The Power of Google Business Profile

Speaker 1: 0:00

I was picking up lunch the other day at the local pizzeria here in Providence Forge, virginia, where I just moved, and I was talking with the woman at the counter when I was checking out, who happened to be the owner, and she instructed me to pick up their menu and say, hey, everything in our menu that we offer is here in that menu. I was like, oh, thank you so much, but actually we found your menu on Google, your Google business profile, actually I think I said Google Maps, and she, she, she, like she just had this horrific look on her face. She says, oh, that's not supposed to be there. I told Google to take it down. And I'm like, oh, okay, why would you want to do that? Is it was I was thinking in my head and I'm like, oh, but it actually it had everything right. No, it has all the wrong stuff and that. And she's like starts going on this tirade and I'm like, oh my God, why is this woman like hate Google? I don't understand. And so I tried a couple, for a couple minutes actually, to convince her that, like Google is not the evil beast that you think she was talking about, I sent them a certified letter and they have to take it down. If they don't take it down, you know how much money I'm going to get? I'm like, oh my God, woman, this is crazy. I tried to even tell like her her employee, and she kind of dismissed her employee and I'm just like, okay, I'm going to take my calzone now and just leave. I was like, oh my gosh. But that like led me to think, like how many people don't realize the power of their Google business profile? And so today, that's what we're going to talk about.

Speaker 1: 1:38

Welcome to the buzz with the marketing show. In the heart of Midwest City, there was a hidden gem of a car mechanic who was a whiz at fixing any vehicle that was brought to a shot. Despite rave reviews, the mechanic struggled to attract new clients and food traffic was very weak. The owner, puzzled and concerned, decided to investigate. To a surprise, he found that his shop's Google business profile, outdated, filled with unanswered questions, and lacked the vibrant photos that captured the brilliance of his know how competitors more attentive to their Google profile outshined him in search results, drawing away the very clientele he hoped to attract. This tale serves as a stark reminder, that of the digital age we live in, where all online presence is not just an option, but a necessity. Today, I'm going to dive in to how mastering your Google business profile can turn the tides drawing clients in and ensuring your business doesn't become just another forgotten story. And with that, I welcome you to another exciting episode of the Buzzworthy Marketing Show.

Speaker 1: 3:04

Today, we're zeroing in on a tool that's critical for any business looking to shine online the Google Business Profile, or GVP for short. See, in the digital age, your online footprint is more than just a marker. It's your storefront, your billboard and your direct line to potential clients. And at the heart of this digital presence, the Google Business Profile, which stands as a cornerstone influencing how businesses are discovered, interacted with and perceived online. But optimizing your Google Business Profile isn't just good practice. It's a crucial step in ensuring your business stays competitive and visible in today's digital first world. With over five billion searches happening on Google every day, a significant portion of these searches are for local businesses and services. This highlights the immense potential GVP holds on connecting you with potential clients who are actively seeking what you offer. According to Puebler, 93% of consumers use Google Maps when searching for a business. This underscores the importance of a well-optimized GVP, as it ensures your business not only appears in these searches, but stands out through detailed information, positive reviews and accurate location data. Furthermore, businesses that actively manage their GVP are considered 2.7 times more trustworthy by consumers. This can significantly impact their decision to engage with your service. In essence, neglecting your Google Business Profile in this era, where a vast majority of consumers rely on Google to guide their purchase decisions, means missing out on a substantial opportunity to attract and retain clients.

Speaker 1: 4:56

By optimizing your GVP, you're not just improving your online visibility. You're taking a strategic step towards enhancing your business's credibility, accessibility and, ultimately, its success in the digital marketplace. But as powerful as GVP is, navigating its waters can be tricky. That's why we're diving deep today, uncovering the top three strengths that make GVP an indispensable asset for boosting your online visibility and client engagement. However, it's not all smooth sailing. We'll also be shedding light on three pitfalls and weaknesses of GVP that you should be aware of.

Speaker 1: 5:38

I want to make sure that you are equipped to leverage this tool as it's at its fullest potential, without falling into common traps. So let's dive in. I want to first start with the top three benefits and strengths of GVP and why you should definitely be taking advantage of this free and powerful tool. Let's start with the obvious visibility and local SEO. The absolute first step is to make sure you have claimed your Google Business Profile. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you most likely haven't done it. To get started is pretty simple Just search for your business in Google Maps and click on your business's listing. You should see a hyperlink somewhere down on the right side that says claim this business. From there, you will have to verify that you own the business. Google gives you a few ways to do so through phone, email and video. Now pick whichever is easiest for you. It really doesn't matter.

