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Ever since the release of Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business(GMB), many businesses have been using it as part of their digital marketing strategies. If you plan to use Google Business Profile for your newly established business, this article will discuss the benefits you can gain from using Google Business Profile. 1) GBP Lets You Promote Your Business For Free; 2) Improve Your Local SEO; 3) Provides Invaluable Customers’ Insight; 4) GBP Adds Your Business to Google Maps; 5)  Enhance Customer Engagement; 6) GBP Allows People To Leave Customer Reviews, and 7) Direct Traffic To Your Website.

Google is the world’s number one search engine for many reasons. Not only does it focus on improving the user’s experience, but Google provides marketers with some of the best marketing tools to date. Google Business Profile (GBP), previously known as Google My Business (GMB) is one of them. It is a free marketing tool that assists businesses in enhancing their web presence across Google. Given that most online experience begins on Google, it is highly recommended for every business to have a Google Business Profile account since it can help improve your SEO.

 

With a Google Business Profile (or GBP listing), not only do you have access to vital information regarding your business, but you can manage your account—similar to a social media page. In short, GBP is your best friend in improving your online presence across Google! But of course, similar to other social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter or TikTok, you need to understand how GBP works.

 

But how can GBP help increase your search engine ranking? Read on and discover the benefits of using Google Business Profile below.

 


 

Google Business Profile: How Does It Affect Your SEO?

Even though businesses can create a Google Business Profile account, only verified businesses with an excellent reputation will show up on GBP listing results, giving them more credibility.  If your business appears on GBP listing results, it can help you improve your online visibility in many ways.

 

Given that businesses can add their company details like website, business location address, phone number, and business hours, potential customers can learn more about them at a glance on their GBP listing. For an SEO consultant, it is important to match the details of GBP listing with other marketing platforms to provide consistent information. 

 

A GBP listing also has more real estate space, which gives businesses with Google Business Profile accounts an advantage to appear more on the SERP and attain more organic traffic.

 

 

OOm GBP

 

For example, this is a GBP  listing provided by OOm. Here, you can notice that the Google Business Profile displays critical information about the business, including its location, phone number, and office hours.

 

By now, every marketer knows how important SEO is in digital marketing. Essentially, SEO is one of the main driving force behind digital marketing. Without it, your marketing campaign has no foundation. If you plan to create a Google Business listing, it is important for you to  know how it affects your SEO

 

Your GBP listing lets you maintain your online presence across Google. Combine your optimised website with a GBP listing, and you already have an advantage over your competitors that lack a Google Business Profile account. Businesses that have a GBP listing appear higher in Google search results than those that do not have one. 

 

Creating a GBP listing is key to improving your search engine ranking, but how does it work? 

Here are the six features of Google Business Profile:

 

  • Customer Reviews
  • Question And Answer
  • Receive Enquiries
  • Description
  • Adding Updates
  • GBP Insight

 

READ MORE: Your Ultimate Guide To Google Business Profile

 

Now you know the features of Google Business Profile, let us dive deeper into the technicalities behind GBP and its effects on SEO.

 


 

7 Benefits Of Using Google Business Profile

 

 

7 Benefits Of Using Google Business Profile

 

1. GBP is Free

 

Google Business Profile is free. Anyone who wants to make their business get found online, even if they do not own a website, can create an account and promote their niche without paying anything.

 

If you are trying to find a more cost-efficient and long-lasting marketing plan, having a GBP listing is extremely helpful for your business. Since GBP listing is easy to use, you can edit and update information related to your products or services. 

 

GBP Lets You Promote Your Business For Free

 

2. Improve Your Local Search Engine Ranking

 

Optimising your Google Business listing will help you improve your local search engine ranking. Local SEO is essential for small businesses and startups that need to focus on reaching customers based on proximity. Creating a GBP listing is the perfect way to improve your local search engine ranking.

 

ALSO READ: Raise Brand Awareness: 5 Effective Local SEO Strategies 

Local search engine results are becoming more widespread than you think. According to Social Media Today, 46% of users seek local information and 97% of users also find local businesses online,

 

3. Provides Invaluable Customers’ Insight

 

The Google Business Profile GMB works both ways: it increases your brand visibility, and you will know more about your customers in return. It is a win-win situation!

 

Provides Invaluable Customers Insight

 

This image is a screenshot retrieved from Google Business Profile\s landing page.

 

4. GBP Adds Your Business to Google Maps

 

Most of all, you can increase your web presence on Google as long as you update your business’s information. Your brand will appear in Google Maps. Users who search for your business within proximity will discover it in Maps, complete with the location and an image.

 

In this image, for example, the user is searching for a pizza place in Singapore and Google does not only provide a list of pizza places nearby but also the directions on how to get there.

 

GBP Adds Your Business to Google Maps

 

Even though the one searching for a pizza place in Singapore is not a local but a tourist, they can easily find where it is with the help of its GBP listing. 

 

5. Enhance Customer Engagement

 

Since a Google Business listing is one of the first things that will show up on Google’s results page, there is no doubt that it will grab the attention of most users. You have a lot of opportunities to engage more often with your customers.

 

Maximise your Google Business Profile account by displaying your contact information and a link to your website. Your customers can click on your link, visit your website, and check out your social media account, which all help to boost your online ranking overall and expand your online presence.

 

Increase your customer engagement by allowing your potential customers to learn more about what you offer without exactly going to your website. For example, in this image, the user can check the accommodation availability of this hotel by clicking on the CHECK AVAILABILITY button.

 

Increase Customer Engagement

 

 

If your business is a restaurant, you can optimise your Google Business Profile account by allowing your potential customers to reserve a table directly on your GBP listing like the one below. 

 

Enhance Customer Engagement

 

6. GBP Allows People To Leave Customer Reviews

By default, Google Business Profile allows anyone to leave customer reviews. With this, any business can establish its credibility, raise brand awareness, and expand its online presence. Customer reviews on GBP listings are a great way to earn trust, so you better take advantage of it by encouraging your customer to provide feedback after a transaction.

 

Allow People To Leave Customer Reviews

 

 

Whether the reviews are positive or negative, showing them in public is an excellent way to prove your transparency. After all, complete honesty is key to building trust with your potential customers and turning them into your loyal supporters, and what better way to do so other than showing both the good and bad side of your business?

 

LEARN MORE: Customer Reviews: How To Use Them In Your Marketing Campaigns

 

7. Direct Traffic To Your Website

 

Think of your Google My Business, now Google Business Profile, as a portal to your website. Since your GMB listing is an overview of your business, you can use it to redirect your customers to your website. 

 

GBP Helps Direct Traffic To Your Website

 

Even though you would not be able to improve your customer base in an instant, you will increase your chances of gaining more potential customers in the process—which is just as good anyway.

 

DISCOVER: 10 E-Commerce SEO Best Practices To Increase Traffic In 2022 [With Free Checklist]

 


 

Conclusion

 

Google Business listing can assist a business in several ways to improve its search engine ranking. Even though it may take some time before you will make significant results, running a GBP listing is healthy for your business since it will boost your organic SEO.

If you need help managing your Google Business Profile account, OOm is always one call away. Contact our SEO agency at +65 6690 4049 if you are interested in our SEO services.

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