It’s always fascinating to see how small business owners decide where to allocate their limited marketing budgets. Often, a mix of flashy gimmicks, persuasive salespeople, and industry pressure leads them to spend significant portions of their budget on underperforming advertising tactics. The frustrating part? Many of these same business owners overlook highly effective, low-cost, and even free marketing opportunities that could deliver a far better return on investment.
In this series, we are diving into five completely free tools that small business owners should be utilizing before spending a single dollar on paid advertising.
Google Business Profile: A Secret Weapon for Local SEO
The first and most important tool in this lineup is Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business.
You might be thinking, “I already have a Google Business Profile, and I keep my hours and contact information up to date.” That’s great! But if you’re not fully optimizing every feature, you’re leaving potential customers and revenue on the table.
What is Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows businesses to manage their presence across Google Search and Google Maps. When people search for businesses in your industry, a well-optimized GBP can help your company rank higher and stand out from competitors.
A key advantage of GBP is that it gives potential customers instant access to essential business information without them needing to visit your website. Imagine someone searching for a nearby coffee shop—an updated GBP with recent photos, glowing customer reviews, and accurate hours will outperform a competitor whose profile is incomplete or outdated.
Optimizing Your Profile for Maximum Visibility
A well-optimized GBP is more than just a listing. Make sure your business information is always accurate. Google rewards businesses that maintain complete profiles, so taking a few extra minutes to ensure everything is up to date can give you an edge over competitors who neglect these details.
Regular updates and promotions also make a big difference. Restaurants can share daily specials, retail stores can highlight new products, and service providers can announce seasonal offers. Posting frequently signals to Google that your business is active and relevant.
Building Trust Through Customer Interaction
Customer reviews are one of the most powerful tools within GBP. Encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews and responding to them, whether positive or negative, shows that you value feedback. Acknowledging a glowing review strengthens customer loyalty, while professionally addressing complaints can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
The Q&A section is another overlooked feature. Many businesses don’t check this, but responding to common customer questions proactively can prevent unnecessary calls and improve the customer experience.
Leveraging Photos, Videos, and Insights
High-quality photos and videos boost engagement. A boutique can showcase its latest collections, a restaurant can highlight its best dishes, and a gym can show off its equipment. Google prioritizes businesses that frequently update their profiles with fresh visuals, helping to maintain visibility.
GBP also provides insights and analytics that help business owners refine their strategies. Seeing which search terms bring in traffic and tracking customer actions can inform future marketing efforts.
Some Business Owners Need Help Managing GBP
Even though GBP is easy to use, some business owners don’t have the time or knowledge to optimize it fully. That’s where Shorecraft comes in. We ensure that GBP profiles stay updated, customer reviews get responses, and businesses utilize every available feature.
Final Thoughts & What’s Next
If you’re serious about growing your business online, optimizing your Google Business Profile should be your first step. Before spending money on ads, make sure you’re fully leveraging this free tool to boost visibility and increase customer engagement.
Up next in this series: Mailchimp and how email marketing can drive real business growth!
