Merry Christmas 🎄 We're out of the office from 20th December 2024 to 6th January 2025.
Probably more so for local business owners in a place like Tasmania, one of the most powerful (and underrated)Â tools you have for improving your visibility online is your Google Business Profile (GBP) - formerly known as Google My Business profile.
Often overlooked in favour of social media, Google Business Profile is an important listing for your business and importantly, it's also free.
Whether you’re a café owner in Hobart or a tradesperson in Launceston, optimising your Google Business Profile ultimately ensures that local customers can easily find you when searching for services in their area.
Benefits of optimising your Google Business Profile include:
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most effective strategies to enhance your Google Business Profile and ensure your business is at the top of local searches in Tasmania.
With the above benefits in mind, here's a summary of the best ways to make the most out of your Google Business Profile:
Looking for expert help with optimising your Google Business Profile? Check out our Reviews & Listings Management services.
One of the simplest yet most critical aspects of optimising your Google Business Profile is ensuring that your business details are always accurate and up-to-date.
This includes elements of your business such as:
Inconsistencies across platforms can confuse customers and hurt your local SEO ranking, as Google values consistency in your online presence.
Additionally, updating your profile with special hours for holidays or temporary closures ensures that customers never show up when your business is closed.
This level of attention to detail not only keeps your profile accurate but also enhances customer trust and satisfaction.
How To Fix This?
You may have heard, here at Wakeford Digital, we've recently partnered with Birdeye - including their Listings AIÂ service, which directly helps address inconsistencies by publishing updates to all listings at one.
Key Takeaway: Local customers rely on accurate business details to make decisions, and keeping your profile updated is a direct signal to Google that your business is reliable and worth showing in local searches.
Your business description is an opportunity to tell potential customers not only who you are - but also what you do.
But more than that, it’s an important space to include local keywords that help your profile rank higher in local searches.
Let's run through an example...
If you run a plumbing service in Hobart, and your description is along the lines of - "AAÂ Plumbing solve all your plumbing needs, while being professional and prompt", while catchy, this doesn't tell potential customers where you are, what you do or what's different.
Instead, including phrases like “plumbing services in Hobart” or “emergency plumber Hobart” in your description can significantly improve your chances of being found when customers search for those terms.
A tip from Wakeford Digital owner Dominic is "Be mindful not to overdo it—stuffing too many keywords can make your description look spammy and in turn put customers off."
He continues, "The goal is to balance useful information with strategic keywords that reflect your services and location."
Key Takeaway: Using localised keywords within your business description helps Google understand the nature of your services and your location, improving your chances of showing up in local search results.
How To Fix This?
Regularly review and optimise your business listing descriptions, starting with Google Business Profile. Identify which local keywords people search for, using a tool or platforms like Google Search Console and implement these, cleverly, into your descriptions.
Optimising for local search can be tricky—ensure your profile stands out with help from our local SEO and listings management experts.
According to Google itself, businesses with photos on their listing profile receive 35% more click-throughs to their websites than businesses without photos - highlighting the important of visual content.
More so in 2024 than ever, photos and videos are a powerful way to engage potential customers and enhance your Google Business Profile.
High-quality photos of your business, products, or services can give potential customers a better sense of what to expect, whether you’re a café showcasing your menu or a retail store highlighting your best-sellers.
Hot tip - businesses that regularly update their profiles with photos and videos tend to see more engagement and higher click-through rates.
Don’t forget, where possible, to geotag your images or include location-specific information in the captions too. This will help Google associate your business with your geographical area, giving you an extra boost in local search rankings.
How To Fix This?
Schedule a day or time in your calendar on a regular basis to add new photos of products, services, locations, you at work - to your respective listing profiles.
Key Takeaway: High-quality, engaging visuals help build trust with potential customers and signal to Google that your business is active and relevant.
One thing we're focussing on the back half of 2024 and beyond is reviews, reviews, reviews...
Customer reviews are a major local ranking factor for Google, but they also build trust with potential customers.
Consider this: you're viewing two dog sitting businesses side by side, one with 3 reviews with the last one being 2 years ago and one with 45 reviews with the last one this month... which are you likely to choose?
The later, of course.
Encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews on your Google Business Profile by sending follow-up emails or offering a quick, easy way to submit feedback.
Most importantly, respond to all reviews—positive or negative—politely and professionally.
Not only does this show excellent customer service, but it also demonstrates that you actively engage with your audience.
Regularly obtaining reviews can improve your local rankings and keep your business top-of-mind for searchers. The more reviews you have, the more trustworthy and established your business looks.
How To Fix This?
Implement a system to collect reviews from customers, particularly for bigger profiles like Google Business Profile. This can be a manual process, like sending a review link in a follow up email, or alternatively automated using a platform like Birdeye.
Key Takeaway: Managing reviews actively improves your local SEO and builds trust with customers, making your business more appealing to search engines and people alike.‍
Need help managing reviews and boosting your local reputation? See how our Reviews & Listings Management service can simplify the process for you.
Many business owners in Tasmania may not know that Google allows you to post updates directly to your Business Profile, which appear in search results when someone views your listing.
These updates can be used to share promotions, upcoming events, new products, or general announcements - as well as specific offers.
Regular posting shows that your business is active, which can positively influence your local ranking.
Posting consistently also gives you more opportunities to engage with your audience. Keep the content relevant to your local community, using offers or promotions that appeal directly to nearby customers. Google rewards businesses that maintain an active presence, and posts are a great way to do just that.
How To Fix This?
Head over to Google Business Profile's post an update area and schedule intervals in your calendar to help keep consistency.
Key Takeaway: Regular updates signal to Google and your customers that your business is active and engaged with the local community, improving both your ranking and relevance.
Optimising your Google Business Profile, using the tips and information above, is one of the most effective ways to boost your local SEO and ensure your business is seen by the right people.
Whether it’s keeping your information up-to-date, using local keywords, leveraging customer reviews, or posting regular updates, each of these strategies plays a vital role in building your online presence and attracting local customers.
Here at Wakeford Digital, we can't stress enough - don’t leave your profile to chance.
If you want expert guidance to make the most out of your Google Business Profile, we're always here to help.
Optimising your Google Business Profile can significantly impact your local search rankings, so don’t wait—get professional help with your listings and reviews management by reaching out to us today - enquire now about our Local SEO Hobart service and let's work to help your business grow.
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