A common complaint from business owners is that Google confuses them. Regardless of how much time, energy, or money they spend on researching Google’s algorithm, there seems to be no tried or true way to increase views or get on the first page of search results without putting in quite a bit of effort.
The truth is, Google expects a lot from you. It requires you to be consistent, creative, and relevant to keep up with constant algorithm changes. After all, Google’s ability to be on the leading edge of content exploration is what makes it the most advanced search engine available.
Luckily, there are ways to entice Google to favor your content and come back for more. Let’s take a look at the proven content strategy guaranteed to improve your Google views.
Create a Google My Business Profile
A Google My Business (GMB) Profile is a free business listing that lets you connect and engage with customers via Google Search and Maps. Creating your GMB Profile takes only a few minutes and consists of the following steps:
- Sign in to your Google Account
- Search for Google My Business
- Enter the name of your business
- Enter your business address
- Specify service area
- Search for and select a business category
- Enter a phone number or website URL
- Select a verification option
PRO TIP: Make sure you sign up with your business email domain when setting up your GMB profile.
Optimize and Complete your Google My Business Profile
GMB caters to brands seeking exposure through its Local Search feature. New and established organizations benefit from local search, as Google doesn’t base its’ findings on the organization’s tenure in business. Instead, it generates a list of nearby companies meeting the criteria where the search is initiated. Furthermore, it provides the address, hours of operation, category of service offerings, and reviews for those businesses on the search list.
Here are a few suggestions to optimize your GMB profile:
- Update Hours of Service
- Update Contact Info
- Add photos and videos
- Create GMB Posts to showcase offers or promotions
- Add products
- Manage Google reviews
Completing and optimizing your GMB profile is a critical step to gain exposure through Google’s local search feature.
Use Location-Based Keywords
Google continues to fine-tune its search abilities and has taken a dedicated approach toward producing more localized results when consumers perform a search. It favors businesses close to the person initiating the search. Therefore, using location-based keywords in your GMB profile will undoubtedly deliver traffic to your page. Consumers performing local searches typically are further along in the purchasing stage of their buying journey, meaning they convert to a customer at a higher rate than most.
To identify keywords that would give your GMB profile the most exposure, consider your locations and areas of service. Service areas typically include your city, region, county, or district. Don’t forget to include keywords associated with your customer’s location as well.
PRO TIP: Use location-based keywords in the majority of the content you produce. From blogs to social media posts, always be mindful of the impact that location-based keywords have on your digital presence.
Add Location Tags to Social Media Posts
Are you familiar with the term “Geotagging”? If you aren’t, you need to be! Geotagging is an efficient and effective way to boost your organization’s visibility on social platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
Geotagging allows consumers to tag their location when posting a status update or photo. Business owners love the free advertising the geotag feature provides because it improves their opportunity to be found by local prospects.
Furthermore, each location tag helps build online credibility for the organization, which the Google algorithm prefers. Ultimately, Google caters to credible businesses by placing that business toward the top of search results.
Encourage Google Reviews
Google reviews should be a critical piece of your marketing strategy. Even the simplest of reviews could be the deciding factor in your search result rank. Google favors businesses that attempt to engage with consumers and those that garner a lot of positive reviews.
Furthermore, consumers trust online reviews just as much as a personal referral. So, it is imperative to encourage customers to share their experience working with you. Although some businesses struggle getting reviews, sourcing those reviews isn’t as difficult as one may think. Here are some common ways to solicit Google reviews for your business:
- Send recent customers a GMB link to write a review of their experience
- Advertise incentives on social media in exchange for Google reviews
- Add a “Submit a Review” link on your website & social pages
Google reviews offer an incredible opportunity for you to showcase products and services while growing brand visibility. If you have overlooked the importance of Google Reviews in your digital marketing strategy, now is the perfect time to shift gears.
PRO TIP: Managing a Google review is just as important as receiving the review. Whether it is a positive or negative review, don’t overlook the opportunity to further engage with clients by providing an authentic response.
Conclusion
Using content successfully to produce leads involves effort, patience, and a comprehensive strategy. Your organization’s Google views are a good indicator of how successful you are at managing that strategy. If your content isn’t optimized to move prospects through your marketing funnel, there’s very little chance that they will end up on your Google page.
Lead Revenue brings a digital playbook to your business that is unparalleled. With over 20+ years of experience, we have an in-depth understanding of what it takes to scale businesses digitally, regardless of the industry. Contact us today: www.leadrevenue.com.
