An online presence is now essential for companies, stores and establishments wishing to position themselves in an increasingly competitive market.
One of the keys to success is to seize the advantages offered by Google My Business, a free, high-performance tool that enhances your presence in a given territory.
In this article, we’ll look at how a Google My Business account can boost your visibility and lead you to success.
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free tool, in the form of a listing, offered by Google to help businesses improve their online presence and, in turn, increase their search engine rankings.
It enables businesses and freelancers to add relevant, up-to-date information about their business activity ,the services they offer, share photos and videos, and publicize their product range, for example.
All of this will prove invaluable when it comes to displaying the same information in Google search results (the famous SERP) and on Google Maps.
Internet users will be able to easily find detailed information on a specific company or establishment by searching via a simple search engine or directly on Google Maps.
How do I create a Google My Business account?
To create a free account, all you need is a Gmail account and a Google My Business web page: the steps to follow are clearly indicated, and even a beginner will find their way around very easily.
Once the account has been set up, you can start adding information such as a description of your business, images and other relevant details.
Don’t forget to include information on opening times and days, promotions and special events: Google particularly appreciates frequent updates of this type of information.
All this information will then be indexed by the search engines so that it’s easily accessible to all Internet users.
The advantages of a presence on Google My Business
There are many benefits to having an effective, regularly updated Google My Business account.
Improve natural referencing
As a business or independent professional, having a Google My Business account can significantly improve the quality of your natural referencing, or SEO.
By providing up-to-date, relevant information to search engines, your company is more likely to appear in the first results when a web surfer has a query related to the sector in which it operates.
Increase visibility and brand awareness
Being visible on search engines will not only help your company get more qualified traffic to its website, but will also increase its notoriety and recognition among the general public.
Improve customer relations
With Google my business, it’s easy to interact with prospects or customers: they can leave reviews or ask questions.
Thanks to this tool, your company can also respond to reviews, whether positive or negative.
It’s a great way to build customer loyalty!
What’s more, by analyzing consumer feedback, you can improve your services and the products you sell.
Studies show that customer reviews are an excellent way of finding out more about their needs and desires: so don’t be afraid to read and comment on them.
How to optimize your visibility on Google My Business?
Once your Google My Business account has been created, there are several steps you can take to optimize your online presence:
Fill in your account details
It’s important to note the main information, such as the company’s name, web address, physical address and opening hours.
This information must be accurate and up to date to avoid any confusion on the part of Internet users: pay particular attention to it, otherwise you risk being penalized by Google.
Add photos and videos
Adding images and films can illustrate a text and attract the attention of Internet users.
These photographs can relate to the products offered by your company, the employees who work within the organization, or the environment and general culture of the company.
Don’t hesitate to use a variety of illustrations – they’re always well received by Internet users!
Reply to customer reviews
Customer reviews not only provide an indication of the quality of the products or services offered by your company, but also show that you’re listening to them: this is an essential point.
So respond to constructive criticism and, of course, compliments, to generate even more positive reviews that will be visible to other Internet users.
Monitor account performance
The analytical tools provided by Google My Business enable you to measure the number of clicks to your website from your account, as well as the total number of impressions obtained: this helps you understand how web users interact with your listing, and enables you to improve it accordingly.
A powerful tool for Google my Business reviews: the VKARD Star
Did you know that NFC and QR Code technology are incredible tools for improving your company’s customer experience? Integrating these technologies into a simple card can give your business a truly considerable competitive edge, making it easy, for example, to leave a review on your Google My Business account.
By using a card with an NFC chip, “Customer Reviews” stickers with a QR code, you can facilitate interaction with your customers, obtain more information from the data collected and increase the number of reviews on Google My Business.
This commitment to innovative technologies will bring a generally positive image to your company, as these tools symbolize an innovative and dynamic brand identity.
Most customers respond well to the benefits that using NFC smart cards offers, such as rapid information sharing and the possibility of eventually accessing interactive digital content such as promotional offers or virtual coupons.
Practical use of the VKARD Star
As you can see, an NFC smart card is particularly well suited to online applications such as collecting customer reviews of your products or services, especially on a Google My Business-type listing.
It’s extremely simple to use, as all your customer has to do is swipe the VKARD Star on his or her smartphone: the integrated chip immediately triggers the opening of a browser to access the reviews page.
The card also features an integrated QR code for easy scanning by consumers.
With an NFC chip and a QR code, you’ll be collecting reviews fast!
You can also use “Customer Reviews” stickers, which are also a simple way for consumers to leave a quick review of a company without having to go through a long and tedious questionnaire.
These “review stickers” generally work on a QR-code basis, as on the VKARD Star, and users simply pass their compatible smartphone over the code on the label to trigger a question or review, which is then transmitted to the company.
A single VKARD for infinite use!
Yes, this is a big advantage for you as a professional, as you only need to own one copy of this card: it will be used for all your customers, as it can be reused ad infinitum!
And you’re doing something for the environment, since you don’t have to print large quantities of cards: it’s a win-win situation.
In conclusion
Google My Business is an essential tool for increasing your company’s visibility and improving its natural referencing, especially as it’s free.
By filling out your account with accurate, relevant and up-to-date information, as well as attractive photos, businesses can easily promote themselves and communicate more directly with their audience.
What’s more, by responding to the opinions of Internet users, you’ll improve your relationship with your customers while building trust and awareness of your company.
Finally, to make it easier to post a review on Google My Business, don’t hesitate to use a tool like the VKARD Star, which is very simple to use: simply scan it or bring it close to a smartphone thanks to the NFC chip it contains: your customer will then be directed straight to the reviews page!