Google Biz Page Gets an Upgrade to Business Profile

 

KEEP YOUR GBP UPDATED

Like your website, if you want your GBP to work for you, you need to optimize it and update it with current information. The best way to do this is to add your blogs to your GBP. Post excerpts of your blogs, then include important backlinks back to your website where users can read more.

According to Ipsos Research, an up-to-date Google Business Profile:

• Is 2.7x more likely to be considered more reputable.
• Gets 7x more clicks.
• Is 70% more likely to attract location visits.
• Is 50% more likely to lead to a purchase.

For one client I’ve been writing an article and posting it to their website for eight years

I’ve also been posting these articles to their GBP. Google sends me a monthly report with performance metrics. If you want more detailed information, you can go into your dashboard and manipulate date ranges and other information to get more details.

YOU’LL SEE METRICS FOR THE NUMBER OF:

• Users who viewed your profile.
• Unique customers who requested directions to your business. 
• Clicks on the call button on your Business Profile. 
• Clicks on the website link.
• Unique conversations through messages.

I’m also interested in the stats on the blogs I post to my GBP. I get a surprising number of views and clickthroughs—sometimes more than 200 views. This is a good example of evergreen content that transcends news cycles and remains relevant.

WHEN YOU HAVE A GBP, YOU’RE PLAYING IN GOOGLE’S PLAYGROUND

GBP is a community profile—it’s not just yours. You’re joining a community. Virtually anyone online can contribute to your Google Business Profile. Google encourages user-generated content, like reviews, Q&As, updates, photos, videos, etc.

• Keeping your hours current. Obvious, right? What about holiday hours—especially the ones that sneak up on you—MLK Day, Cesar Chavez, or the new Juneteenth on the 19^th of June this year. 
• What is your Covid policy this week? After two long years, it’s still a moving target. 
• If you sell products at your store or business, add them to your GBP.
• Upload images. If you have product/sale images, upload and keep these fresh. Businesses with photos get 42% more requests for directions. 
• If you’re a service company and don’t have pictures of your products, think about photos of your team. This humanizes you and makes you accessible. 

WHY USE GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILES FOR LOCAL SEO?

It’s a bit of a paradox. We’re learned to do just about everything virtually, yet we love to support our local businesses. If we’re searching for a service provider, we invariably choose the one that’s closest.

Expect to see more robust GBP enhancements in the coming months. If you don’t have a GBP, create one. If you have one, keep it updated! If this is just way too confusing, call me and I’ll help you! Using Google business applications takes stamina. Navigating among Google apps can be frightening.