Master Google My Business for Customers: Supercharge Your Local Presence

 Google My Business Ads

Google my business with a graph

In the world of local businesses, particularly boutique ones, Google My Business emerges as a revolutionary force in attracting customers. Were you aware that interweaving it with Google Ads can significantly increase its influence?

Fusing these elements confers formidable advantages:

Targeted Cartographic adverts: Display adverts directly on Google Maps, putting your business in front of potential customers looking for similar businesses in the area.

Augmented Prominence: Your Google My Business profile is enhanced, increasing the likelihood that people will discover your business online.

Economical Outreach: Target clients when they are looking for regional alternatives, allowing you to maximize your advertising budget.

Why the hesitation?

While the combination looks to be perfect, keep in mind that its successful implementation necessitates significant time and effort. Here is the objective:

Optimization of your profile:

Benefits of Linking Google My Business with Ads

Find out what benefits you can get by linking your Google My Business and Google accounts.

1. You can display ads on Google Maps and Search

By smoothly combining Google My Business and Google Ads, you gain the opportunity to display localized search ads.

This advertising, placed carefully on Google Maps and Google Search, has a particular benefit. 

When visitors plan a store visit and look for store-related information, your ad takes primacy over competing places. This prioritized visibility effectively involves users in the decision-making process for store visits.

2. How to add address information 

In the process of posting a listing advertisement, you gain the capability to showcase pertinent details such as the address, map, and more alongside the ad.

Select the provided address to seamlessly switch to Google Maps and review details on Google My Business. This streamlined process eliminates the hassle of searching for information like directions to the store, potentially boosting the rate of store visits.

Moreover, this practice is anticipated to broaden the space allocated on the search screen for displaying advertisements, resulting in an enhanced click-through rate.

3. Store visit conversion can be measured

Store visit conversions can be measured by examining users who physically visited the store after seeing adverts. 

Store visit conversion tracking determines whether a person signed into a Google account results in an actual store visit after interacting with an ad—whether by watching, clicking, or engaging with a store-related advertisement.

This measurement of store visit conversions serves as a valuable tool, offering insights into the cost-effectiveness of advertising efforts and facilitating the optimization of automatic bidding strategies.

Engaging in this technique becomes a critical undertaking for improving the overall cost-effectiveness of campaigns targeted at increasing store visits via Google Ads.

4.  Store location information

Based on the registered address in Google My Business and the user's location search, advertisements will display information deemed highly impactful. Google, in its optimization process, showcases stores with a high likelihood of attracting visitors, leading to anticipations of enhanced advertising outcomes.

1. Register Google My Business

To establish a connection with Google Ads, it is imperative to complete Google My Business registration.

While certain functions within the linking process remain accessible without completing business owner authentication, opting for owner authentication offers distinct advantages.

Authentication empowers the management and updating of information on Google My Business, ultimately amplifying the effectiveness of Google advertising.

2. Confirmation of owner authentication

Subsequently, it's crucial to verify whether business owner authentication has been successfully completed. 

The authentication of Google My Business ownership is a prerequisite for measuring store visit conversions. For a comprehensive guide on the flow of owner authentication within Google My Business, please consult the following reference: 

Verify your local business on Google | Google My Business Help.

3. Set your address display options

Next, set the address display options.

Address extensions are ad extensions for Google Ads. From the Google Ads management screen, you can set the address display option and link with Google My Business.

To link, select the Google My Business account you manage. If you have another administrator, you can work with them by requesting account access.

4. Advertise on local search keywords

When creating Google search ads, the ads are automatically generated when you have completed Google My Business registration and included address display options.

Ads showcasing Google My Business details are presented for keywords related to searching for store information. If you are presently engaged in search advertising, it is advisable to verify whether the search keywords you are utilizing encompass details about the name of your business location.

This is crucial as users commonly include such information when searching for store details. Additionally, assess if regional keywords are incorporated and, if deemed necessary, include them in your ad content.

Points to note when linking ads with Google My Business

When integrating Google My Business with Google Ads, consider the following points:

1. Ad Delivery via Google My Business: Ad distribution associated with Google My Business doesn't operate with a distinct ad menu. Instead, it is facilitated by configuring the address display option within standard listing ads.

2. Address Display Option: The address display option, embedded within the menu, enhances the impact of regular listing advertisements, constituting what is referred to as an advertisement display option. Therefore, when initiating ad distribution linked to Google My Business, it's imperative to recognize the necessity of concurrent distribution of standard listing advertisements.

3. Budget Limitations: It's crucial to note that custom budget allocation is not feasible in this context. Awareness of this limitation is essential, treating it as a conventional advertising option and managing strategies accordingly.

