The new year often brings a sense of renewal and motivation to tackle those tasks and goals that may have fallen by the wayside. For small business owners, 2024 is the perfect time to optimize your Google My Business profile and boost your search ranking.
After the slower holiday months, you likely have more availability to devote to marketing initiatives that drive new leads and customers. As we know, your Google My Business profile acts as the digital storefront for your local business. It has a powerful impact on your visibility in local search results and maps. In fact, according to data from BrightLocal, 60% of customers use search engines to find local businesses and over half go with the first option in results. Clearly, being on the first page of Google search and maps for your relevant keywords is critical.
The good news is there are several steps you can take right now to improve your Google My Business optimization for 2024:
Completely Fill Out Your Profile
Start by ensuring every section of your profile is fully completed with accurate information and good-quality photos. Moz data indicates profiles with complete data get 3x more views than those without. Provide thorough details on products/services, business hours, location info, attributes, and more.
Optimize Photos
Well-lit, high-resolution photos showing your business, products, staff, and interior attract more clicks and views from searchers. Spend time capturing engaging photos to build out your profile gallery. Remember to include your logo and cover photo. Data shows profiles with photos perform 42% better.
Write Descriptive Posts
The posts section of your profile allows you to share news, offers, events, and helpful tips to engage customers. Utilize this space to showcase your expertise and personality. According to Social4Retail, businesses that post 2-5 times per month see the highest engagement.
Monitor and Respond to Reviews
Customer reviews are incredibly influential in local search, with 97% of consumers reading them. Be diligent about monitoring and politely responding to any reviews you receive. This shows customers you value their feedback. Stellar 5-star ratings will further boost your ranking.
Create and Verify Your Listings
Consistency is key for local SEO. Make sure your NAP (name, address, phone number) details are correct and consistent across key directories like Yelp, Yahoo Local, Apple Maps, and others. Moz finds businesses with inconsistent listings get 50% fewer clicks.
Optimize for Voice Search
An increasing number of customers are using voice search, so ensure your GMB profile is optimized for voice queries. Use natural language and keywords when writing descriptions. Answer their questions clearly and directly.
Master Local SEO Best Practices
From keywords to quality backlinks and reviews, apply proven local SEO techniques to improve your organic search visibility. Location and relevance are top-ranking factors for Google. Publish optimized location pages and blog content to establish your local expertise.
Promote Your Profile
Once optimized, promote your GMB profile on your website and social channels. Encourage customers to visit, follow, and engage with your profile. Company pages with active followers rank higher in local pack results according to SearchEngineJournal.
By taking the time to fine-tune your Google My Business profile using these tips, you can ensure your local business stays top of mind through 2024 and beyond. Your customers are searching – make sure they find your business first with a robust GMB presence. Reach out anytime if you need support getting your new year marketing strategy off the ground!
Meta Description: At the start of 2024, now is the time for small business owners to optimize their Google My Business profile. Use these tips to improve local search visibility and engage more customers.
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