03/9

Now more than ever, customers begin searching for information on businesses online, even when it comes to real estate. For most, that search starts on one page…Google! That’s why now is the time to take control of your Google My Business (GMB) account. 

Keeping your listing up to date through GMB keeps your customers informed of your current business hours, location, contact numbers, and special offers. You can add important images (like a logo) and photos to your account, and clients can add reviews. Did we mention it’s free?

Two marketing lessons we all should take from the last year are the importance of communication and how quickly the messages can change. Customers are often “giving it a Goog” before venturing out to make face-to-face contact with you, and you want to make sure all the information popping up is current.

Here’s what you need to get started:

• Claim your profile. The Google My Business page does an excellent job walking you through each portion of the process, but if you are looking for more specific, section-driven directions, check out How to Create, Claim and Verify Your Google Business Listing from ThriveHive.

• Fill out as much information as possible, and add photos. Your listing is only as strong as you make it. Make sure you’re providing what people need to know about your business, and add some good photos of your office, logo, team, etc.    

• Start asking for ratings and reviews. Everyone wants a five-star rating, but it takes some work. Make sure your happy customers know you want a Google review, especially if they’ve had a great experience. People are asked for reviews all the time so as awkward as the ‘ask’ seems, it’s not.      

• Circle back to your GMB page about once a month. Put a reminder on your calendar. By updating your material consistently, you stay current for your customers.  

Trust us, people Google everything these days, including you, so let the world’s most powerful search engine work for you. We value your friendship and business, and if you’ve found this piece helpful, leave us a review on Google. (See what we did there? Not weird.)