Having a solid working knowledge of Google and Google My Business can be a tremendous asset to you and your business. As you may already know, Google My Business is a free offering that allows you to claim a listing for your company, service or business. This listing includes information such as what type of business you are, contact information, and hours of operation.
What has proven to be one of the single most important pieces of information you can put into your GMB listing is your location. This may seem like simple common sense to most people but it’s actually critical as it relates to the concepts of proximity, local proximity, and search result rankings.
Proximity Simplified
It can be all too easy to get overwhelmed and bogged down in the technical jargon of digital marketing. What you really need to know about proximity is simple and straightforward. Proximity in the world of GMB refers to how geographically close your business is to the user who is searching for it.
For instance, if you are sitting at home and decide to search for a lawyer near you, the listings of law firms and attorneys that are within the closest physical distance to you are going to show up at the top of the results. The resulting law firms that are closest in proximity will also show-up in the map pack.
Appearing in the map pack gives you an even greater chance of being selected by your potential customer. Making sure you have accurate location information in your listing will ensure you show up higher in local rankings in relevant searches done by potential customers or clients in your area.
Importance of Proximity
As touched on previously, proximity is one of the most important concepts in the world of Google and Google My Business listings. In fact, in 2020, it is one of the top 3 factors businesses should take into consideration when trying to improve their local search result rankings.
It all makes perfect sense. Users are much more likely to seek-out the services of a business that is closest to them than one that is far away. Put yourself in the shoes of the consumer. If you have to choose between two businesses of equal value, do you choose the one that is closest to you or furthest away? More times than not, it will be the one closest. So the moral of the story is to make sure your business listing has up-to-date and accurate location information. Proximity should be on the top of your priority list when it comes to local SEO and winning in your local rankings.
What to Do with All This Information
So now that you have all of this information about Google My Business and proximity, you need to know what to do with it. The most important thing you can do is use it. Put it into action.
When you claim your GMB listing, you have the power to make it work for you. If you want to move up in your local law firm Google My Business rankings, make sure all of your law firm’s location information is complete and accurate. Not only that, but go the extra mile and ensure your firm’s other information such as hours of operation and types of law practiced are included. The more information, the better.
All of the tools you need to succeed are at your fingertips. GMB and local proximity are the most powerful assets you have to drive potential customers and clients to your webpage. It’s up to you to make sure you use it to the fullest of its capabilities.
