by Jake Ramer and Diane Lovine
Dipa Gandhi, GBP Gold Product Expert Featured on “Voices of Search” Podcast
Dipa is the Director of Search Engine Optimization at 99 Calls. She brings a unique background as a biologist-turned-SEO Analyst, earning the esteemed title of “Google Business Profile Gold Product Expert” earlier this year. With over 12 years of SEO expertise at 99 Calls, she has empowered numerous small businesses by optimizing websites, enhancing organic visibility, and maximizing leads through effective listings management and social media strategies.
Voices of Search Podcast
Voices of Search is a podcast that provides timely updates and expert analysis of search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing. Hosted by Searchmetrics’ CEO, Jordan Koene and broadcasted from the heart of Silicon Valley, the podcast provides actionable insights into leveraging data amidst the evolving landscapes shaped by industry leaders like Google, Apple, and other key players in search technology.
The Episode
In this episode released on June 27, 2024, Dipa discusses all aspects related to optimizing a Google Business Profile (GBP). She highlights the benefits and strategies of leveraging Google Business Profile (GBP) for service area businesses.
Dipa begins by highlighting some of the services that 99 Calls offers to contractor businesses, including GBP support, lead generation campaigns, and customized marketing programs like email nurturing and database reactivation services to increase conversions, and facilitate growth.
The Importance of Google Business Profiles
A Google Business Profile is a free tool from Google used to list your business. It helps promote your business online organically. You include your business name, details, hours of operation, services, and you can add photos, videos, and of course, get five star reviews from your customers. It’s great for keeping your business up to date and ranking organically.
The goal is essentially to show up when people search for the local service you offer in your local area. For example, a plumber in San Diego. Ideally as a local plumber you’d want to show up in the maps section as one of the primary business profiles in that area.
Verification has changed; the process to become verified is stringent. They use your profile information to show your business. Most new listings are now being required to complete video verification. Our team has written a few pieces of material on this new process.
Dipa Explained How to Optimize a GBP
Key pieces of information you want to include on your profile are your category, which explains the primary services you provide. Included any additional services and categories you offer.
- Do not stuff your business title with keywords. This is a massive mistake many owners make. It should match your business title as registered with your state.
- It helps to link your GBP to a professional SEO website. You want the website to be accurate and not redirect to any other type of site that Google may consider to be spam.
- Google now has a feature that indicates if you are 100% optimized on your profile.
- Regularly adding high-quality photos and videos are key to a well-performing, highly-ranking Google Business Profile.
- Remember to add special deals and promotions to increase conversions.
- Send the link to your GBP to satisfied customers after completing each job. In order to compete, you’ve got to have lots of five-star reviews.
Importance of Getting High-Quality Reviews:
- The reviews update from Google in 2023 says that not only do the number of reviews matter, but also the types of reviews matter. This combats spam and scam reviews that many businesses have gotten away with in the past.
- Five star reviews with no comment do not help nearly as much as having reviews with keywords relating to the job offered. Receiving large numbers of reviews at one time could trigger Google to suspect spam reviews.
- Respond to all reviews you receive, positive or negative.
Why GBPs Get Suspended
There are multiple reasons why and how Google might flag, suspend or restrict your profile. Google is very strict with their policies. And the policies have become more transparent in recent years.
Google also does what is called a soft suspension. Your profile might be visible but your clients cannot leave reviews for your business. If you get a full suspension your business won’t show or rank at all in the list of local businesses.
Having a duplicate profile, having more than one profile in the same area for the same business, and making frequent changes can all trigger a suspension.
Consequences of Not Optimizing your GBP
A profile that is not fully optimized might diminish results. More significantly, a suspension would negatively impact your business.
As a contractor or local business owner, if you don’t have time to check the profile weekly, reply to reviews weekly and monitor it, you’re better off paying to have it professionally managed.
Podcast Takeaways
“If you are a busy business, I’d strongly suggest hiring someone. If anything happens for whatever reason, you have a team of people to help.”
This quote stood out to us because even if running your own GBP seems simple, making changes to your profile, dealing with a suspension and understanding Google’s frequent policy changes all take time and vigilance.
If you’d like to hear Jordan’s interview with Dipa, click here.