Time is money, and for small businesses with limited resources, the saying is especially true. Deciding how and where to allocate your time is an important decision, which is why we’re here to help. Getting your local business set up on Google+ is an easy and efficient way to help draw attention to your small business.
Here are the top three reasons your small business needs to be on Google+:
- The fact of the matter is that Google wants to promote themselves and their products. Today, the majority of internet searches are done through Google. By simply putting your small business on Google+, you are giving your company a leg up in Google search results. Did you know that the first few positions on a Google search results page receive almost half of all clicks? By putting your company on Google+ and adding some basic information about your business to that Google+ page, you are helping Google learn that information quickly. In turn, this can help your company appear higher on a Google search result page.
- Reviews are another way Google+ can help your small business. You should start encouraging clients and customers to leave a review on your Google+ page right away. Reviews increase your Google+ page’s power, and you guessed it…the platform also helps your company appear higher on a Google search results page. Additionally, leaving a review on Google is usually much easier to do compared to other review sites. Anyone with a Gmail email account can leave a review, which means most clients don’t have to bother setting up a user account for their voice to be heard.
- Google+ has a feature that helps highlight information about local businesses in search results pages. By creating a Google+ page and adding your address, phone number, business hours, website, etc., you’re making important information available for Google to highlight in a search results page. Check out this example when I search “coffee shops near me.”
Now imagine that a local contractor searches “Insulation wholesale near me.” If you have added all that useful information to your Google+ page, that contractor could potentially see IDI at the top of their results page, along with a map pointing to your location and a 5-star rating. Doesn’t that sound like something you would want a potential client to see?
By setting up a Google+ page for your small business, you are increasing the chances that a potential client will be able to find you faster. Talk about saving time and money!
How to get started
The first step in setting up a Google+ page is to claim your business. Simply searching for your business is an easy way to start this process.
For example, I’ve searched for “idi insulation atlanta.” To the right of the search results page is where we want to focus our attention. Through the process of creating a Google+ page, we will be helping Google verify and add information to this section. To start the process, you’ll need to click “Own this business?” and follow the verification steps it details. This verification will be different depending on the information Google has and needs, but they will provide step-by-step instructions.
Once you’ve verified your ownership, you can start adding information, like business hours, and start requesting reviews from your clients.
For no money and very little time, you can give your small company an advantage by simply following these steps. By putting your local IDI branch on Google+, not only are you putting yourself ahead of the competition, you’re also placing your business in front of potential clients. Good luck and let us know how it goes! If you have any questions, comments, or ideas for future blog posts, please email us at [email protected].