In a digital age where most of the searches are conducted on the phone and on the go, there is an increasing trend in the keyword ‘near me’. This blog will discuss on how to leverage on this trend using one of Google’s latest product: Google My Business.

So what is Google My Business and why do I need it?

Google My Business (hereafter GMB) is a platform that helps business manage their presence across Google Search and Maps and engage with customers. It has been reported that along with over 500% growth in the local-sensitive keyword ‘near me’ are some variants that imply time sensitivity like ‘can I buy’ and ‘to buy’. People with the comfort of technology at their fingers are becoming more demanding and impatient, it is important for a business to catch them at these right here and right now micro-moments.

What does it do?

Essentially having a GMB account gives you full control of the information Google shows the customers. You can manage and customise all of your business’s information like business hours, address, phone, email and also highlight your unique selling points.

In addition to that, GMB also allows you to engage with the customers by answering their questions and reply to their feedback and reviews. It also allows the customers to contact you directly; either by sending a direct message or to call you right on your GMB page without having to redirect to your website to find such information. With GMB you can also post like you would on other social media platforms.

Hootsuite has found out that 70% of customers prefer a business with GMB listings. Moreover, business with complete GMB profile are reported to be twice as trustworthy to the customers with 38% of potential outlet visits and 29% of potential purchases. There are also some risks perceived by the customers, therefore the more confident they are, the more likely they will make a purchase. 88% of customers consider reviews as a credible source and GMB is a great tool to help you build trust.

Conclusion

Google number one mission is to provide relevant, accurate and trustworthy results and having a GMB account will help you leverage on the new ‘near-me’ trend and bring customers to your business. What do you think of this app? Are there any advantages of using GMB that you can think of? Please leave a comment below and let me know!