Over the years, digital marketing has transformed business marketing. In Singapore, where 93% of the population is now online, businesses have shifted their focus to local search engine optimization (SEO) to gain more visibility. Previously, most marketers focused on high ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs), but this has changed.
A recent survey shows that 82% of smartphone users made a ‘near me’ query on their devices. What’s more, 72% of prospective customers who did a local search ended up visiting the store. These numbers highlight the importance of local search in digital marketing.
This shift in marketing dynamics has boosted the value of Google My Business optimization in digital marketing. The 2020 BrightLocal’s annual local search industry survey says Google My Business optimization is the most valuable local marketing service.
How do these findings affect your search engine optimization Singapore strategy? This post explores the value of Google My Business optimization to help you harness this tool for your local business marketing. According to the latest information from SEO Agency Leeds, more than 56% of businesses have not yet claimed their Google my business listing.
An Overview of Google My Business optimization
Over the last decade, search queries on Google have changed. Today, most of Google’s searches have local intent. This means more people are now looking for local products and services near their locations. As a business owner, you have to adapt your marketing strategy to leverage this trend in SERPs.
Google My Business (GMB) is one of the most powerful tools for your local SEO Singapore campaign. This is the top local business listing platform powered by the dominant search engine company. GMB listings give your local business more visibility through higher ranking on local SERPs.
Your business information appears higher than that of the competition which gives you the edge in the market. By listing through Google My Business, you’ll make it easier for anyone searching your business name or any target keywords to find you fast.
The listing also allows you to include other details about your business, including opening hours, description, location, image and map. The search results will thus appear with a picture and a map pointing out your location.
Other details included in the search results include contact information, opening hours, and customer reviews. The top three optimized GMB listings appear at the very top of the result page. This means you can boost visibility to all customers carrying out local searches related to your business or keywords.
Your target customers will see all your business’ operating information before any other search results or without clicking on any link. It is an incredible way to attract local customers to your store. If you want to work with an SEO agency Singapore for your local SEO campaign, make sure they include Google My Business optimization in their strategy.
Why Google My Business Optimization is Valuable
The research by BrightLocal compared services provided by local marketers, including GMB optimization, SEO audits/analysis, citation management, on-site optimization, and reporting/analytics. GMB optimization emerged as the most frequently offered service in local SEO.
Local businesses have discovered the importance of local search. For your business to rank highly on local search results, GMB is an invaluable tool in your marketing strategy. Every reliable search engine marketing agency will thus have GMB among its top list of services.
Another reason more local marketers offer GBM optimization is because of the mobile resolution. More people are now using mobile to go online and shop. Many local searches come through mobile and listing on GMB helps you reach these mobile users.
Some of the other reasons GMB optimization has gained prominence in local SEO include:
- High ROI: Google My Business is one of the most invaluable tools in your SEO suite, yet it is free. You can boost your online visibility, increase sales conversion, and revenue generation without paying a dime.
- Increased engagement: Every local business in the country wants to engage with its customers. However, there’s a lot of clutter online and this information overload can confuse consumers. Through GMB listing, it’s easier to engage with target customers, help them find you through business location and maps, contact information, and images. You can chat with customers through Google Hangouts and provide timely feedback.
- Boost your local business visibility: There’s stiff competition in every industry and you need to look for more innovative strategies to get noticed. GMB listing improves search visibility and gives you an edge over the competition.
- Complement your SEO efforts: GMB listing works seamlessly with other SEO efforts such as link building, content marketing, and social media marketing.
- Gain customer insight: You have access to a wealth of analytics through the Insights tab on Google My Business. The data you get will boost your marketing strategy and aid in decision making.
Final Thoughts
Ready to take your business to the next level? If so, your focus should be on local SEO because more online searches have local intent. Google My Business (GMB) has emerged as an invaluable tool in the digital marketing landscape. Through GMB optimization, you can boost the visibility of your local business, build a competitive edge in your niche and improve revenue generation by attracting more local customers.
