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08/26/2019

What is Google My Business? 

By Andy Patel & Maggie Horn of K3 Marketing

Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool designed for Pest Control companies to manage their brand on Google Search and Maps. GMB provides a simple way for customers to contact you in real-time. Customers can call, get directions or visit your website in one click. If you don't have a Google My Business listing, your competitors probably do, which means you are missing out on potential leads.

As an owner, you need control over your brand’s image, especially online. Google My Business is the easiest way to manage your online presence across multiple platforms. Utilizing this free tool can help build SEO credibility and increase organic page rank. Businesses who consistently contribute relevant, original content to their website, listing, or blog have seen an impact on SEO page rank.

Benefits

There are many features to help you interact with customers who need pest control services. Google My Business allows you to update information such as hours, description, and service areas on Google. Easily add pictures, create posts, receive direct messages, and respond to reviews. In addition to providing your company's information, GMB offers extensive features for customer engagement including:

  • Reviews
  • Pictures
  • Posts
  • Insights

One of the greatest benefits of GMB is customer reviews. Research suggests 84 percent of people trust online reviews almost as much as word of mouth referrals. GMB allows customers to rate and review your business. It's important to respond to reviews as they come in, positive or negative. Most companies experience a negative review at some point and customers typically understand. How you handle a negative review is critical to how future clients may perceive your customer service.

Pictures and posts can help people feel more comfortable before hiring your company. They can be informational, used to promote new services or just an update on your company. Photos can be anything related to your business such as:

  • Logo
  • Staff
  • Marked vehicles
  • Interior and exterior photos of the office
  • Recent projects
Setting Up Your Listing

Before you set up a listing, do a quick search on Google Maps to see if your Pest Control company is already listed. Some clients find they already have a listing even though it was not set up by the business. This is common, both customers and businesses can create account listings. In this scenario, you will need to claim the existing listing. To set up or claim a listing, go to business.gooogle.com and log in using your preferred Google account. You can set up your listing online in a few easy steps.

To set up or claim a listing,

  1. Go to www.business.google.com and sign in using your Google account.
  2. You will be prompted to enter the business name and information.
  3. If you see your business on the drop-down menu, simply click the listing and confirm the profile information.
  4. If your business is not on the list, continue to fill in the information required to create your listing.
  5. Verify the listing via phone or mail.
Verification

Before the listing is published, you need to verify your affiliation to the business. This can be done via phone or USPS mail to a physical address. Unfortunately, P.O. Boxes are not allowed to be used for the business address. However, you may set a service area and verify using a personal address. Once your account is verified, you can make changes and optimize the listing. We recommend filling in as much information as possible, requesting reviews, and posting consistently.

Insights

Once your listing is published on Google Maps, you can see insights on how customers interact with your listing through the dashboard. You can track what queries were used to find your business as well as a breakdown of calls, directions, website clicks, and photo views. You can measure the number of times your listing showed up on Google Search and Google Maps. Once your listing has been published for a couple of months, you should have enough data to better predict user behavior.

Google My Business gives customers unprecedented access to connect with companies. It's a valuable tool that helps search engines better understand what your company offers. With all the available features, your brand can stand out and attract the right people searching for your services. If you want your brand to show up on Google, setting up a GMB listing is a great starting place.

Visit www.k3.marketing/pest-wildlife for more information. 

About the Author

AndyAndy Patel is the CEO of K-3 Marketing, an internet marketing firm located in Atlanta, GA. Working directly with Google, Andy has the "art" of internet marketing down to a science. Since 2005, K3 Marketing has helped many Pest Control companies attract qualified visitors and convert them into leads. For more information or to schedule a review of your Google My Business listing, email Andy Patel at andy@k3.marketing or call 678-379-7316.

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