How To Improve Google Business Profile Engagement
Find out exactly how you can boost your GPB engagement and why it is important for your overall local SEO strategy.
Every local business striving to acquire clients in their geographical area relies on optimizing their Google Business Profile (aka GBP).
This free Google tool is one of the primary ways a business can easily market itself online. However, what if no one actually engages with the listing once they discover it through the local search results or Google Maps?
The truth is that there are multiple ways to improve Google Business Profile engagement and attract more potential clients, and I am going to describe each one in this article.
Before I analyze each method, I need to shed some light on why you should want the searcher to spend enough time on your listing once they have discovered it.
Why Google Business Profile Engagement Is Important?
If you understand exactly why people must engage with your business profile, then all your efforts in managing it regularly and effectively will become meaningful.
The main concept here is that the more people engage with your listing, the more Google believes your business matches the user’s search intent, so they decide to prioritize your GBP over your competitors in search results.
So, with that core idea in mind, let me give you the main reasons you must make it your top priority.
Increased Rankings
Engaging with your Google Business Profile can boost your local search rankings, making your business more visible to potential customers in your area. Being the algorithm’s favorite should always be on your checklist.
Local Pack Inclusion
High engagement increases the likelihood of your business appearing in the local pack (the map and listing of businesses at the top of Google search results), driving more traffic to your website and physical location.
You should aim to be in the Local Pack (or Google Map Pack) because a searcher is more likely to click on the top listing shown inside it and then examine it thoroughly.
Cost-Effective Marketing
Google Business Profile is a free tool that offers significant marketing benefits without a financial investment. Engaging with it maximizes its potential and provides substantial returns in terms of visibility and customer acquisition.
Potential Conversions
If you’ve taken the necessary actions to improve engagement, it is more likely that someone who inspects your profile will conclude that you are the best option to buy from, which ultimately leads to more conversions.
How To Improve Google Business Profile Engagement
Now that you finally understand the reasons you want people to engage with your GBP, it’s time to provide you with all the necessary steps you can take to skyrocket your interaction rate.
You should aim to do these at least every month.
1) Add High-Quality Images And Videos
We live in a visual world, and humans are visual creatures by nature. To attract someone to your listing, you need to use images and videos as part of a strategy that appeals to human emotions.
You can convey these by uploading original images of your business and real-life videos.
You can learn more about that through this guide to Google Business Listing photos and videos.
2) Acquire And Respond To Reviews
Review management is the alpha and the omega of a positive online reputation and builds customer trust in the long run.
Obtaining reviews, especially positive ones on your business profile, not only helps with local search rankings but also creates credibility for your brand, which makes customers choose you over the competitors.
The more people take their time to read all the reviews and pay attention to how regularly, professionally and kindly you respond, the more likely your engagement will increase.
3) Create Google Business Profile Posts
GBP posts function much like social media updates, keeping people informed about new business developments, including new products, services, and exclusive offers.
If you need to attract users to your listing, take advantage of these three types of posts in combination with original images:
i. What’s New Posts
Share recent business changes and news, sparking interest and engagement.
Example: Exciting news! We’ve revamped our store layout for a better shopping experience.
ii. Event Posts
Showcases events to attract participants and enhance customer engagement
Example: Don’t miss our annual Charity Run on August 12th. Register now and support a great cause.
iii. Offer Posts
Attract customers with limited-time offers, encouraging quick responses and increasing revenue.
Example: Flash Sale! 40% off all electronics this weekend only. Hurry, while stocks last!
4) Create Q&As
If you optimize the Q&A section on your business profile and answer the most important questions people often ask about your business, then you have succeeded in hooking the reader and making them stay on your profile.
For more on this subject, study my guide on optimizing Questions and Answers correctly.
5) Optimize the Menu Section (for Restaurants)
The GBP Menu section is aimed at businesses in the food and beverage industry. It’s a perfect way for customers to view menu items, prices, and descriptions without the need to visit an external website.
There’s a high correlation with engagement here because:
- Easier access to menu info leads to quicker decisions and higher engagement.
- Complete menus help businesses rank better in local searches. And we know better visibility in search results drives more clicks and interactions.
- Customers trust clear info, leading to more inquiries and visits.
6) Optimize The Products Section
Why have someone search all the items of a storefront on the website, when you have the option to add them manually inside the Google Business Profile Products?
You can find all the important product information, like images, descriptions, and prices without navigating away from the profile.
That’s the perfect way to make the user browse your product list for a long time, which rapidly increases the engagement you’re looking for.
7) List Your Services
Another, underutilized method to capture the user’s attention and hold it on your listing, is to optimize the services menu.
Filling every service you offer, with detailed descriptions, will not only increase rankings when someone searches for that particular service in the local area but also grab their attention when they are transferred to that section, where they can find all services and decide to choose your business.
A potential customer can browse this section only through mobile, which is exactly what we want because according to a 2021 study by Reviewtrackers, 57% of local search queries are submitted using a mobile device or tablet.
8) Analyze The Insights To Understand What Attracts Customers
Your GBP provides valuable information in the form of statistical insights, mentioning top keywords people searched for and found business, which platform and devices were used to find your profile, and all the important metrics like directions, website clicks, calls, etc.
The difference here, compared to the previous methods I mentioned above, is that you can analyze and learn from those insights, better understand how your customers interact with your listing, and focus on specific sections to improve engagement.
Here are 3 tips on how to leverage the data you have on insights to your benefit:
a) Check the search terms people used to find your business and include these in your Google Posts.
For example, if you are an optical store in Texas and people find you mostly using the terms “optician Texas,” “Texas optical store,” and “buy sunglasses in Texas,” use each keyword to create a different post, perhaps every week.
b) This is my personal favorite: REVIEWS!
If the metrics start declining, prioritize acquiring more reviews that include the most important keywords people are typing into Google search to find you online. Reviews make or break your business reputation these days.
c) Check the top products people see.
There may be a pattern here that you haven’t realized before.
This could be related to the specific angle of your product image, the description, or a particular product category that users love checking.
You can highlight this in a post, providing more details about its quality and best characteristics.
Conclusion
Now that I explained every possible way to boost your Google Business Profile engagement, you better understand the real value of this free tool and its positive effect on small and local businesses.
These efforts emphasize a shift towards a more interactive and customer-focused approach to marketing. Businesses that consistently engage with their customers build trust and credibility, obtaining valuable insights along the way.
In summary, enhancing GBP engagement is not just about tweaking an online profile; it’s about fostering better customer interaction and community connection. This approach helps create a more vibrant and competitive local market, giving every business a fair chance to succeed.