BOOSTING YOUR PROFILE WITH GOOGLE
Believe it or not, there is a very common form of advertising that won’t cost you a cent but is highly effective at driving traffic to your website and customers through your door.
No, we aren’t suggesting you throw on a gorilla suit and wave at cars as they pass your dealership. Instead, we are talking about your Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business).
Google Business Profile is a free marketing tool provided by the tech giant, that allows businesses to control and manage the way they appear when someone uses Google’s search engine or map feature. When a prospective customer runs a search, various results will appear, including a list of businesses that offer services matching the user’s enquiry. The relevant Google Business Profiles feature in a prominent position at the top of the search results as well as in an adjacent map.
It is more than likely you already have a Google Business Profile however there are a few tweaks you might be able to make to it to ensure you are getting the most out of it.
MULTI-FRANCHISE VERIFICATION
The first thing you need to do, if you haven’t already, is verify your dealership with Google. This will ensure that your business profile appears in search results and that the location is marked in Google Maps. You can find out how to do this from Google Support or seek assistance from your marketing partner.
If you have multiple dealerships, it is important to verify each location separately as opposed to relying on a single group profile. A new prospect will often want to know where, for example, their closest Toyota dealership is. If you display your group, as opposed to the Toyota franchise profile in their results, the customer may become confused or lack confidence in your ability to meet their needs, and therefore be less inclined to click on your business.
INFO & HOURS
Your Google Business Profile isn’t just a means for sharing your address and phone number with customers already searching for your brand. It’s also an opportunity to reach prospects who have never heard of you. The key to generating new business from this tool is to ensure your profile is fully optimised and constantly updated.
Research has found that web users are 70 per cent more likely to click on a completed Google Business Profile than an incomplete one. This highlights the importance of ensuring your dealership’s profile is up to date with contact and address details, and current opening hours – updated in line with public holidays. It should also be optimised with a description, relevant photos, and reviews.
Google uses this information to determine relevancy and distance when deciding whether to display a business in search results. Completed Google Business Profiles are 2.7 times more likely to stand out meaning they will appear higher in a search.
REVIEWS
As well as helping to optimise your Google Business Profile, your star rating on Google is an important factor when it comes to a customer’s decision to engage you. Google is often a car shopper’s first point of call when deciding which business to contact, and testimonials are the best way to build trust and credibility.
Our recommendation to our clients is to establish post-sale and service processes where you SMS customers a link encouraging them to leave a review on their Google Business Profile. Prize incentives can also be a way to further drive this.
And don’t be concerned about maintaining a constant 5-star rating. Google sees a mixture of positive and negative reviews as being more authentic and credible, so ranks these profiles more highly as a result.
It doesn’t take a lot of time, effort, or money to properly set up your Google Business Profile, however the rewards you will reap from it are considerable. So, why not pack up that monkey suit, sort out your online profile and watch those new customers come rolling in.