It’s very common for people to type phrases such as the following into Google:
- “ice-cream near me”
- “lawn mowers near me”
- “HVAC repair near me”
If someone Googles for the product or service your business offers, then they append the words “near me” to their search, will your local business pop up in the top results?
A Google My Business page is often the first thing a potential customer will be shown after they search for your products or services. If it’s not a Google-owned profile that’s the number one hit, then there’s a good chance that other business listing websites will be high on the search engine result page (SERP).
Here are some tried-and-true tips to increase the probability that someone searching for you, finds you in “near me” searches.
- Definitely set-up or enhance your Google My Business pages
It’s important to think of your various Google My Business pages as essential parts in your multi-location business's online presence.
- Ensure that your Google My Business profiles are linked to the correct categories.
For example, if you’re in the service area business, your profile needs to be linked to the correct markets.
- Figure out what other business listings sites you want to create, claim (if they’ve already been created), and be active on.
For example, you might want to have online presences with some of the following, but probably not all of them:
Angi (formerly Angie's List).
TripAdvisor.
Yelp.
Better Business Bureau.
TrustPilot.
FourSquare.
- Ask for and respond to local reviews.
For your business to effectively stand out in a competitive market, your local businesses need solid, positive reviews linked to specific locations and regions.
I hope you got something out of this article. If you’re keen to learn more, listen to this recent podcast with my MarketSnare colleagues Elliot Olson and Kevin Mullett.