Table of Contents:
·
Table of Contents
·
But First, What Is Google Business Profile?
·
Reasons to Go “Aggressive” With Your Local SEO Strategy?
·
Nail the Basics (But Do It Better Than Everyone Else)
·
Optimize Your Description
·
Add Clear and Killer Photos
·
Encourage (and Respond to) Reviews Like a Boss
·
Use Posts to Stay Top of Mind
·
Use the Q&A Section
·
Conclusion
Key Takeaways:
·
An optimized Google Business Profile builds credibility and drives
local traffic.
·
Consistency, reviews, and fresh posts help you outperform
competitors.
·
Photos and Q&As enhance engagement and search relevance.
·
Aggressive local SEO is essential to appear in Google’s top
results.
· Get help from leading SEO services in India.
Have you ever Googled a business near you, like a café, salon,
or a repair shop, and scrolled right past a few listings just because they
didn’t look trustworthy? Maybe the photos were blurry, the hours looked
outdated, or there were zero reviews. Whatever the cause might be, if you did
it, there are chances that your potential customers are doing the exact same
thing, which is why you need local SEO.
You could be the best business in town, but if your Google
Business Profile (GBP) isn’t optimized, you are leaving serious money on the
table. So, whether you are a local bakery or a nationwide brand with multiple
outlets, if you want to treat your Google Business Profile like your online
storefront, here are some tips and strategies you need to follow:
But First, What Is Google Business Profile?
If we have to explain this in simple language, you can consider
the GBP profile your digital business card on Google. Primarily, it’s that box
that appears on the right side of the search results when someone Googles your
business or a business like yours. It shows your name, address, phone number,
website, reviews, business hours, photos, Q&As, and more.
Besides, it also shows up in Google Maps, which is crucial for
foot traffic as well as mobile searches, which is why there’s no way you can
miss this aspect of SEO services for your brand. 17% of local searches lead to purchases within a day, and 46% of
Google searches are local, so we would say if your GBP isn’t working for you,
it’s working against you.
Sources: https://localiq.com/blog/local-seo-statistics/
https://www.webfx.com/local-seo/statistics/
Reasons to Go “Aggressive” With Your Local SEO
Strategy?
Believe it or not, local competition is brutal. Especially after
the post-pandemic scene, every local niche is saturated with similar
businesses. Thus, just having a profile on GBP is not enough; you also need to
own your area. An aggressive local SEO strategy ensures:
- You show up in the local 3-pack (those
top 3 businesses under the map)
- Your business looks more clickable as
well as credible
- Customers choose you over your
competitors.
So, how do you do that? Keep reading!
#1 Nail the Basics (But Do It Better Than Everyone
Else)
First, you need to claim and verify your GBP, and if you haven’t
done this yet, go to https://business.google.com/in/business-profile/ and get started. Once you are in, ensure that you have:
- Entered your correct business name
- Used an accurate address that matches
your website as well as the directories
- Provided a local phone number
- Selected the right primary and secondary
categories (like Italian restaurant v/s just restaurant)
- Added your website URL
- Specify your business hours.
Always, we repeat, ALWAYS keep this information consistent
across every platform, ranging from your website to Facebook, Yelp, and local
directories, because inconsistencies can hurt your rankings and confuse your
customers.
#2 Optimize Your Description
When you are optimizing your description, always keep in mind
that you are speaking to humans, not just the algorithm. You get 750 characters
in your business description, and you should keep them count.
Don’t just stuff the description with keywords like “best pizza,
New York delivery fast, cheap.” Instead, you need to write something natural
but strategic, like:
“At Tony’s Brick Oven Pizza in Brooklyn, we have been serving up
crispy, cheesy perfection since 1998. Whether you are craving a classic
Margherita or our famous Meat Lover’s pie, our locally loved team delivers hot
and fresh pizza right to your door in 30 minutes.”
This is something keyword-rich as well as human-friendly because
here the keywords are used in an organic way in sentences.
#3 Add Clear and Killer Photos
Photos for your GMB listings work the same way product pictures
work in eCommerce listings- they are business conversion boosters that can
drive up the click-throughs to your website. This is why you need to upload
high-quality photos of:
- Your storefront (from the street view)
- The interior (clean, inviting shots)
- Your products or services
- Your team (makes you look more relatable)
- Before-and-after shots (if applicable)
Also, photos are a dynamic element, so update them regularly if
you don’t want your profile to look stale.
#4 Encourage (and Respond to) Reviews Like a Boss
People trust other people more than they trust businesses, which
is why a profile with 100+ reviews and a 4.8 rating will always outperform one
with just 4 reviews. To get more reviews:
- Ask customers in person right after a
great experience.
- Include a direct link to your review page
in follow-up emails or texts.
- Add a CTA on your website: “Love us?
Leave us a review on Google!”
But this isn’t the only thing you need to do. Respond to every
review- good, bad, or in between, thank them, address their feedback, and stay
professional because engagement shows potential customers (and Google) that you
care.
#5 Use Posts to Stay Top of Mind
Most businesses forget about the Posts feature on GBP, which is
a big mistake. Posts let you:
- Promote new offers
- Highlight upcoming events
- Share blog posts or updates
They show up directly in your profile and keep your listing
fresh and engaging. Treat it like a mini social media feed, but right on
Google. You don’t need to post daily here, but post at least once a week to
stay active.
#6 Use the Q&A Section
Google lets anyone ask questions about their business, and
anyone can answer. This is a double-edged sword, which is why you need to
control the narrative. Here’s how you can do it:
- Seed questions yourself using a personal
Google account.
- Answer them with clear, helpful info. For
example:
Q: “Do you offer vegan
options?”
A: “Yes! We have a full
vegan menu available. Just ask our staff for the Vegan Specials!”
This builds trust
and also helps with keyword relevance.
Conclusion
Your Google Business Profile is often your first impression,
even before someone clicks on your website or steps foot into your store. So,
take minutes today, log into your GBP, and start optimizing like your business
depends on it, because it kind of does. Got questions or need help with GBP
optimization? Reach out to our SEOTonic SEO agency today!
Source: https://www.seotonic.com/gbp-tips-&-strategies-for-aggressive-local-presence/
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