Google My Business is a free and often overlooked opportunity for hotels to gain more search engine visibility. In this episode, we look at 8 thinks that you can Do Right Now to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
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SHOW NOTES
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Claim Your Business & Verify!
- Claiming and verifying your GMB listing can be advantageous for your property
- Local SEO: Greatly enhances your search presence.
- Reach new guests; builds confidence in guests to book with your property.
- Your listing points back to your site/social profiles
- You must verify your account before it can show in Search, Maps, and other Google services
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Make Sure the Knowledge Panel Is Displaying the Correct Information
- Your GMB listing is like the front door to your business, all of the information (phone #, website URL, address, etc.) should be accurate.
- If not, make these changes ASAP
- You can also manage the services/amenities your property offers (pools, restaurant, non-smoking, etc.).
- All of this info should match universally
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Answer Questions Asked by Searchers/Potential Guests
- Humanizes your business and gives you the opportunity to interact with potential guests.
- Frequently check your listing for questions.
- Respond promptly, professionally
- Avoid generic “yes” or “no” answers
- Also a good way of dropping a valuable keyword or two into your listing.
- You can even upvote questions for more visibility.
- Note: ANYONE can answer a question on your listing, this is why you need you should be frequently checking your listing.
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Create Your Own Custom FAQ List Within Your Q&A Section
- Get ahead by answering the questions you receive the most from guests.
- Makes life easier for potential guests and makes less work for you (win, win!)
- Still, it’s best practice to manually check your listing for unanswered questions frequently.
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Encourage Guests to Leave Reviews
- 68% of people left a review after a local business asked them to (Bright Local, 2017). The odds are in your favor!
- Upon guest checkout; Email remarketing; Social media; Subtle prompts in rooms
- Online reviews can impact search rankings (Guests love reviews → SERPs love reviews).
- If they leave a review, leave a response; it shows that you place value in your guests’ input.
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Add High Quality Photos and Video to Your Listing
- Give potential guests an inside look at your property.
- Showcase what makes your property unique.
- Select a Preferred Photo: this will display next to your business name on Google Maps and search. However, it’s not a guarantee that Google will use this photo.
- Stay away from using logos as a preferred image
- Choose high quality images: exterior photos, room interiors, amenities, images of employees assisting guests, food and drink, etc.
- Room Interior Images: these can be make or break for potential guests. Use well-lit, wide angle shots.
- Optimize your photos for SEO: file name & alt tags
- No keyword stuffing
- Note: Guests can also post photos
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Message Directly with Potential Guests
- Text with searchers through SMS or a messaging app to directly answer questions.
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Claim Your Bing Places for Business, Too!
- You can now import your Google My Business information to your Bing Places for Business
The Things to Avoid
- Follow Google’s guidelines so you don’t get penalized.
- Multiple listings for the same location
- Keyword stuffing
- Using the wrong address
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In The Newsaroos
Google Tests Hotel Search Filters Using Highlight Icons
https://www.seroundtable.com/google-hotel-search-filters-using-highlight-icons-25948.html
Google Adwords Changing to Google Ads
https://searchengineland.com/google-is-retiring-the-adwords-doubleclick-brands-in-a-major-rebranding-aimed-at-simplification-301073
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