As the world of e-commerce comes into fruition in South Africa, it has never been a better time to ensure your company is digitalized from head to toe. Convenience and quality are consumers' primary motivators, meaning having an online presence has never been more crucial. According to a recent survey, 93% of online interactions start with search engines. So, how do we get you to the top of the search list?
Firstly, setting up a 'Google My Business’ account is a great start. It is an effective tool that enables you to manage and optimize your business profile. A business account in Google's term is your Google business listing; this enables your business to appear in Google Maps and local results of Google Search. As far as business advertising goes, getting yours to number one opens you to a much larger audience and, therefore, more opportunities for success.
Secondly, (and this is where we come in) incorporating effective SEO into your content acts as a catalyst to reaching the top of search engine listings.
How to create your google my business listing.
The start may always seem daunting, but the process is quick and easy in 'Google My Business' terms. You begin by adding your business to Google via creating a business profile (https://business.google.com/create/new). Next, you must give out certain information about your business, such as its location, contact information, and industry. After the information has been verified, you're all set to go!
- Step 1: Sign in to Google Business Profile Manager.
- Step 2: Add your business.
- Step 3: Enter your location.
- Step 4: Fill in your contact information.
- Step 5: Verify your business.
- Step 6: Customize your profile.
Google my business listing benefits:
Certifying your business account on Google is a brilliant form of business advertising. Here’s how and why:
1. GMB allows customers to leave reviews of your business: - The virtual word of mouth; potential customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. In South Africa, more and more people research company reviews before deciding where to go. The power of good reviews should never be overlooked and acts as a powerful marketing tool. Having excellent reviews boosts your search engine ranking, the credibility of your business and your local SEO. There is a much a higher chance of a potential customer choosing a company with many good reviews over one that hasn't.
2. GMB allows your business account to appear in Maps and Google local pack listings: Being involved in Google's local pack is a big deal and another method of great business advertising. It takes up colossal realty on Google search results and is the first thing any user will see after typing in their inquiry. As well as that, showing up on Google Maps, so customers know where to find you build consumer trust and convenience.
3. It provides insights on your consumer's behaviour: - This is one of the most effective ways of looking into your target market and ongoing customers. You can identify what's working and ineffective to ensure you're investing in the correct areas. GMB provides you with in-depth information on your audience and how they found you. Furthermore, GMB provides a report where you can understand how consumers discovered your business and dissection of your consumers regarding age, gender, and location. Finally, it shows you how many people have viewed your online profile.
Google my business multiple businesses: this is how you can set up gmb for all the businesses you manage:
If you're an entrepreneur with more than one business, it does not mean you have to set up multiple 'Google My Business' accounts. There is no need to complicate procedures. Your business entities may have the same address; just make sure that you incorporate each business as a separate entity.
Did you know you can run ads on google my business? Here’s how:
Creating ads on GMB is highly effective for business advertising. It's a cost-effective way of reaching new customers as you will only pay when potential customers view your website or call via your google profile. Posting ads is just as simple as creating your online business account, here are the simple steps:
You need to get set up on Google Ads (https://ads.google.com/home), add in your company's information, and verify the account.
Firstly, you're asked an important question – 'What's your main advertising goal?'
You're given four options that help Google tailor the ad's to your demands; get more calls, get more website sales or sign-ups, get more visits to your physical location, get more brand awareness with video views
Just follow the easy prompts and proceed to answer another series of questions, such as your business name and website URL.
After answering these questions, it is now up to you to create your ad!
How do i advertise my business on google?
There are various types of Google Ad campaigns that you're able to choose from and ultimately personalize to your businesses needs and areas of wanted growth:
- Search campaigns: Text ads on search results Search campaigns ensure that your business is at the top of the list when people search online for products or services related to you, thus, making your business the most visible. It's an effective way to boost your online sales, be in the eye of a potential client, and direct traffic to your site.
- Display campaigns: Image ads This campaign is suited to those wanting to expand their reach and get in contact with a global audience. Creating a display campaign is engaging and is also posted onto websites or apps that are known to attract millions of viewers. For example, youtube is a Google-owned entity and is a platform where you can find your campaign. It is a great way to make people aware of your brand by creating memorable and creative adverts that will be remembered.
- Shopping campaigns: Product listings on search results This campaign helps to get your products out there without the user clicking on a website. Instead, when a potential customer searches for a specific product, a listing appears of products related to the search engine with the price and website they can purchase it from. These shopping ads appear on top of search results (even higher than search campaigns) and the Google shopping tab.
- Smart campaigns: automated campaigns If you're struggling with time management, then smart campaigns are the quickest way to ensure your ads are up and running. You enter your company's information and create a few ads. From this, Google finds out where would be the most effective way of targeting your market for the budget you have allocated.
Here are some other ways you can list your business online free:
Alternatively, there are other great ways of getting your business listed for free. South Africa is abundant with amazing business directory websites; Entrepo, Brabys, Bizcommunity and The Business Directory to name a few.
Google my business delete photos: here's how it's done.
There is a different method for deleting photos your business has posted compared to images that customers have uploaded. See below for how to do both:
Deleting photos that your business has posted:
- Visit the Google My Business website and sign in to your business account.
- Select the campaign or listing you want to delete a photo from.
- Click Photos on the left side of the page
- Choose the photo you want to delete in full-screen view.
- Click the trash can icon in the top-right corner.
Deleting customer's photos:
This process is not as simple and immediate as deleting your own photos. Instead, if you do not like what a customer has posted, you must flag the image and wait for Google's response. Sadly, don't be surprised if Google doesn't remove the photo if they determine it is an accurate representation of your business.