Monday, 13 May 2019 10:43

How Google My Business Impacts Denver Search Engine Advertising

You can’t talk about search engine optimization (SEO) without diving into local elements of SEO, as well. It’s an integral part of any search engine marketing (SEM) strategy and if you skip past local SEO, you can almost guarantee no one will find your business organically. This is where Google My Business can come into play; this Google tool is imperative for local search queries and larger-scale Denver search engine advertising strategies alike.

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business (GMB) is a free and easy tool for businesses to manage their online presence across the Google search engine. If you’re not familiar with Google My Business, here’s an example. Google a business you are familiar with, like FiG Advertising + Marketing, the snippet of information that appears on the upper right hand side of the results page listing business details and information is pulled directly from GMB. This makes it easier for users to find relevant information and for businesses to communicate changes to their customers. It’s a tool aimed at improving the consumer experience by streamlining information and increasing transparency of businesses. GMB listings will also show up in the “Local Pack.”

An example image of the GMB information displayed for searches

Why is GMB Important for Denver Search Engine Advertising?

GMB is crucial for your search engine advertising in Denver for two reasons:

  1. Local SEO - Any organic search results that your business appears in is basically free advertising on search engines. Customers are inclined to look at GMB listings favorably because they are seen as trustworthy sources of information, not intrusive advertising. So, your GMB listing is a free and effective way to build brand awareness and facilitate trust as a part of your overall Denver search engine advertising efforts.

  2. Google Ads Compatibility - Thanks to a previous feature update, any business can now connect their GMB listing with their Google Ads account. When you link up these two features, your advertisements are directly integrated into maps.Not only does this integration make your Google Ads more accessible for your potential customers, but the GMB integration builds credibility and trust for your business.

These two characteristics of Google My Business ensure that it is an essential part of any Denver search engine advertising strategy. However, just because you have a listing doesn’t mean your work is done. Consumers will prefer a verified GMB listing with all the information right there over listings with minimal business details.

How Can I Improve My Denver Search Engine Advertising Through GMB?

Identifying ranking factors and the weight they carry is a challenge search engine advertisers face every day, however Google My Business has carried a lot of weight since its inception and can make or break a Denver search engine advertising strategy. Since GMB is such a huge ranking factor, it’s important to optimize your listing and stay active on it. We recommend you take the time to update your GMB listing with all the relevant information that you have.

Not only will these efforts improve your brand image when using Google Ads, but it will also pave the way to improve your local SEO rankings. Strategic optimization of your Google My Business listing will have your business appearing in the sidebar of relevant queries - even above your competition, basically providing free search engine advertising in Denver for your business.

To ensure your GMB is optimally improved, make sure you hit the following items:

Categories + Description

The categories of your listing affects the features of your listing and the visibility of it as well. Specific categories (e.g., online retail, massage therapist, etc.) will have different features or buttons to improve the customer experience (e.g., store button on listing, appointment booking option, etc.). Take a minute to research your competitors and see what kinds of categories they have listed. Then match your categories with theirs.

We recommend you take the time to write a thorough description for your business, including the keywords and phrases that you want to rank your business for. This section has a limit of 750 words, so make sure to leverage Denver search engine advertising best practices here since it will impact your rankings.

It is not widely available yet, but GMB now has an option to create a custom short url for your business. This is a great way to establish trust right from the beginning because a concise, branded URL appears safer than a series of numbers and adds a personal touch to your business. Explore it if you have the option!

Q&A Feature

Have you ever Googled a question looking for a specific answer? It’s a common consumer behavior, especially with the rise of voice searching capabilities, and Google has picked up on that. Now, there is a Q&A feature on all GMB listings where questions can be posed about the business and answers are provided, usually by the listing owner.

An example of the Q&A feature on Google My Business.

Many users rely on these questions and answers for business insight and product information, which informs their purchasing behavior. If you already have an FAQ on your website, we recommend you mirror those commonly asked questions and answers in this section of your listing to improve the customer experience and optimize your Denver search engine advertising strategy across all facets. Stay on top of this section, as users can post any questions there and it can be a valuable source for lead generation.

Posts

GMB has implemented a relatively new feature where GMB owners can publish events, products, services, or even customer reviews directly to Google Search and Maps. This way, customers see timely content from your business when they run across your listing. This is a smart tool to use when you have time-specific content to promote, especially because the posts only stick around for 7 days, so there’s no need to worry about clutter.

Your posts are another form of organic search engine advertising that can benefit your business. The posts demonstrate to potential leads that your business is active, engaged, and trustworthy in the community. Try out a few posts and see what kind of interactions you receive.

Better Denver Search Engine Advertising Through Strategic Optimizations

These incremental improvements and optimizations on your GMB listing may seem insignificant or like a waste of time, but we’ve seen them have huge positive impacts when implemented in conjunction with a well-rounded Denver search engine advertising strategy. SEO can take some time to show effects, so don’t get frustrated if ranking improvements aren’t immediate.

We recommend you continually maintain your listing and check in on it every now and then. Make it a habit to check in every few weeks or so.


 

Anyone can claim a GMB listing, but leveraging the listing and managing it can be tricky and difficult to stay on top of. FiG Advertising + Marketing understands the ins-and-outs of Google My Business and we know the best ways to improve your Denver search engine advertising and any search engine marketing efforts.

Contact FiG today to learn more about our search engine advertising efforts have transformed local businesses into industry leaders.