Start of Journey:
In former times, we were unable to get the basic details & locations of shops, restaurants & other businesses online. The crucial thing is that anybody can’t get results for any local stores around them. Google put an end to this problem by creating a panel to display the basic details of all stores including “near me” search. Through this you could easily get info of the stores, restaurants in the name of Google My Business which totally reduces the complexity faced earlier by us.
Introduction:
Google My Business(GMB) was introduced in the year 2014 which replaces the older version of Google Local Business(2004). GMB provides all the information about the business like name, address & website in a single box called Knowledge Panel where people will get all the required details pertaining to their search. Google Maps, launched in the year 2005 March which acted as a roadmap to give directions to all locations like a blueprint. After that Google fixed some departments, through that it collected information & location of businesses, education places, entertainment venues, service centers and so, for providing correct details to search(s).
Knowledge Panel:
Google Maps:
People View:
People welcomed the google business details along with maps and used it for their needs but in a less efficient manner. Later with technological advancement & smartphones generation, people tend to use more by installing the mobile application of Google My Business. GMB helped the business persons to update all their details & created easy way for customers to access it which benefited both.
Limitations:
Trends changed to limited portions in all the fields instead of large volume. The expectation is too high for getting better results. Hence Google decides to give the limited results in the package based upon the ranking of the business. From 2004 to 2014 Google expose the 7 pack result which is too long and only top 3 are considered by the local audience but remaining 4 are not even considered. After one year, in 2015 search results only displayed top 3 results for all the local searches.
Post Update:
Then marketing methods are changed that not dealing directly with the people rather reflecting business through ad posts for getting huge reach and engagements. Posts are also introduced in GMB in the year 2017 for few business categories. Discounts, offers, services and other major things of the companies shall be created in the post. It may create more awareness about the business among all.
Your Feedback As A Review:
During olden days people don’t have many chances to display their feedback because of more hesitations to comment about the business and services. This situation has changed and feedback can be put on Google (Google Review) make more comfortable to show our opinion. Reviews are interconnected with GMB to help others to know about the business before getting into it.
(p.s)Always analyze the review without believing it blindly.
This stat shows how GMB is used efficiently from the start to present:
88% – consumers searches for the local business on mobile devices.
46% – consumers search the local information in google.
12% – Daily search volume for local information in google.
85% – Consumers trust the online reviews.
73% – Positive reviews make the consumers to prefer local business.
15% – Consumers don’t trust the online review.
70% – Conversion rate for the local business.
50% – Consumers visiting the shop on the same day when they find it.
25% – 3 stars to a 5 stars Rating delivers business with huge clicks.
49% – Consumers expecting 4 stars rating before choosing the business.
74% – Consumers contact the business depends on others reviews.
In INDIA there are about 4,200,000 websites but only 5% of them are using the GMB post.
GMB will have new updates for giving satisfied and exact results for the local search audiences to keep them in a right track. The journey continues until the last search appears.
References:
1. https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/local-consumer-review-survey/
2. https://searchengineland.com
