Google My Business is an online tool that allows business owners to make their company and website known to Google and potential clients.
While even inputting the most basic of information in Google My Business can help users find your business in Google, recent updates and add-ons can unlock essential features that’ll help you make the most out of your account.
Here are six Google My Business features that will help improve your SEO and get your business discovered.
Virtual Offerings
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 and the various lockdowns that have stifled physical business traffic, Google has released several updates that help businesses develop and improve online traffic. First released in June 2020, Google’s virtual offering labels let customers know that your business has online options. All options are live and delivered virtually and link to your existing scheduling tool or service so that clients can book straight from their Google search or Google Maps search.
Online Appointment
If your business can offer online appointments, you can list this attribute in your Google My Business. Whether your business is a law firm, or a small jewellery store, conversing with your clients is vital for maintaining a business, and Google My Business makes this process easier.
Online Care
Many people are unable to leave their houses due to quarantine or illness, and Google’s online care option connects them to the medical attention they need. Medical professionals such as doctors, therapists, or counsellors can let their clients know that they offer live online care or telehealth.
Online Estimates
If a client can’t physically contact a business for a quote, the online estimates function allows companies to video call their clients and estimate a quote for them. This feature is perfect for mechanics, carpenters, or even web development agencies.
Online Classes
Businesses that offer face-to-face classes can now conduct lessons online through Google My Business. Customers don’t have to leave the house to learn to paint, dance, or speak another language, and the live online classes option is a great way to promote your business.
Attributes
Google released attributes for Google My Business in 2018, but they have since updated the types of available attributes and have even added them to businesses searched for in maps.
Google attributes allow businesses to specify what services or products their business offers, the amenities they have on-site, or if the company caters towards a specific demographic. If you’re taking the kids out for dinner, attributes can tell you if the restaurant is family-friendly, offers booster seats, or has a kids area.
The most recent attributes are part of Google’s Grow with Google initiative and let customers know if women or veterans lead a business or if people of colour own the business. Adding diversity attributes to your business, if applicable, can help clients decide whether your business is the right fit for them – or drive more traffic from a particular demographic. Other essential attributes include whether your business is LGBTQIA friendly, is a safe space for transgender clients, or is wheelchair accessible. In fact, Google has multiple wheelchair attributes, so businesses can specify precisely how accessible they are to wheelchair users.
Posts
Google My Business posts have been around for quite some time, but many people are unaware of the benefits this feature can unlock for their business.
Posts on Google My Business appear right under the GMB section when a user searches for the business name or related keywords. It acts as a social media post right in the search results, and the multiple types of posts can let users and customers know about the latest news concerning your business. They can learn about the latest offers and sales that your business has on or any new products that have been released. There’s even a what’s new section or an events template, where companies can let customers know about any significant changes to the company or any upcoming events.
The latest Google My Business post feature is direct messaging. This feature was released in November 2020 and allows users to message the business directly on their post. It is in a similar form to commenting, but the messages are only viewable to the individual user and the business.
Desktop Messaging
If a client wishes to contact your business about a subject not relating to a particular post, they can use the messaging feature to contact the business directly. This feature was previously only available on the Google My Business app, but as of November 2020, it is now available on desktop, which means that business owners can talk to their clients and answer their questions directly through the Google My Business website, no matter where they are.
Q&A
The Q&A section has been around for a while, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use this feature in a new and exciting way.
This feature isn’t just for answering customer’s questions; you can also write your own questions and use it as an FAQ section. Adding an FAQ section to Google My Business means that it’ll appear directly in the search results, and clients can get their answers faster, which can help them decide whether your business is for them.
This FAQ section can improve your SEO and help to rank your business higher in Google’s search engine. Including essential keywords in your FAQs can help Google find your business and match it with search inquiries with similar keywords.
Call History
This feature isn’t available in Australia just yet, but it should follow after the U.S release in late 2020.
Announced in October 2020, call logging, or call history allows businesses to track the number of calls that come from a user tapping or clicking on the phone number associated with their Google My Business page. It will enable businesses to respond to missed calls and makes it easier to connect with customers who have located your business through Google.
By analysing this data, business owners can see what times users are calling and the demographics of callers and adjust their marketing plan accordingly.