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Attention brick & mortar owners using a Google Maps account. Your account could potentially be the strongest source of free Google Maps Leads. Lets find out how?
Google Maps today
Google Maps has changed the way we navigate the world. Other than just helping us get from point A to B, this powerful platform revolutionized how we interact with a map. Innovatively, it provides users with dozens of functions and information to take daily decisions based on personal preferences and behaviors.
Google continues to innovate and improve its Maps and is by far the best map tool available in the world. It is super convenient to use and provides real-time information better than any other platform. More than a billion users go on Google Maps a month, and a large portion of them use it for something we all do. To figure out where we are going to spend our money.
If you are not using Google maps to find a great place to dine you might be missing out. I can’t count how many times I used Google maps to find a good place based on photos and reviews. There is a big chance you have used it several times, and based on recommendation alone you have chosen where to stay or dine.
My little Vietnam story
On this family get away my dad decided to take my brother and I on an off-road motorbike adventure. In 2017 he took us to Vietnam and organized motorbikes for a 12-day trip in the North. There were a few funny stories and accidents along the way, which I would have loved to speak more about. But the one relevant to this article is very much worth sharing more than the rest.
Towards the end of the trip, we were on the road and needed to find a place to stay for the night. We couldn’t really book ahead because bookings in remote places were not easy to make because of reception and the language barrier. So, we usually arrived at a place and searched for vacant hotels or guesthouses. There never seemed to be a problem with this method and places usually had many rooms available.
Long story short, sometimes we used Google Maps to find the best rated hotels and restaurants. Although we couldn’t understand much of the review messages, the App was a great guide to the good places. But one time we got it horribly wrong.
We were out 3 hours from the nearest town in the middle of a place some would describe as nowhere. However, we seen little hats and paths here and there, so we felt some sort of comfort. We were heading for a hotel which seemed very nice based on the photos, and the opening hours and information seemed legit. There was no website or other link to a booking system. But that was typical.
After a couple of unexpected stops and near calls, we got to the place at 10pm and to our surprise it was abandoned. The pool photo which caught my attention now was a rubbish pit with mold. The beach style apartments were empty, dark with broken windows and graffitied walls. And then at the perfect time, it started to storm.
I will never forget the wet cold trip back to the nearest hotel. After I left a one-star review and a warning that the place is permanently closed. I will never forget this trip, and I will never forget Google Maps.
The unaware Google Maps losers
There is a pot of Gold in Google Maps which will enhance your customer’s experience. Google Maps tells you where to find better places, how you can get there, and what you should expect to pay. It is technically a navigator, free local guide and assistant at the same time.
On the other side it opens organic lead opportunities to business owners who put some effort into their account. After a decade of using Google Maps, I probably made hundreds of purchasing decisions based on it. And businesses that put little to no effort into their account didn’t earn my money.
Sometimes business owners oversee the massive potential of Google Maps. It’s a shame because they are losing customers, handing them over to their competitors. Also negatively impacting their SEO and website ranking on Google Search Engine.
You can improve your account using our Google Maps Checklist which you can download from this page.
The proactive Google Maps winners
Google Maps is not competitive as you might think, many businesses that should focus on this platform don’t, and that leaves room for others to thrive. The businesses who have a better Google Maps account give a clear message to their customers, that they are legit, relatively better, more proactive and easier to contact.
The businesses that leverage Google Maps get into a habit of regularly updating and improving their account. This can be done by asking customers for reviews, uploading photos or videos from business activities and updating changes in the description. Putting effort into Google Maps Account should be done regularly. The better it looks and feels the more customers will turn up at the doorstep.
Some businesses heavily depend on Google Maps to attract leads which can also be a negative outcome. It is important to diversify how your business generates leads as Google Maps is a dynamic environment and changes to its algorithm may reduce lead generation results. It is always recommended to build your Google Maps account in parallel with other marketing strategies.
Get Google Maps Leads! Follow our Checklist
There is more information in our Google Maps 2022 Checklist But here is the basic must do’s to improve your Google Maps Account.
- Make sure your website is mobile friendly, if it’s not already
- Create local citations with other providers in Australia (Bing, Facebook, Yahoo, Apple Maps) Make sure that your listings have identical business name, address and phone number.
- Ensure your business address, working hours and contact details on your website are exactly the same on google maps.
- Complete all relevant information in your Google My Business Account.
- Upload quality pictures of your business.
Why is your Google Maps leads critical for the future?
Google Maps is constantly evolving and improving its tools. Its future dominance is unlikely to be replaced in the coming years, and therefore business should invest in their Google Maps Account. Especially considering Google continues to improve its platform, like the following features that are scheduled to be implemented this year.
- Easier navigation system – a smart intuitive indoor directional option for shopping malls and large buildings. Soon you will be able to find shops within shopping centers using the app. This new feature will help you navigate stairways, corridors and even use elevators.
- Smart recommendations – Soon Google Maps will be more intuitive, giving you recommendations based on the current time. For example, the App will show you more cafes and breakfast locations in the morning instead of restaurants which are more popular at night. The App will also learn to display places based on your own preference and convenience.
- Disability assistance – Physically disability will finally be implemented in Google Maps navigation system. This will help people with wheelchairs to find accessible routes outdoors and indoors based on the facilities available.
We release Google Maps Guideline updates every year with tips and tricks to improve your ranking. Subscribe to our email list if you want to stay updated and not lose the battle for ranking on Google Maps.
