Imagine if there was a free service that promoted your business. Take it a step further. This service could boost your sales, improve customer service and increase your profits: claims backed by irrefutable evidence.

You can reap all these benefits right now, so if you don’t already have a Google My Business profile, you need one. It will improve your Redlands local SEO, for starters.

Read on for the lowdown about Google My Business and how it plays into local SEO management.

What Is a Google My Business Listing?

It’s a free profile for your business on Google, the world’s most popular search engine.

You’re in control of your Google My Business (GMB) profile. You can customise it with your own photos, contact details, opening times, web links and description.

Your GMB profile will give you maximum visibility across all of Google’s platforms, from search results to Google Maps. By taking advantage of extra features such as GMB posts, you’ll boost the chances of your business ranking high in Redlands’ local SEO results.

Why Is Google My Business So Important?

First impressions matter, and a GMB listing sets your business’s tone for those searching for your type of service or product.

Potential customers will see a quick summary of all your business’s essential information on the right-hand side of the interface. Because of GMB’s integration with Google Maps, they’ll also see at a glance where you are in relation to them.

Customers will have the option to engage with you by sending direct messages. They’ll find reviews under your GMB profile that can instantly generate confidence in your credibility.

Customers like seeing all the essential information about a business in one place. A GMB profile does precisely that, saving users valuable time. It avoids the need to search multiple sites to piece together what and who you are.

What Are the Extra Benefits of a Well-Optimised GMB Profile?

The quality and accuracy of the information on your GMB profile is vital, and so is honing in on what your customers want. Getting this right is good Redlands local SEO management practice. Any improvement in your ranking will depend on the following:

  • How relevant you are to what potential customers are looking for
  • How close you are to the person doing the search
  • How popular you are, e.g. based on positive reviews and the quality of your info’

A better ranking raises your visibility and boosts your click-through rate (CTR). The more attractive your GMB profile, the more potential customers you’ll entice.

There’s a trust issue connected to the accuracy of information, too. For example, customers want access to:

  • Correct opening hours
  • Phone numbers that work
  • Photos that look professional

How Is Redlands Local SEO Management Relevant to GMB?

Redlands local SEO Management means playing by Google’s rules to an extent. The better your GMB profile, in Google’s opinion, the more you’ll reap the benefits of your local SEO efforts.

Relevant keywords and Google categories that best describe your business should be part of your local SEO Management plan. Keywords tend to be popular phrases used by those searching for businesses like yours.

Creating regular GMB posts for your profile can help because you’ll have the  opportunity to:

  • Give Google location-specific signals about where you operate
  • Use an appropriate number of SEO-friendly keywords in your text
  • Give your business more credibility by being active and wanting to engage

Keyword geotagging or placing the name of your target location in your keywords is also essential. Using “Redlands plumber near me” in the text of a post, for example, is likely to be more effective than “plumber near me.”

You also need to be sure you are consistent whenever you include your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number). If you’re not, you could both confuse your potential customers and create a red flag for Google.

What Analytics and Insights Will I Get From a GMB Profile?

In return for all your hard work setting up your GMB profile, you’ll have access to data that can help you better understand your customer base.

Google Business Profile Analytics will give you the numbers related to your local search performance. These could include:

  • How your consumers search for your brand
  • Whether searches are having a profitable impact on your business
  • How often your business gets discovered
  • The number of views from searches
  • The number of clicks on your site from an individual search
  • Whether users have clicked on Google Maps for directions

You can use this kind of data to help you make more informed business decisions. The information available is extensive and may require further effort to set up tracking tools, for example. This is where experts like Simply Me-dia can be invaluable.

How to Handle Common GMB Challenges

Most businesses will get less than favourable reviews from time to time. You can turn these into a positive. The best way to do this is by:

  • Always publicly acknowledging them
  • Addressing the issues raised
  • Expressing gratitude for feedback, good or bad.

Customer experiences are often subjective. We’ve become savvy at reading between the lines of any review and weighing up the legitimacy of criticism. So, whilst, as a business, you need to address poor reviews, it’s worth keeping them in perspective.

Having enough time to spend on local SEO management can also be a challenge. It may also, at times, feel like stabbing around in the dark. That’s why we would also recommend delegating your Redlands local SEO Management to experts like the team at Simply Me-dia.

Getting to Grips With Redlands Local SEO

Simply Me-dia can manage and optimise your GMB profile through its SEO Management services. We are the Redlands SEO management experts with years of experience driving better results for local businesses.

Effective Redlands local SEO management requires businesses to be on the ball. There are always new opportunities that can boost their Google rankings and generate more business.

Get in touch with one of the experienced Simply Me-dia team today and let us take care of all your Redlands local SEO needs.