Week 9 Part B: Using Google for Business and Creating an Account

 I know that when I am looking for information about a business, Google is the first place I turn! Wether it's looking for a restaurant, a doctor, a body shop, or a therapist I always look at Google first and then dive deeper from there. I definitely see how optimizing a Google Business Profile is vital for transitioning a potential customer to a loyal one. Being able to quickly gather as much information as possible is key. When a company is using Google well you can immediately gauge what their hours, location, and services are while also getting a feel for their customer base and general satisfaction. Being able to get that information in one stop is key for busy people as our collective attention span is pretty short.

I particularly liked a few features of the business profile for small businesses. I think that the keyword suggestions are great, it levels the playing field for people who may not have the time to dive deep to really get to know SEO. I think that the natural integration of Google Maps is particularly helpful for businesses that offer services that are more "on the fly" such as restaurants, car washes, specialty stores, and auto mechanics. Things that people might search as they are driving from one place to another. Google does a great job of identifying places along the already established route people are traveling on Google Maps. 

I can gather that Google rewards businesses that stay active in updating their pages regularly, it is easy to highlight businesses that interact with customers and respond to their queries or feedback. When I was looking at a number of local businesses in Carlsbad I could definitely see the value in maintaining a consistent and active eye on the business' page. I liked to see when organizations were refreshing their pictures often and posting updates or specials. I think if a small business had limited time or expertise with social media it would behoove them to focus on really optimizing their Google profile vs. pouring time and energy into doing a little bit of work on many social media networks. Using their paid features vs. paying to highlight or promote posts across other platforms seems like it would be really cost effective.

I took a look at a number of physical, occupational, and speech therapy businesses local to Carlsbad to see what their Google presence looked like. I noticed that a lot of them left things unanswered in their "question and answer" section on their business profile. This is a particular pet peeve of mine! I often navigate right to this section if I'm looking for a specific piece of information because it is easier to spot and get a quick answer vs. pouring through their actual page. I'm someone who is not afraid to pick up the phone and call a business but I know a lot of millennials Alpha struggle to do this so I think it is a real missed opportunity for businesses to secure a customer by simply answering a usually straight-forward question. I also noticed a few instances where people had feedback about the cleanliness or safety of the facility itself and I think that by leaving those comments not addressed on the public page you can really scare people away.

If I were to use a Google Business Profile for my hypothetical company, A Life Worth Living Recreational Therapy, I would absolutely pay for the professional features Google offers. I would make it a top priority to refresh information and interact with potential customers often! I would take the time to submit beautiful photos that are attractive to folks that may have just stumbled upon my business from a basic Google search. I think especially when you're offering a fairly niche service like mine it is important to focus on clear, concise, OPTIMIZED information for your customers...something Google makes easy.