How to Turn Your Google Business Profile into a Revenue-Generating Channel

Any local SEO company will tell you that your Google Business Profile is one of the most important tools your business has at its disposal. A well-optimized profile can drive higher traffic, generate more conversions, and generally increase your business’ credibility. Pay close attention to the following areas on your business’ profile to transform it from a simple listing into a powerful revenue-generating channel.

6 Areas to Pay Attention to On Your Google Business Profile

Categories

Every business with a Google Business Profile must be tagged with a primary category that tells both users and Google itself what the business does. You can also add secondary categories if needed. These will be taken into account for ranking purposes but will not be visible to users.

For example, a restaurant setting up their Google business profile would tag themselves as a restaurant to reflect their primary form of business. However, they might also want to tag themselves as a caterer if they regularly offer catering services. Do not add tags for products or services you do not offer, but do not hesitate to add tags that legitimately describe your business. You want consumers to be able to find you when they need something you can easily provide.

Reviews

Reviews are an extremely important part of your Google Business Profile. Not only are they a major factor in Google’s ranking algorithms, but they also play a significant role in the buyer’s journey. When your products or services are backed up by good reviews, a user is more likely to feel confident purchasing from you.

Encourage your customers to leave you reviews, and be sure to respond to any reviews you receive. This makes your page feel active and lets users know that you are listening to their feedback and are grateful for their business. This is also a great opportunity to improve your customer experience. Reach out to people who leave negative reviews and offer to make things right with them. They may even revise their review afterwards.

Products

Google Business Profiles now include a section where you can list the products you have for sale. This section is one of the most important for encouraging people to buy. For each item you list, you can include a photo, a description, and an approximate price range. These bits of data allow users to quickly research what you have to offer and decide if those offerings meet their needs. If they do, they are likely to purchase from you.

If you sell products online, be sure to activate the “Order Online” call to action button. Google allows you to add this button to each product description, and using it greatly reduces the amount of friction standing between a would-be buyer and a potential sale.

Images

Adding images to your Google Business profile can significantly increase its credibility and appeal. You should already have an image attached to every product listing you create, but you can also add pictures of your location, examples of your past work, and your company logo. Make sure all of these images are high-resolution and look good on-screen. You should also verify that each of them complies with Google’s Business Profile photo guidelines. Companies that offer local SEO services can help you curate a selection of beautiful photos that show off your business to its best advantage.

Posts

Google Business Profiles now include a posting feature similar to Facebook. Businesses can use posts to show off new products and promotions or advertise a special event. It is best to avoid posting keyword-driven content here. Instead, keep things strictly informational. You can, however, make good use of the embedded call-to-action buttons to help users make a purchase or sign up for an event after reading a post.

UTM Tags

UTM tags are bits of data that help you track the traffic that your Google Business Profile is driving to your website. You can use Google’s Campaign URL Builder tool to automatically generate a custom URL with UTM tags inside it. Simply fill out the form on the tool, then copy the URL you receive into the space next to the earth icon in the Info section of your Google Business Profile. The UTM tags in this new link will begin working immediately, and after a few days you will be able to use Google Analytics to track your traffics, average browsing session length, bounce rates, conversions, and more.

What to Avoid on Your Google Business Profile

There are two things you will need to avoid if you want to get the most out of your Google Business Profile: keyword stuffing and hashtags.

Keyword Stuffing

Keywords used to be the main way that Google would determine things like your business location and the type of products you sell. Now, this is handled using schema data that appears in its own separate fields. You do not need to add location-based keywords to your business name or description now. In fact, you may be penalized for doing so.

Current best practice is to keep your business description as focused and concise as possible. You’re your users just as much information as they need and no more. Google’s location-based search algorithms will take care of the rest.

Hashtags

Google’s algorithms do not incorporate hashtags like Instagram’s and Twitter’s do. Adding hashtags to any part of your Google Business Profile will not impact your ranking whatsoever. Moreover, they may give users the impression that you do not understand the difference between these platforms or do not care enough to create custom content for each. Leave hashtags out of the equation and write your posts and descriptions in plain English that is accessible to users.

For Local SEO in Toronto, Turn to WSI Comandix

Google Business Profile optimization is just the first step toward effective local SEO. To truly make your business into a local market leader, you will need experienced professionals on your side.  Our team here at WSI Comandix can make this happen for you. Contact us today to hear more about our Google Business Profile optimization services or any of our other local SEO services. As our happy clients can attest, we know what it takes to take small businesses to the top.