Speaker 1: 6:38

Now that you own your profile, you can start optimizing it. Let's imagine you run a boutique legal practice specializing in intellectual property. To harness GVP for enhanced visibility, you must ensure your profile is meticulously filled out with all the relevant services and descriptions peppered with the keywords like intellectual property law and patent attorney. You also will have an option to select what types of services you provide. You only get to use a select number of the options, so be sure to select the ones that you most want people to contact you about. Once you have optimized your profile, be sure to regularly update your profile with posts about recent cases while respecting confidentiality, of course or maybe articles on IP law trends and client testimonials. These posts are called Google posts and you can post as many as you want on your profile. The catch is that they only stick around for seven days, so it's important that you keep up with them, so visitors are seeing a continuous stream of content. This keeps your profile fresh, improving your SEO ranking and making your practice more visible to potential clients actively searching for specialized legal services.

Speaker 1: 7:55

Now you might be wondering what keywords to choose for your profile description. Well, the easy way is to do keyword research to identify what prospects are searching for in your area of expertise. If you aren't working with a marketing consultant, you can do a simple search for the types of services you provide into Google. At the top, past the ads, you will see a list of terms that people also search. Find these terms from that list that reflect the services you want to highlight. Keep these keyword phrases in mind and use these keywords.

Speaker 1: 8:31

When creating Google posts, the biggest thing is to remember to create content that is both informative and engaging. Be sure to regularly add new content, such as case studies or insights, to keep your profile active and relevant. If you don't have a lot of time to keep up with this, you can use tools like Diziobiz to schedule your posts out months at a time. If you're curious, that's Diziobiz. Now, all of the work you have done in optimizing your profile doesn't just give you visibility Done right, it can create visitor interaction and trust. This takes a little dedication but pays huge dividends in the long run.

Speaker 1: 9:14

To give you an example, let's consider a financial advisory firm looking to build trust through their profile. Beyond just collecting reviews, you should implement a strategy where you respond to all reviews, positive or negative, with personalized messages that show you value client feedback. Additionally, you should use the Q&A feature to answer common financial questions, showcasing your expertise. The great thing about Q&A is that you can actually create the questions yourself and post the answers. This will create something that looks like an FAQ page on a website, and that's where I usually start with my clients, and Diziobiz has a tool that makes this very simple. The last thing I would tell this financial advisor is to create a monthly financial tip post offering valuable advice and inviting readers to discuss their financial goals directly through GVP messaging. Yeah, you can actually message through your Google Business Profile. I personally like it much better than Facebook Messenger, where there is a lot of noise. If someone is messaging you through your GVP, they are seriously considering doing business with you. So to maximize trust billing through your GVP, you are going to want to set up alerts for new reviews and questions on your profile to ensure timely responses. Then plan a content calendar for regular posts on tips, insights or industry-specific, time-sensitive reminders and content that encourages engagement. Remember to use the direct messaging feature to offer quick, personalized advice, building deeper initiative interaction, and the easiest way to get all of this done is to use tools like Diziobiz.

Speaker 1: 10:56

The third best feature of your Google Business Profile is its analytics. There is a lot of information you can leverage from GVP analytics to refine your marketing. Let's imagine you're an IT consulting firm. The first step is to dive into the analytics to understand how clients are finding your profile, be it through a keyword search or direct searches. Maybe you discover that the significant portion of your traffic comes from searches related to cybersecurity for small businesses. Use this insight to tailor your Google posts, your services and even organize free webinars on cybersecurity's best practices, and do that directly. Addressing this identified need Now Google Business Profile analytics is a pretty powerful tool. I think it's crucial to understand that this feature acts as a compass for your business, guiding your online presence and marketing strategies with invaluable insights.

Speaker 1: 11:55

There are six, yes, count them six main insights I want to highlight here. The first is detailed insights into client behavior. Your profile analytics provides a window into how potential clients interact with your business online. It tracks how users find your listing, whether through direct searches, which means they type your business's name or address into Google, or discovery searches, where they search a category, product or service you might offer. This distinction helps you understand your brand's visibility and the effectiveness of your SEO strategies. The second insight is engagement metrics. This data details actions taken by visitors, such as website clicks, direction requests and phone calls made directly from your listing. This data is instrumental in assessing which aspects of your listing drive the most interaction and what time of day or days of the week see peak engagement For service-based businesses. Knowing when potential clients are most likely to reach out to seek information can help structure your response strategies or maybe even confirm a need for an AI chatbot to interact with your website visitors during hours you're not online.

Speaker 1: 13:13

The third significant analytics tool is client insights. Gpp analytics can shed light on who your clients are, with demographic insights like age, gender and location. This information can be a goldmine for tailing your marketing efforts, enabling you to create targeted campaigns that resonate with your core audience. For instance, if a significant portion of your audience is local, focusing on community-based marketing initiatives or local SEO can yield better results. The fourth analytics feature is query data, and this one is of the most actionable features in GPP analytics. It literally shows you the keywords and phrases people use to find your business. This insight allows you to refine your GPP content, ensuring it aligns with the search behavior of your target audience For professional, service-based businesses, understanding the specific services or expertise potential clients are searching for can guide content creation, from blog posts on your website to updates and posts directly on your Google Business profile. The fifth feature is performance over time. Gpp enables you to track performance over any period of time, offering comparisons to previous periods. This linear view helps identify trends, maybe seasonal variations in visitor interest and the impact of specific marketing activities or updates to your GPP. By analyzing these trends, you can make informed decisions about when to launch new services, run promotions or adjust your marketing focus.

