Smartphone penetration in the western world is now averaging around 60% and increasing all the time. Here in the UK the latest figures from Think With Google suggest that close to 70% of UK smartphone users are conducting local mobile searches on a frequent basis, i.e. at least once a month. Not meaning to bore you with more statistics, but that means approximately 27 million people here in the UK are regularly getting their smartphones out of their pockets to look for local businesses and a whopping 75.8% of them are taking some sort of action afterwards. If that’s not enough to convince you about the importance of mobile search for local then here’s more.
Google recently announced that as of 21st April 2015 they would be “expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal”. This effectively means that non-mobile friendly website pages will be penalised and Google will focus on showing relevant pages that offer the user a good mobile experience. If you’re unsure whether you have a mobile friendly website or not then you can use their handy Mobile-Friendly testing tool to check your site.
OK, so that’s the case for mobile and hopefully you’re convinced just how important it is. So where exactly does Google My Business come into play when it comes to mobile search? Well, you’re actually more likely to see a Google My Business listing on mobile before you get to any website. Here are the three main areas where GMB is important:
- Business information
- Branding
- Reputation
Business Information
Let’s take a look at how a local search results looks on desktop and on mobile.
As you can see from the mobile search results on the right you get a map, opening hours and a click to call button, along with a link through to the business website if you feel you want to check that out too. More than 50% of people on mobile will specifically look for opening hours, directions and an address. That results in searchers taking action, with 4 in 10 people calling the business and 45% will actually visiting the business. Which means that having the right phone number and a correct pin marker for your business on the map are vital if you don’t want to be missing calls or sending people to the wrong store. If you claim and verify your Google My Business listing then you can fix any bad data, including phone number, address and opening hours. Here’s a post from Martin to get you started with that.
Branding
Google My Business gives you an opportunity to really showcase your business through mobile search. A good cover photo can speak volumes about what you do especially when coupled with additional photos and a Google Business View, which allows searchers to literally see inside your business and go on a virtual tour. (Click here to see more examples of Google Business Views.) By having a completed listing you are establishing trust with the consumer. You are more likely to be seen as a well-established business and one that knows what they're doing.
Reputation
Getting your business found is one thing but making sure people click on your listings and get in touch with you rather than your competitors is another. Showcasing your business will help but reviews are what can really set you apart. The screenshots a little higher up of the florists here in London show just how much the gold star ratings for the top two really make them standout, especially in mobile search. Over 80% of searchers remember seeing reviews on a completed listing.
In order to keep your business front of mind make sure that one of your primary goals is to get at least five reviews. That will trigger the gold stars to show on your listing and help to make your business stand out from the rest. Remember to ask happy customers to leave a review for you and start putting a link to your Google+ Page in your email signature and newsletter, if you have one.
Bottom Line
Simple really. According to research from Google themselves “businesses with complete listings are twice as likely (PDF) to be considered reputable by customers.” If you want to make sure that searchers have the right contact information for you, that they can find you on Google Maps and that they’ll get in touch because of how you’ve showcased your business and built your reputation then Google My Business is essential for local mobile search success.
The post Local Mobile Search and the Importance of Google My Business appeared first on Plus Your Business.
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