We decided to create an online store, hired an advertising and digital marketing agency, and… we are on!

On the web. On the web. On social networks.

Now we have to wait for you to enter our online store.

And we wait.

Enter our cousin the web designer. He’s not buying. He just wants to see if our site is optimized for mobile. 

Source: Pexels

Our aunt comes in. Several times in a short time. Someone told her that we would be more successful with several visits to the site. 

Where are our customers?

They exist and they are also on the web looking for us. They are right now in the Google search engine typing ‘gym leggings’. 

But Super Legging is without a Google My Business profile. Yet.

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business allows your business to reach the place where your customers are. 

It is another free platform from Google. 

With Google My Business, businesses can create informative profiles with:

• Location
• Business hours
• Phone and email contacts
• One-off promotions
• Photographs

This is the help that Google will give our business to increase online visibility. 

When users search for local businesses or services on Google, businesses that are registered with Google My Business will appear in the SERPs (search results), providing important information about the business and its services.

Pause for…

Why appear on Google?

Google dominates with 94% of all organic traffic on the internet. It can provide 22 resources in addition to the original word. It tops the list – without much competition – of search engines, followed by Amazon and Yahoo!

Are there more search engines? Of course, there are. You can and should use them. DuckDuckGo, for example, is recognized for prioritizing user privacy.

Source: Wikipédia

In the case of our company, Super Legging, we are not looking for privacy, but for reach. And customers. And sales. 

And so we turn to Google My Business.

What do I need to have my online store in Google My Business?

1. have a Google account: this is a must with any Google tool. 
2. You will need to provide some basic information about your business, including the business name, address, and phone number.
3. You will go through the increasingly important account verification. There are several options for doing this, such as receiving a verification code in your email or cell phone. Never skip step 3.
4. Done. You can now access and manage your Google My Business profile.

Source: Google Support

Never forget to keep all the information up to date! It will help improve your company’s visibility in Google searches. Imagine what it’s like to think your favorite restaurant is open on the May 1 holiday. You go there and… closed restaurant. Knowing that many business owners do not communicate the exceptions to the rule, Google has already launched a warning, complete with red lettering, that there is a possibility that your search results for ‘Restaurants in Braga’ will be closed on May 1st.

How to optimize your Google My Business profile in 6 steps:

1. Add complete and accurate information. Make sure that all information about your company, including company name, address, phone number, and hours of operation, is correct and up-to-date. Also include detailed information about your products and services.
2. Add high-quality photos. Photos are a great way to highlight your company’s personality and show customers what they can expect when they visit your company. A good (quality, well-constructed) photo draws the audience in. It’s a returnable investment for companies like Super Legging, which sells products.
3. Respond to customer reviews. They can significantly affect your company’s reputation. They should not be ignored or deleted. It is a communication factor. 
4. Use the right business categories. It will help ensure that your company appears in the correct search results. 
5. Add a link to your company’s website. It’s nice to have the information on the first page of Google, but the big goal is to get traffic to your site.
6. Add information about events and promotions. Share this information with Uncle Google.

Source: Pixabay

I can see that you have some resistance to creating a profile on Google My Business because of the previous point 3: (public) customer/user reviews. Reviews from your customers can provide valuable feedback for your business. You can respond to the reviews, which can help you gain the trust of customers.

Let’s not be pessimistic: there won’t always be complaints. A 5-star rating, a positive and recommended review for Google users, can make a difference for your company. Ratings and reviews influence customer decisions, increase visibility, and are useful feedback. Encourage your customers/users to leave ratings and reviews on your Google My Business page. When you receive notifications of ratings posted on your profile, don’t panic!

1. Respond to all the reviews. Positive or not. Show your customer that you listen to them. Always thank them for positive reviews, even if you have nothing to add. 
2. Maintain professional communication, never taking reviews personally. 
3. Offer solutions. Be available for more creative options. 
4. Follow up on reviews regularly. Have an entrepreneurial spirit and take a course in conflict management and crisis communication.

Take advantage of the whole Google package, combining Google My Business with the new Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Remember to always keep up to date with the changes these tools undergo: all changes are there to better promote your business. Some of these changes are responsible for a long list of categories where you can include your business – something we have already seen in this article how important it is, especially when we are talking about a local service, such as pet care, plumbing, and electrical services and even painting services.

“Home service providers can earn a Google Guarantee badge, while non-home providers can earn a Google Screened or License Verified by Google badge to display on their ads. These badges help potential customers feel confident booking your services, knowing you’re a fully licensed and vetted, Google-backed business.” – Social Media Today, march 7, 2023. 

These are so-called Local Service Ads that appear prominently for your services at the top of the SERPs, to direct phone calls, messages, and appointments to the service in question. As a company, you only pay if the user makes contact with that ad.

Source: Pixabay

Google My Business is a powerful tool for local businesses that want to increase their online visibility and reach more customers. Having a profile on Google My Business isn’t enough to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. It is necessary to optimize the profile to ensure that it is displayed in relevant searches and attracts users’ attention.