Speaker 1: 14:57

The sixth and final feature I will mention is the actionable feedback loop. Reviews and ratings are part of analytics dashboard, providing direct client feedback. High ratings and positive reviews enhance your business reputation, while negative feedback offers a chance to improve and respond to client concerns. This feedback loop is crucial for maintaining a positive online presence and fostering trust with potential clients. In essence, the analytics provided by your Google Business profile are not just numbers. They are a narrative of your business's online journey. They offer a roadmap enhancing your online presence, engaging more effectively with your target audience and, ultimately, driving growth. By leveraging these insights, you can make data-driven decisions to optimize your online strategy and connect more meaningfully with your visitors.

Speaker 1: 15:53

So, now that you have all the good news, it's time for some not-so-great news. Yep, google has weaknesses and I know you're surprised, and I'm sure there are a dozen I could get and cover, but I'm only going to focus on what I think are the three biggest ones you should be aware of. Weakness number one is that you must constantly monitor and manage your profile. The dynamic nature of GVP necessitates regular attention to ensure your information remains accurate and engaging. This includes updating business hours during the holidays, services offered and responding properly to client reviews and questions. For small businesses and sole renewers, this can be particularly taxing, as your time is precious, unlike large corporations with dedicated marketing teams. You, and maybe your limited staff, may find yourself stretched then, juggling day-to-day ops with the demands of maintaining an active online presence. The challenge here lies not just in the initial setup, but in the ongoing commitment to engage with the platform. This requires constant. Let me say that again. This requires consistent allocation of time and resources. That might be in short supply, but I will tell you, in the long run it is worth it. So be sure to utilize tools like diziobiz to shortcut the process and centralize your efforts.

Speaker 1: 17:18

Now for weakness number two the risk of spam and fake reviews See the strength of GVP's openness and accessibility opens the doors to potential misuse through spam and fake reviews. These can range from fraudulent negative reviews aimed at harming a business's reputation to fake positive reviews intended to artificially boost a business's profile. The impact of these actions can be significant, undermining consumer trust and potentially skewing the perception of the quality and reliability of the business. Navigating this challenge requires vigilance in monitoring reviews and understanding of Google's process for disputing and removing illegitimate content. However, the process for addressing these issues can sometimes be slow and frustrating, leaving you feeling powerless, but I'm here to tell you that your online reputation is one of the most important assets you have, so you must pay attention to it and defend yourself at every opportunity. This leads me to weakness number three your limited control over information.

Speaker 1: 18:25

While GVP allows you to present a wealth of information to potential clients, there are limitations to the control you have over what is displayed. User-generated content, such as photos or questions, can contribute to your profile in ways that may not always align with your branding. Additionally, google's algorithms and automated systems can make changes to your business information based on what they deem more accurate, sometimes resulting in incorrect information being displayed. This could include changes to your business hours, locations or even service offerings, which is all based on user feedback or algorithmic updates. The challenge for you lies in staying on top of these changes, correcting inaccuracies quickly and navigating Google's support system to maintain the integrity of your profile information.

Speaker 1: 19:17

Each of these weaknesses underscores the importance of a proactive and informed approach to managing your Google business profile. By understanding these potential pitfalls, you can better strategize on how to allocate resources, protect your online reputation and ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of your online presence. So, as we wrap up today's episode, it's clear that while GBP offers powerful tools for enhancing visibility, fostering prospects, trust and providing invaluable insights, it also presents challenges that require diligent management and strategic navigation as you look to optimize your profile. Weigh these strengths against the potential pitfalls. An informed approach focused on leveraging the platform's benefits while mitigating its weaknesses can transform GBP from a mere listing into a cornerstone of your digital marketing strategy.

Speaker 1: 20:12

And be sure to check out diziobiz, my company's GBP optimization tool. I shamelessly plugged a few times today. Dizio is designed to save you time, energy and frustration by streaming the management process and allowing you to focus on what you do best running your business. With diziobiz, optimizing your profile becomes a breeze, ensuring you can fully harness the power of this platform without the usual headaches. That's D-I-Z-Y-Obiz. I also encourage you to subscribe to the Buzzworthy Marketing Show for more insights that can guide your marketing journey and for those seeking more information or personalized marketing support. Remember you're not alone. Visit my website at buzzworthybiz. Connect with us and let's explore how we can elevate your marketing strategy together. And, as always, your feedback and suggestions are invaluable as we continue to bring you content that matters to you most and your business. So please be sure to leave a comment if you're watching on YouTube. Thank you so much for tuning in to the Buzzworthy Marketing Show. Until next time, stay buzzworthy.