Google My Company (GMB) is no longer optional – it’s an essential component of any business’s online presence and typically the first place clients look for current information about your enterprise.

You can bet they won’t look in the Yellow Pages to find your new opening hours or phone you to inquire about your safety and security procedures. All else being equal, they will Google your company’s name and search the right-hand board for the information they require. They may search somewhere else if it wasn’t there.

In a post-pandemic world where businesses are returning at an alarming pace, it’s critical that your Google My Business page be kept up to date. Otherwise, you might lose your clients.

Why is GMB so important?

Google My Business has always been crucial since it is likely the first thing your clients discover when searching for your business. There are several benefits to using GMB.

The following are a few major benefits to give you an idea of what you’ll get by optimizing your GMB account:

• A completed GMB posting may significantly improve a company’s local SEO positioning.
• It creates an immediate first impression for searchers who see your company’s basic information recorded on the right-hand side of the point of engagement.
• GMB incorporates Google Maps, making it quicker to discover your company on the world’s most widely used multifunctional guide and mobile app.
• Direct informing adaptability — clients may send messages directly to your organization’s phone or email using the GMB interface.
• Client reviews are shown beneath your GMB profile, providing social legitimacy to your business that rivals Yelp or Trustpilot.

Furthermore, the general decline of publicly sponsored audit programs like Yelp has pushed GMB higher than before. As a rule, you might notice that clients are using GMB to gather feelings and surveys of a firm rather than distinct phases, which aids in keeping your GMB active and well-organized.

Affect of Covid-19 on GMB

The events of the previous year catapulted GMB into the limelight of digital marketing. While earlier business hours were reasonably consistent and predictable, this is no longer the case given how frequently public wellness orders change. As a result, you must be able to swiftly communicate any changes in your working hours and health customs to your clients.

GMB shines in this area. Because Google is the major source of information for your clients, you should keep your GMB up to date with your most recent business hours and any other relevant information your clients may want. Fortunately, GMB allows you to put your business’s working schedule on the GMB board, making it extremely simple to communicate any booking or working changes to your audience.

Similarly, Google allows you to provide a 750-character description (one to two sentences) about your company. This section should depict how your organization has adjusted to the shifting general health situation and should include information about how you adhere to sterile measures.

How to optimize your GMB account?

Assuming that your company has been touched by the ongoing epidemic, the most important thing to remember is to adjust your working hours. Follow these simple steps to make adjustments to your GMB account:

• Access your Google My Business account.
• Navigate to “Data.”
• Click “Explore” to “Alter.”
• Alter your regular business hours for each day of the week.
• If you want particular hours dedicated to specific types of services (for example, takeaway only), enter them in the “More hours” box.
• When finished, click “Apply.”

Whenever you need to update your company hours, make sure your GMB profile reflects the time changes. As a result, you’ll have a reference to point to if a client complains that you’re not open as often as you used to be. When you modify your hours, your clients will be notified via orange text that appears on your GMB board.

Meanwhile, update your company’s image by including a phrase or two about how you’ve done all it takes to combat the spread of the Covid. Make your intentions clear. Take note of the fact that this suggests you only accept contactless payments. If you’ve recently increased your cleaning regimen, take note of it as well. GMB is an excellent way to create trust with your customers and alleviate fears, so don’t pass up this opportunity.

Then, update your company’s photos on a regular basis. If you’ve made adjustments to your business’s interior as a result of the pandemic or for another reason, have your images reflect these changes and remove the previous ones. Remember, for example, an image of the social separation markers for your store floor, if you have any.

Make sure your company is properly organized for better local positioning. Explore the “Primary Category” box in your GMB control panel and pick the classification that best represents your firm (for example, “nail salon” or “easygoing dining restaurant”), and add an optional classification if required.

GMB for better business

According to a new Google survey, as much as 60% of mobile phone users called companies directly through the GMB interface using the “click to call” option. GMB is clearly not a fleeting fad, since the majority of customers use it as their primary method of communication with local businesses.

In the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak, it is more than ever to use and enhance GMB to present precise, updated data about your business. Consider your GMB board to be your client’s key resource. If your company hours or portrayal is out of the current, you risk losing a client’s confidence and foregoing the lifetime value of the partnership.

Conclusion

So, next time, you wish to create your Google My Business (GMB), please feel free to get in touch with us anytime. Our team can help you to accelerate your business growth by outsourcing all your IT requirements to us.