There is one simple, highly effective and, most importantly, free digital marketing hack that can instantly accelerate your sales and business growth: a Google business listing.
This is according to digital marketing expert Shiko Mamotheti, director of Nerdware, who notes that her number one tip for businesses in 2023 is to create and optimise their Google business profile.
Google is the world's most-visited website and currently holds more than 92% of the search engine market share. This makes it the first place that most people start visit when they begin looking for a product or service in their area, she says.
“So, creating a Google business profile and increasing your visibility on the platform – both in search results and on Google Maps – represents a crucial way to attract new customers to your business.”
A business listing on Google is like a mini-website for your company—it includes information like your address, phone number, hours of operation, and reviews. It also includes links to other parts of your website or online presence (like Google Maps). This makes it a crucial marketing tool, because when potential customers search for you by name or location, they will see this listing as one of the top results.
“Google business listings are free and easy to set up, enabling your company to be found by people who may not have otherwise landed on your website. Your business listing should include contact information, a description of what your business does, photos, hours of operation, and other details that potential customers will want to know before they actually visit your establishment,” explains Mamotheti.
But what if this information isn’t up to date or your listing doesn’t use the correct keywords? Or what if there are typos in the address or phone number? All of these things can make it more difficult for potential customers to find you on Google, and potentially cost you sales.
“Unfortunately, when it comes to visibility on Google, most businesses focus on optimising their website and Google Ads. What most don’t realise, however, is that their Google business listing also requires optimisation,” she notes.
“If you don't have an optimised Google business listing complete with appropriate keywords, you could be missing out on potential customers who aren't specifically searching for your company name, but rather a broader term that describes your product.
“That’s why we recommend using Nerdware to help optimise your Google business listing. We know how to get the best results from all three parts of our process: website optimisation (including SEO), ad optimisation (including PPC), and business listings optimisation.”
Two tips to optimise your Google business listing
“Google business listings are not just another way to advertise—they're an opportunity for customers to learn more about your company before they ever even click on your ad. If you optimise your listing, you can make sure that people receive all the information they need about your business to make an informed decision about whether to buy from you,” states Mamotheti.
If you haven’t already optimised your Google business listing, here's two expert tips from Mamotheti to polish your online presence:
This is according to digital marketing expert Shiko Mamotheti, director of Nerdware, who notes that her number one tip for businesses in 2023 is to create and optimise their Google business profile.
Google is the world's most-visited website and currently holds more than 92% of the search engine market share. This makes it the first place that most people start visit when they begin looking for a product or service in their area, she says.
“So, creating a Google business profile and increasing your visibility on the platform – both in search results and on Google Maps – represents a crucial way to attract new customers to your business.”
A business listing on Google is like a mini-website for your company—it includes information like your address, phone number, hours of operation, and reviews. It also includes links to other parts of your website or online presence (like Google Maps). This makes it a crucial marketing tool, because when potential customers search for you by name or location, they will see this listing as one of the top results.
“Google business listings are free and easy to set up, enabling your company to be found by people who may not have otherwise landed on your website. Your business listing should include contact information, a description of what your business does, photos, hours of operation, and other details that potential customers will want to know before they actually visit your establishment,” explains Mamotheti.
But what if this information isn’t up to date or your listing doesn’t use the correct keywords? Or what if there are typos in the address or phone number? All of these things can make it more difficult for potential customers to find you on Google, and potentially cost you sales.
“Unfortunately, when it comes to visibility on Google, most businesses focus on optimising their website and Google Ads. What most don’t realise, however, is that their Google business listing also requires optimisation,” she notes.
“If you don't have an optimised Google business listing complete with appropriate keywords, you could be missing out on potential customers who aren't specifically searching for your company name, but rather a broader term that describes your product.
“That’s why we recommend using Nerdware to help optimise your Google business listing. We know how to get the best results from all three parts of our process: website optimisation (including SEO), ad optimisation (including PPC), and business listings optimisation.”
Two tips to optimise your Google business listing
“Google business listings are not just another way to advertise—they're an opportunity for customers to learn more about your company before they ever even click on your ad. If you optimise your listing, you can make sure that people receive all the information they need about your business to make an informed decision about whether to buy from you,” states Mamotheti.
If you haven’t already optimised your Google business listing, here's two expert tips from Mamotheti to polish your online presence:
- Update your information: Make sure that all of the information on your website is accurate and up to date. This includes things like your hours of operation, phone numbers, email addresses and any other contact information that could be useful should someone decide to visit your store or place an order with your company.
- Incorporate the right keywords: Use keywords in your profile description that are relevant to the kind of products or services that you offer (for example: 'used car dealership' vs 'car dealership'). For an extra boost in local search results, you can also incorporate relevant keywords in your responses to reviews, or answers to any questions. This will also help people to find exactly what they’re looking for when searching for businesses such as yours.
“Google makes it easy for you to manage your listings, so there's no reason not to get started. But if you’re at all uncertain or don’t have the time to optimise your business listing, consult digital marketing experts for professional assistance.”