San Diego businesses still use their websites as digital storefronts. That’s fine. A website can be a nice entry point into a local business. But how many business owners know they have access to a second, and arguably more important, storefront via the Google Business Profile?
In the heated competition for local customers, how companies take advantage of two specific tools usually determines who wins. Those tools are Google Maps and Google’s localized Map Pack. Both are fueled by information found in the Google Business Profile.
Given that Google dominates the search space, it is not a smart idea to treat the business profile as a static Yellow Pages listing. Entering business information, dropping in a logo, and then forgetting about it equates to wasting a resource that could otherwise do tremendous things for a local business.
Search Engines Are Changing
As a top San Diego SEO company, Pixsan recommends active Google Business Profile engagement because they know that search engines are changing. Local search algorithms have undergone a major evolution just within the last couple of years. Rather than only evaluating proximity and relevance, the latest algorithms also track things like real-time interaction prominence. A company’s business profile plays into that.
If you own a San Diego business and your Google Business Profile sits idle for just a couple of weeks, your company’s visibility will drop significantly. If you’ve never bothered to establish a profile, forget about visibility altogether. Securing a top spot on Google Maps or the Map Pack requires proving that your business is still active and relevant. You do that through profile engagement.
The 30-Day Danger Zone
Let’s assume you or your San Diego SEO company has already established a Google Business Profile. The Google ecosystem prioritizes real-time accuracy and authenticity. So if your profile goes over 30 days without an update, Google algorithms are increasingly more likely to classify the listing as stale or unmonitored.
A stale classification leads to profile decay. That decay directly impacts local visibility – and not in a good way. For purposes of illustration, imagine a high-intent customer searching for your services in downtown San Diego using a smartphone. Google automatically prioritizes active and freshly maintained content over content that is several weeks old.
The information in your profile is content Google considers during local searches. So if it’s stale, it is automatically lower on Google’s priority list. Google Maps and the Map Pack will rank more active businesses higher than yours. Here’s the kicker: there are only three spots to be had. The companies in those three spots will get the lion’s share of the traffic.
What Constitutes High-Impact Profile Engagement
The need for high-impact profile engagement is clear. The big question is this: what does it look like? High-impact engagement really boils down to three things:
1. Monthly Photo Uploads
Google algorithms look for real, unedited photos pertaining to your business. The photos can be of your team, your physical location, recent projects, or anything relevant.
2. Weekly Post Updates
Utilize Google Posts as a microblogging channel. Post regularly, at least once a week, to keep customers abreast of company news, promotions, helpful tips, and more.
3. Updated Attributes
Finally, regularly audit and expand the localized attributes in your profile. These are things like accessibility features and operational highlights. Detailed attributes contribute to Google’s conversational layers to match your business with users running hyper-specific queries.
A top San Diego SEO company can help you maximize your Google Business Profile with regular engagement. Whether you hire a partner or do it yourself, just make sure regular engagement is part of your ongoing marketing strategy.