By acknowledging these considerations, you can navigate the integration effectively, ensuring a cohesive approach to ad distribution linked with Google My Business within the framework of standard listing ads.

Google Ads report settings 

To gauge the efficacy of advertising connected to Google My Business through Google Ads, it is imperative to configure Google Ads reports. Follow these steps to assess the impact:

1. Access Google Ads Management Screen: Log in to the Google Ads platform and navigate to the management screen.

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3. Select Relevant Campaign or Ad Group: Identify and choose the pertinent campaign or ad group for which you want to evaluate the linked ads with Google My Business.

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5. Check the Number of Ads Posted: Within the selected campaign or ad group, examine the number of ads posted through the integration with Google My Business for each click type.

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7. Access "Click Type" in the Report: In the Google Ads management screen, locate and select the "Click type" option within the reporting section.

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9. Measure the following Figures: Evaluate the results by measuring the relevant figures associated with the clicked types. This includes metrics such as clicks, impressions, and other performance indicators specific to the click types linked to Google My Business.

By adhering to this reporting process, you gain comprehensive insights into the performance and effectiveness of your Google My Business-linked advertisements within the specified campaign or ad group.

Manage your Google My Business listing

Effective management of the content on Google My Business is imperative for successful advertising integration with Google Ads.

When Google My Business is linked with Google Ads, the information available on Google My Business becomes visible. Inaccurate or unappealing information on Google My Business can result in missed opportunities despite the integration of advertising efforts.

To ensure optimal results when linking Google Ads and Google My Business, it is crucial to actively manage and curate the information posted on the Google My Business platform.

By doing so, you guarantee the provision of useful and compelling information to users, thereby maximizing the impact of your advertising endeavors.

Remember, the synergy between Google Ads and Google My Business relies on accurate and attractive content, making proactive management of the latter an essential component of a successful online advertising strategy.

Disadvantages of using a Google Business Profile

The Google Business Profile offers a seemingly advantageous free service, yet it's essential to recognize potential drawbacks. Registering and neglecting the profile may bring forth disadvantages, underscoring the importance of understanding these drawbacks in advance.

1. Obligation to Keep Updated:

2. Upon establishing a Google Business Profile, regular updates become imperative. Delayed updates and the display of outdated information can instill unease in customers.

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4. For instance, if event details haven't been refreshed for two years, patrons might question the establishment's current status. Frequent updates are particularly critical in competitive areas to secure a prominent display in the Google Business Profile.

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6. Risk of Negative Reviews:

7. The platform enables users to provide ratings and reviews, both positive and negative. It's noteworthy that even without owner registration, Google may list a business, exposing it to potential negative feedback.

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9. When faced with negative reviews, leveraging the response feature on your Google Business Profile is essential. Addressing users' concerns with tactful responses not only mitigates the impact but also shapes a more favorable impression for other users who come across unfavorable reviews.

In summary, while the Google Business Profile presents numerous benefits, proactive management is crucial. Regular updates and adept handling of reviews are integral components in ensuring a positive and dynamic online presence for your business.

6 Basic Features You Should Leverage on Your Google Business Profile

From here, we will specifically explain what you can do with a Google Business Profile and how to set it up.

The six main basic functions are:

1. Register basic information
2. Post function
3. Photo/Video
4. Word-of-mouth function
5. Insight function
6. Listing of products and services

Register basic information

　You can register your store information in your Google Business Profile.

▼Basic information that can be registered

• Store name
• Business Information
• Category
• Address, service area
• Business hours, phone number
• Website
• Menu
• Attributes (information such as Wi-Fi, power, accessibility, payment methods, etc.)
• Opening date
• Photo/Video

Providing as much information as possible will help customers choose your store.
Provision of information
Post function

There are 5 main types of posts on Google Business Profiles:

1. Add perks
2. Add product
3. Add the latest information
4. Add event
5. COVID-19 updates

Currently, I would like to focus on posting the latest information on COVID-19.

I think the measures at the store are changing according to the daily situation, so let's post each time something changes.

Photo/Video

Google Business Profiles allow owners and users to post photos and videos.

The following seven types of photos and videos can be registered. Choosing the appropriate category for your photos and posting them will lead to higher rankings.

• 360: Add street view and panorama photos
• Video: Video that can be played back for up to 30 seconds
• Inside the store: Photos showing the atmosphere of the store
• Appearance: Photos of the exterior to help people find your store
• Products: Photos of products that may be of interest
• Team: Photos of store managers and staff
• ID information: cover photo, profile, store logo and icon

If you edit the "Owner" column, you can post the latest information (events, new menus, etc.) from shops and companies with photos.

Summary

By linking Google My Business and Google Ads, it is possible to place advertisements at the time when users are collecting store information, and it is possible to increase the effect of promoting store visits.