Google My Business (GMB) is definitely a must-have when it comes to operating a business at any level, but there’s also a level of strategy that needs to be considered when doing so. There is really no end to how strategic you want to work GMB into your digital marketing plans for 2020, especially with voice search optimisation now a major player. So, ready player one? Let’s start with the basics to get you thinking on the right track.

Claim it

Every business that operates offline or online should have a Google My Business listing. We say ‘should’, because, more surprisingly, you will find that more than a quarter of local businesses are yet to be claimed. A Google study in 2016 told us that 56% of local retailers haven’t claimed their Google My Business (GMB) listing. By 2019, this number would drop, but not drastically as you’d expect.

If you’re local, you’re definitely going to want to be seen in those map listings that appear in Google search.
It’s important to note that if your business is claimed, it will look well-maintained. Updated information, great photos, accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) etc.

If it is not claimed, it may not even appear in a local search. If your business does pop-up in the search engine, like in our example, but you haven’t claimed it, it will say at the bottom of the map listing ‘’claim this business’. You’ll then be redirected to the Google My Business page to get started.

#TIP

Check first.

Google search your business name and see if it appears right of screen like in the example below. As you can see, the business name has been entered in the search bar, and if your digital marketing is managed well, your search should look something like the image below.

Mapping & NAP

Note that on the Cutri & Co. Barber Shop example, the information provided should be consistent with all web domains, social media accounts and e-commerce sites representing the brand. By keeping everything the same, Google will award you points, and this can improve your web ranking. The critical information of your business is known as the NAP (Name, Address, Phone) and coupled with Google reviews, will preference your business amongst local competitors when a generic search takes place.

Example in this case, if you were to search ‘’Barber Rozelle’’, the business example should appear in the top 3 recommendations, if not the overall number 1 top pick by Google matching with your search.
As you can see, this has been achieved by the marketers in this screen-grab below.

Mapping is much the same to NAP. Google Maps tend to be the preferred navigation option to consumers. If your information isn’t updated regularly, this can effect your overall web ranking and mapping visibility to Google. As Google are constantly doing changes to improve functionality, not to mention keeping up with all the changes to roads/traffic conditions, you will be solely responsible for maintaining this aspect, and advising Google of changes to your business listing and any factors that may hinder a consumer reaching you & your services.

Need help with your Google My Business (GMB) strategy in 2019?

Reach out to us at GYA today for your complimentary consultation and free GMB audit.

• A real breakdown on how Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) works.
• What you can do to navigate heavy fees from agencies.
• Most importantly, learn to compete as businesses begin the race to leverage Voice Engine Optimisation (VEO) in 2019.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

SEO embodies techniques, tools and strategy that allows the information you publish on your website to be discovered, improving and maximising reach. Your web content is later ranked against similar websites on search engines like Google, Yahoo!, Bing etc.
Keywords and phrases are the bread & butter to SEO, and this works cohesively with your webpage content.

Example:
Google search Chiropractor Leichhardt, and you’ll more than likely see the first 3-5 or more results all displaying the commodity & location you searched in a blue page title link. These keywords can also been seen in the text below the title. Adding related keywords & phrases to your content such as; Back-pain, Sharp Pains, Best Chiropractor Sydney, help immensely. Makes sense right?

By implementing the above, you have a greater chance of driving people to your website to check out your information & content.

The Digital Farmer’s Market

If you’re new to the marketing world, or well-immersed in it already, chances are you’ve heard somebody coin the term “Organic growth”.

Organic growth in the marketing world is a win by most standards. Essentially, the aim of the game is to make your web content easy to find and search friendly for your core target market.

The reasoning behind the organic term is to simply imply that you’re “discovered” and “found” by the customer, as opposed to something more direct, like an Ad Pop-up window jumping across your page.

As you’re by now aware, ironically, there is nothing really organic & natural about this process. It’s also very well reported and analysed by teams to change strategies accordingly.

