Five Ways to Excel with Google My Business
When a prospect googles “roofing near me,” their first point of contact is likely your Google My Business listing. We’re all likely familiar with this system, even if we didn’t know the name. Most businesses today use a Google My Business listing to display contact information, hours, and services. Any company serving their local community should take advantage of this listing today. Most readers will fall into one of three camps here. You either already have this taken care of, are already listed on Google but not taking full advantage, or might not know it exists. Wherever you stand, I hope this issue gives you some guidance on this essential piece of your online presence.
1. Stay on top of it
Your Google My Business listing is a vital part of your interaction with many customers. They will often interact with it before ever calling you or reading your marketing material. It is your first impression and can make or break a potential project early on. This means keeping it updated with accurate hours, location, and a list of your currently offered services. Make it easy for people to find, contact, and work with you. Smoothing things over for the customer early makes everyone’s life easier. Keep this updated as often as necessary.
2. Nail down your reviews
As I mentioned in the first point, reviews are crucial to get right. Customers engage with reviews in different ways. Some may look at the quantity and overall rating, comparing you with similar options. Metal roofing is a significant purchase, so many are likely to read reviews in-depth to get a sense of your company and the kind of work you put out. What are they going to find? Disgruntled customers with leaking roofs and a middling overall rating? Or will they see an overwhelmingly positive opinion and find peace of mind? This doesn’t mean doctoring your reviews or ignoring negative ones. In short, engage with negative reviews and solve their problems if possible.
3. Look at your competitors
Oscar Wilde said it best: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” If you have highly successful competitors in your area, take a look at their implementation of Google My Business. What sort of pictures are they featuring? Anyone looking at your listing in detail will be influenced by the copy and the images you choose to represent yourself. What are their reviews like, both in quantity and quality? Don’t copy but be inspired by their choices when considering your own profile.
4. Get verified
Like many social media platforms today, being verified on Google My Business affords you several benefits beyond credibility. It’s essential to verify yourself to prevent anyone else from acting as you or representing you on the platform. We all know how important reputation is in this business, and this is a highly public forum. When you’re verified for your business, you claim it as your own and can make changes and act on the site.
5. Photos are vital
Photos are often overlooked in listings. Contractors aren’t known for being professional photographers, but please feature your best pictures and projects on your listing. Visuals are compelling for the client, whether it’s your team (safely) up on the roof or a beautifully finished project. Spend some time picking out only the best here. Depending on where you are on the journey, this may take some time but get this right.
Now that you’ve seen some ways to improve your Google My Business listing, implement them as soon as possible if you haven’t already. Think of every potential Google search happening today or this week that might see your business’s listing, and you’ll see how big an impact you can make. If you don’t know where to start, I strongly recommend using Google’s own guide.
It covers the basics and can help you get to the point where you can begin using Google My Business to its full potential. Don’t waste this opportunity to firmly establish your online presence. Your Google My Business listing is worth getting right, and with more and more people relying on Google to find you, it will only pay off in the long run.
Todd Miller has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.
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