Did you know that Google dominates more than 92% of the search engine market? Creating a Google Business Profile for your Rockford business is a great way to capitalize on this trend and bring in new customers through Google Search and Maps.
Do you want to make the most of your Google Business Profile? If so, you come to the right place. Below, this listings management agency in Rockford, Illinois is going to discuss everything you’ll need to know.
What is a Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) is a free Google business listing that allows you to provide relevant and helpful information about your business, such as its contact information and product/service offerings. Creating this free profile is an excellent way to boost your visibility across Google Search, Maps, and Shopping.
It’s worth noting that this free Google service is only available to businesses with a physical location that customers can visit (such as a retail store or restaurant) and businesses that travel to customers’ locations (such as plumbers or in-home consultants). If you only do business online, you will have to count on Google services such as Google Ads and Google Analytics.
How to optimize your Google Business Profile
Google evaluates a company’s local search performance using three criteria:
- Relevance: How closely does your listing match a search query?
- Distance: How far is your service area from the searcher?
- Prominence: How credible is your business? This is determined by factors such as the quality of links, number of reviews, review score, and SEO.
Here’s what you can do to improve your overall score across all three criteria.
Complete your profile.
Customers are 2.7X more likely to trust your Rockford business if it has a complete Google Business Profile. They are also 70% more likely to visit your business. Claiming and filling out your profile completely and accurately also improves your relevance score and makes it easier for Google to match you with the right searches. If you need help claiming or completing your profile, your local listings management agency in Rockford, Illinois will be happy to help.
Verify your address.
Business addresses that have been verified are more likely to appear in local searches. Including a verified address also improves your distance ranking factor score.
Use the right keywords.
Your relevance score will improve if you use relevant keywords. Try Google Trends or Keyword Planner to find out what keywords people use to find your Rockford business. Incorporate your chosen keywords naturally into your business description. As any reputable listings management agency in Rockford, Illinois will tell you, you should avoid stuffing keywords into your profile or using irrelevant ones — doing so may hurt your local SEO performance.
Encourage reviews.
Positive reviews can be the determining factor for prospective customers, as it shows them that your Rockford business is legitimate. Positive reviews also improve your ranking in local searches. Thankfully, asking your customers for reviews is quite easy. You can simply scroll down to the ‘Share review form’ option on your Google Business Profile dashboard. Copy and paste the URL into a customer message, autoresponder, or online receipts.
Note: Getting a ton of reviews is not always enough. Your listings management agency in Rockford, Illinois will also recommend that you respond to your reviews. According to Google, businesses that respond to customer reviews are 1.7X more trusted than those that do not.
Looking for a Listings Management Agency in Rockford, Illinois?
Creating a Google Business Profile is an excellent way to increase your visibility in local searches. Are you ready to accelerate the growth of your Rockford business by setting up a Google Business Profile? If so, and if you’re looking for the best listings management agency in Rockford, Illinois, Digital Destination LLC is the company to call. Contact us today at (312) 933-6806 to schedule a free consultation.