Google My Business (GMB) is the top directory for e-commerce websites on the planet. Search engines are well-aware of the importance of Google My Business for local SEO. Shortly, SEO professionals and e-commerce website owners became aware of this as well.
Needless to say, your e-commerce website should be listed on GMB as soon as you create it. But if almost all e-commerce stores are listed already, how can users differentiate what’s good from what’s not?
In this article, we’ll tackle the different ways search engines are interpreting GMB listings. We’ll also look into the local SEO factors that can affect your position in Google search for businesses. Let’s start with the discussion.
Gain Brand Awareness in Your Locale
Listing your business in GMB will make you appear on relevant local searches. Here’s an example of some common local searches that search engines receive daily:
- Hair salon near me
- Pizza store near me
- Grocery shops in the area
- Medicine store 24 hours
Your brand name will appear in the search result if your local SEO is optimized. If you appear on the search results for these queries, local customers that find local shops will be aware of your business’ existence. Thus, listing your business profile in GMB will improve your local SEO by increasing brand awareness.
Brand awareness goes a long way in our list. It’s a necessary stepping stone to accumulating more local SEO benefits. It also makes converting local customers easier. Keep on reading to know why.
Providing Updated NAP Profile to Ease Customer Experience
In GMB, it is necessary to update your name, address, and phone number (NAP) information every time. This way, the GMB tool can list your business information and provide users with correct and updated general information.
You can find this information in a sidebar on the Google search results. It should look something like this:
A NAP profile appears in the search result if you look for local businesses in your area. It provides all the information you need (name, address, and phone number) to get to the physical store. They can even follow directions straight from Google Maps.
That’s why providing an updated NAP result can improve the customer experience. Customers won’t be able to reach your physical store or contact your phone number if the information you provide is outdated.
Improved Trust from Customers and Search Engines
Having a listing on GMB requires you to confirm your address. This confirmation signals that you run a legitimate e-commerce website with a physical store. It’s also helpful to establish trust with new customers.
Providing correct and complete information about your business is favored by search engines. You can appear on top of SERP for certain keywords by providing the necessary information.
GMB listing is so powerful that it can overtake organic search results easily. Since Google confirms that you’re not using a fraud address, it trusts your website enough to recommend it to the users. It’s a great way to establish authority and boost your local SEO.
Gain Customer Reviews
Listing your e-commerce store on Google My Business allows users to rate your website with stars. A satisfied customer can leave a 5-star rating and a short review of your services. Good customer reviews attract other new customers to come by your store.
In GMB, you can manage customer reviews and highlight those who left high ratings and good reviews. Showcasing these reviews will improve your website’s credibility and legitimacy.
Google SERP prioritizes businesses with higher customer review ratings. It shows 5-star restaurants, nail spas, and other establishments as a priority to ensure that the users will have a wonderful experience. Thus, getting high-quality reviews for your website is a big push for local SEO.
Customer reviews also guide new customers toward your store. If new customers read a lot of good feedback from legitimate customers, they will be enticed to try your services as well. You can also use other platforms, like TrustPilot, to manage your customer reviews and connect them with GMB.
How to Optimize Google My Business for Local SEO
Now that we know how Google My Business can help you improve your website’s local SEO, it’s time to learn how it’s done. Here’s a step-by-step procedure you can follow to make an account in GMB:
1. Create an Account
The first thing to do is to create a Google My Business account. You can use a business email account to register on Google. Once you’ve done this, you can claim your business account.
2. Fill In The Necessary Details
Google will ask for the NAP information of your business. Make sure to provide a complete and updated NAP profile to avoid irregularities. Irregularities in the NAP profile may be why your website does not appear on local search results.
3. Adjust Service Area
After providing your brick-and-mortar store address, Google will ask you how far can you deliver your product or services. You can set up your service area and decide whether you’ll provide service outside your store’s location.
4. Include Important Keywords for Your Product Listing
Don’t forget to include important keywords when listing your business on GMB. Treat the listing as a traditional SEO element that needs to be keyword-optimized. However, a business description should not appear too promotional even if it contains your main keywords.
Final Word
Having your business listed in Google My Business is required on e-commerce websites. This will help you gain visibility in your local area.
To maximize the effect of your GMB listing, you should track how your customers find your business listing. These insights are important to understanding how online customers interact with your listing. This way, you can learn how to improve your listing to satisfy search intent even better.
If you have questions about the importance of Google My Business for local SEO, you can leave a comment below. We will answer your questions as soon as we see them. LinkDoctor helps your website rank both locally and internationally through organic and ethical link building.
