The first phone book was published in 1878 in New Haven. It was a means to find the names and numbers of everyone in Connecticut. During the years following, every city had its own phone book, which led to it becoming the leading directory all over the world. Fast forward to the twenty-first century; things are a lot different. Phone books are almost non-existent, and Google has now become the new universal directory.

In today’s day and age, if your business doesn’t appear on Google, then it’s almost like your business doesn’t exist. That being said there are multiple ways to market your business online, but having a Google My Business listing will bring your business the most “bang for your buck.” Creating a Google My Business profile is free and will only take a few minutes. There’s no reason why your business shouldn’t have one.

Here are some of the benefits of creating a Google My Business listing.

1. Show up in Google Maps

According to Thrive Hive, the majority of consumers use Google Maps when they’re trying to locate a specific product/service near them. Once you create a Google My Business listing your business is now a part of the “conversation” when people are shopping. Typically consumers will type keywords into Google like “café,” “shoe store,” “hairdresser” and Google will populate the local businesses that are the most web present for that area – so to show up in that conversation is important. Times have changed from the bulky phone book to online mania, and Google is at the forefront of that stage in letting people know about your products/services.

2. Build Trust with your Customers

One of the most important goals for every business is to build a relationship with people and turn them into loyal, long-term clientele. People trust Google as a search engine, as it’s the biggest and most used. So in lieu, when your business shows up on Google, people automatically trust your business. A study conducted by Thrive Hive states that companies that appear on Google are more reputable compared to companies that don’t.

3. Get Reviews and Ratings from your Customers

When you create a Google Listing, you’re not only able to share information with your customers, but you’re also able to get feedback as well. Your customers can rate your products/services, customer service, and overall quality for others to see. The best part is, with every positive review, you’ll increase your overall Google ranking. Reviews can also act as a great way to improve different aspects of your business to ensure you give the best customer experience possible.

Think about it for a second; would you go to a restaurant with 100 reviews that’s rated 4.9 stars or would you go to the restaurant that has 100 reviews with a 3.4-star rating?

4. More Traffic = More Sales

A Google My Business listing will not only increase your online visibility and brand recognition but will also drive more traffic to your website in the process. Your Google Listing directly connects people to your website with a button making it easy for them to explore the “inside” of your business. If your customers can find your “online store” quickly, they’ll be more likely to make a purchase.

5. Stay Informed With Your Growth

A Google Listing will also help you understand how your company is doing in terms of gaining new customers online with Google Analytics. The “insights” tab at the back end of your Google My Business profile shows statistics on how many people are calling, clicking, looking at your photos, viewing your reviews and clicking your website.

So there you have it, reasons why creating a Google My Business is important for your business in this day and age. It’s quite simple, if you don’t have listing set up then you need to create one as soon as possible. The amount of business that Google can bring your company, from new people searching and also by validating your referral clients when they’re researching, is astonishing.

Get in touch with us, and we’ll create your FREE Google listing and get you ranking top 3 in your local and surrounding area(s). Click here to find out which radius package would work best for your business.

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https://thrivehive.com/the-benefits-of-a-google-my-business-listing/

https://www.smallbusinessinternetmarketing.com.au/why-google-my-business-is-important-for-your-local-business/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/first-telephone-book-had-fifty-listings-and-no-numbers-180962173/