If you’re a business owner, you know that Google My Business is a big part of your marketing campaign. If you use it correctly, it can help to drive business right to your door. Your Google My Business listing includes information like:
- Your business name
- Address
- Phone number
- Hours
- Website info
- Business Photos
- Map of your location
The best part is that it’s a free service! Once you verify your Google My Business account, you can change the information on the listing and update it as needed. But, if you don’t use it correctly or keep it updated, it can do you a disservice by giving people the wrong information. People find this annoying and will be less likely to visit your business over the competition that has accurate information listed.
How do you now if your Google My Business listing is working for you? That’s where Google My Business Insights come in.
What are Google My Business Insights?
Think of Google My Business Insights as your behind-the-scenes look at how your listing is performing. The information available through Google My Business Insights will let you know how people are interacting with your listing and what’s working and what’s not. Google defines insights as information that “focuses on how customers find your listing on search and maps, and what they do after they find it.” You can find the GMB Insights panel inside your GMB dashboard.
What types of information can I get from Google My Business Insights?
Google My Business Insights is useful because it gives you information like:
- The number of views your listing had
- How and where people found your listing
- What people did with your listing
Through Google My Business Insights, you can find out how people searched your business. Did they do a direct search for your business name or did they do a discovery search of “x businesses nearby”?
You’ll also be able to tell if people used a traditional Google search to find you or if they found you using Google maps. Once people found you, what did they do? This piece of information you get through Google My Business Insights will let you know what people did specifically with your listing.
- Did they visit your website?
- Did they ask for directions?
- Did they make a call?
- Did they initiate a message or chat?
All of this can help you see how your Google My Business listing is performing and what actions people are taking the most. If people are not calling you or visiting your website, you know there’s work to do in those departments.
Photos & Google My Business Insights
Google My Business Insights can also give you information about whether people are looking at the photos in your listing and how your photos compare with other similar businesses. You can also see how many photos customers are uploading about your businesses versus how many photos you’re posting. You’ll want to check the photos that are others are posting to make sure they are accurate.
Other Information Available Through Google My Business Insights
Google My Business Insights can also give you information about when your listing is getting the most traffic. This can be helpful when scheduling posts on your site. If you know when people are more likely to visit your site, you can be sure to have new and compelling information ready for them.
What words did people use when searching for your business? Google My Business Insights can let you know that as well what your business is known for. It will sift through reviews and share the sentiment that people are expressing about your business. This can be helpful in letting you know whether your business is coming across the way you’d like it.
Subjective and Objective Attributes in Google My Business Insights
Within Google My Business Insights there are also subjective and objective attributes. The attributes are short statements that can help searchers decide if your business is one that they are looking for.
An objective attribute is one that the business owner can control while a subjective attribute is more user-based. It is based on opinion and is under the control of answers users submit on Google Maps.
You always want to monitor subjective attributes because users can also make suggestions regarding your business. You want to know what they’re saying and if their suggestions are accurate.
Are there Limitations to Google My Business Insights?
Yes, there are limitations. The data you get through Google My Business is limited to a 90-day period while some insights are limited to just one month.
If you own a business with more than one location you need to download the information for each individual location. There are brand management software programs available that can help you manage all location data without having to download each one individually.
What do I do with the information gathered through Google My Business Insights?
Google My Business Insights are great learning tools. They let you know what’s working and what’s not. When you see things that are not working, that’s a sign that you need to improve your local search engine optimization (SEO) strategies and pay more attention to your Google My Business listing. You need to make sure you’re using the right keywords, responding to reviews, and that your listing is accurate. Information you get from your Google My Business Insights can also give you an indication of whether you need to improve your social media presence.
All of this information put together can help to make your business more successful. At Portside Marketing, we specialize in SEO and local marketing tactics. We know the strategies you need to make your business more visible. We can help you manage your Google My Business listing or even create one for you. Through the information gathered through Google My Business Insights, we can help you improve your listing. Call us today at (972) 979-9316 and let us help you with your Google My Business listing and search engine optimization.
