fagin2021]

Interesting! I did a Google search on 'Fit Out Finance' (on my desktop) and your Business Profile popped up on the right half of my screen. I'm in West Wales and you're in High Wycombe so your profile has a long reach. (Caveat. My IP address might be closer to you geographically).

Whether, or how many people search on that term I don't know, but if they do, you dominate the page - at least in this one simple test.

Not making use of your business profile is a wasted opportunity - especially as it can be enhanced quickly and cheaply. There's one photo' of the office building, no reviews, no business hours, no Q&A. In short the profile makes you look like a new kid on the block - not a seasoned professional. You have to click through to the web site to get a proper understanding.

Just my tuppence worth.

 

[Shopclicks]

Whether, or how many people search on that term I don't know, but if they do, you dominate the page - at least in this one simple test.

Google says 'fit out finance' gets an average 70 searches a month (but that is an estimate). The Profile comes up for that search term too. I'm in Cumbria.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Google says 'fit out finance' gets an average 70 searches a month (but that is an estimate). The Profile comes up for that search term too. I'm in Cumbria.

I do know that in SEO terms it's a low number - but in reality if I'm seeking low but quality rather than a cascade of enquiries.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Interesting! I did a Google search on 'Fit Out Finance' (on my desktop) and your Business Profile popped up on the right half of my screen. I'm in West Wales and you're in High Wycombe so your profile has a long reach. (Caveat. My IP address might be closer to you geographically).

Whether, or how many people search on that term I don't know, but if they do, you dominate the page - at least in this one simple test.

Not making use of your business profile is a wasted opportunity - especially as it can be enhanced quickly and cheaply. There's one photo' of the office building, no reviews, no business hours, no Q&A. In short the profile makes you look like a new kid on the block - not a seasoned professional. You have to click through to the web site to get a proper understanding.

Just my tuppence worth.

Valid points!

Geography isn't really important - I'm actually in Hampshire, but have customers in Edinburgh and Berwick-on-Tweed.

Reviews are a bit of an issue, since customers generally don't shout about us (a bit like the clap-clinic!). I know for certain that most reviews in our sector are fake.

 

[fisicx]

But completing and keeping your GBP updated with reviews will help with conversions.

 

[Mark T Jones]

But completing and keeping your GBP updated with reviews will help with conversions.

Agree - It's very much on the agenda.

I may come back like a newbie!

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Looks like your website is Wordpress.

Add a plugin that automatically posts your news, case studies etc on GMB - it loves content!

<<<Waiting to be told that Google hates duplicate content...>>>>>

 

[Shopclicks]

Add a plugin that automatically posts your news, case studies etc on GMB - it loves content!

<<<Waiting to be told that Google hates duplicate content...>>>>>

A post summary (photo and extract) with a link to the relevant post on the website is better than duplicating and gets the user where you want them to be.

 

[Shopclicks]

@Mark T Jones If you're logged into your Google account and you're on a search page which shows your Business Profile, you can edit any part of the profile directly from that page. So everything @Fagin2021 mentioned plus posts and services can be added very easily.

Anybody can leave a review, so you might ask some of those companies you've worked with. Just make sure they leave a 5 star review with something along the lines of "We use Mark for all of our customers finance requirements, very professional service and our customers always praise Mark's commitment, etc."

You could also consider creating a lead generating landing page instead of your profile link to the homepage.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Thanks all. I'll be back!

 

[TomasTovey]

OK - I'm clueless - which should save some time.

I have a Google Business Page. I do F-all with it.

Apparently some people go there. To the best of my knowledge it's never generated an enquiry (hardly surprising!)

Is this a wasted opportunity?

Any ideas whether/what I might do with it?

Hey Mark,


Your Google Business Page is a valuable asset that's currently underutilized. Here are a few steps to make the most out of it:

1. Complete Your Profile: Ensure all your business details are accurate and complete. This includes your address, phone number, business hours, and a detailed description of your services.
2. Add High-Quality Photos: Upload images of your products, services, and workplace. Visual content attracts more views and engagements.
3. Collect Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. Respond to all reviews to show you value customer feedback.
4. Regular Posts: Use the post feature to share updates, special offers, or news about your business. This keeps your profile active and engaging.
5. FAQs: Add a section for frequently asked questions to address common inquiries directly on your page.

These steps can help improve your visibility and attract more inquiries our GMB profile generates 30k-40k views and 50+ enquiries a month! It’s also really easy to keep updates (Minimal Work)

 

[fisicx]

If I were getting 40k views and only 50 enquiries I’d be wondering what went wrong.

 

[TomasTovey]

If I were getting 40k views and only 50 enquiries I’d be wondering what went wrong

Think that statements assumes the strength of my enquiry surely?

My enquiries, due to our high sign up rate, are strong and require the user to fill in extensive questionnaire.

Of these enquiries were just names and emails then yes I’d agree, those numbers would be terrible but we close 70-80% of these enquires and over January we change this from a enquiry which gets booked in for a call to a direct link to a payment capture funnel