Head’s Up!

For the record, you can make a report do anything you want if you have an agenda. Unfortunately, this tends to be the case for most agencies that aren’t invested in your long term goals.

We’ll tell you what signs to look for in a sec, but first, let’s breakdown what SEO embodies and encompasses.

Why You Need Great Content & Creditability To Succeed With SEO in 2019

The cool kid threw all the parties because he wanted to be popular, and so do you, right?! Well, maybe not you, but your business certainly does if it wants to survive in a competitive market.

Your website ranking is tallied by search engines when websites provide links to your page and your website as a whole.
To companies like Google, links from external websites are considered a vote of confidence in usefulness & relevancy to your content.

Shared links from highly reputable websites have far more pull than lesser known sites. Typically, the more links you gain from reputable websites, the better your website will rank.

Heads Up!

A great way to leverage the “cool kid” theory is to approach a business dissimilar to yours, find something to offer their customers they cannot, (while keeping it relevant to their brand) agree to a cross promotional marketing event or tactic at a low cost to your business to maximise the return on investment, (ROI) and support each other via the digital channels you operate in the lead-up, during, and post-period to the partnered strategy.

Content is KING.

If you aren’t invested in your online content, you will lose in the marketplace.

Content has become so pivotal to your product, now more than ever in 2019. Heavy discounting, supply chain conglomerates, overnight shipping etc, are just a few of the reasons why you need your brand to standout and be reputable amongst your core demographics.

Social Media Optimisation (SMO) is now one of the most powerful platforms to embody a SEO strategy. It’s important to consider SMO when formulating your SEO plan for 2019-2020.

Create a lifestyle for your brand, know your target market, and when implementing SEO tactics for your business, remember to humanise your approach as much as possible without coming across lazy.

When looking for the right strategy to boost your online traffic it’s important to be realistic, open-minded and importantly, creative. No two strategies will ever be the same if marketing team are doing the good correctly.

Tell us how you would like to Generate Your Audience?

You Can’t Measure Effort But You Can Measure PPC

PPC is a great indication, not only that you’re meeting deliverables and KPI’s, but it’s pretty easy to read & evaluate if your content, campaign, or communication sucks.

How Much Is PPC Advertising?

The actual pricing of PPC can be called CPC — Cost Per Click. CPC is what you pay, however it’s no set-rate, it can vary depending on who you’re advertising with, what you’re advertising for, and how in-demand the advertising space is.

The average spend of your CPC will be $1-2 USD. It can increase to as much as $50 per click and more. As stated, it depends on the variables mentioned.

Another metric to look at is the Cost per thousand, AKA Cost Per Mille.It’s a marketing term used to denote the price of 1,000 advertisement impressions on one webpage. If a website publisher charges $2.00 CPM, that means an advertiser must pay $2.00 for every 1,000 impressions of its ad.

FACT: Helpful hint to remember the formula; Mille is Italian for 1,000. Grazie Mille = Thanks so much. You’re welcome, Marketeers!

PPC IS TARGETED

PPC is great because it can be as targeted as you like. Create ad-words based on your audience, their location, sex, hobbies, language, age, interests, keywords, even their device type.

It enables you to more accurately measure what’s actually engaging your audience and what they could care less about.

That’s not all.
As 98% of initial traffic doesn’t buy your services or product, you get the opportunity to display another ad to that customer who wasn’t impressed the first time round. This is called re-marketing. It’s surprisingly efficient and cost effective.

#TIP

A handy webpage to use is called crazyegg.com
Crazy Egg allows you to truly see what you’re audience is clicking by using their heat map technology. It also gives you insight into where your audience starts and stops scrolling throughout your webpage.

The great thing about PPC is that you start seeing definitive ROI almost straight away. It can take a few attempts to get your content right, but why waste time and money when you can have the team at GYA do it for you?

Let’s Generate Your Audience with PPC.