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Branded Short URLs for Your Local Google My Business Page
Overview
Google has now expanded their branded short URLs for Google My Business (GMB) to the public. Their public mention is directly within their updated Marketing with Google promotion. It’s incredibly user-friendly.
For how to create yours, Google has an easy help center post explaining it all.
Quick Localmn Example
Ours is simply g.page/localmn, or for you, g.page/[Your Company Name] . I did try to get the often-wanted 3-letter profile as in LMN, but Google requires that your ending is 5 or more characters. So, localmn it is. This shortened profile does entice me to improve my GMB info with increased info, more branded photos, offers, etc.
Easy Steps to Create Yours on a Laptop
- Sign into your GMB account
- Click the Info button in the left navigation
- Scroll down to the @ sign, click + or edit
- Create your shortened Google Page URL
Google’s Dominance of your GMB URL and profile
As mentioned in our recent Google Local Marketing Kit post:
The best (or worst) part of it is that Google owns all the data. Yep, they still own the local search content you provide. For this, they even own the analytics although they show you an overview in your GMB panel. I only imagine that they use all of this to help calculate your overall authority in the results, and indirectly, your rankings in the local 3-pack.
Localmn Google Local Marketing Kit Post
If you want to use Google shortened GMB profiles for your link building purposes, it’s just not your best bet. Google owns it. If using them for indirect SEO results, awareness, branding, and overall users to your local business, organization, or area of interest, this can be a can’t-miss opportunity. Whether this is for you, only you can make your best decision.
For you marketers who specialize in national retailers with a ton of local stores, this could be a benefit for you as well in your @[your company name] strategies. Each location needs to have a unique @ name.
Somewhat of a side note – From a writer in different portals, for the last 3-4 years I have almost exclusively linked local businesses to their GMB page instead of their own website. Maybe, now visually showing these shortened URLs will become well-known enough to gain mainstream trust. I suppose only time will tell.
Initially, I really like shortened GMB URLs for certain businesses, organizations, and local areas of interest. What are your thoughts? Compelling, or is Google just trying to own the Internet? Comments are more than welcome!
New Google Local Marketing Kit for the Summer of 2019
Google has taken another step to take your local marketing efforts easier and more streamlined this 2019 Summer with their new local marketing kit. This ties in nicely in your Google My Business (GMB) profile.
Create custom posters, social posts, and more from reviews and highlights on your Business Profile on Google. All for free.
From the new Google Marketing Kit
In addition, it provides video and promotion options.
This Google-provided video is currently pretty cheesy, yet gives options including easily embedding the YouTube video within your content such as this blog. As of yet, I don’t know if you can customize this.
Another new opportunity is pre-made (social) Google Posts. They also give you the option to share these on social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, plus a downloading option for you to share wherever in your content you feel relevant.
The current examples they seem to have are a bit generic, but I see them useful for filler Google Posts. My mind may change tomorrow, although I don’t see these as useful for Facebook and Twitter. I’d rather see updates that tell more of a story. But maybe that’s just me. Example:
If you’re a restaurant, hotel, or any other business prone to potential positive reviews, this is certainly worth filler posts.
At an enterprise level with multiple listings, this opportunity is a must with proper management. For stand alone local businesses, I have a couple reservations.
The best (or worst) part of it is that Google owns all the data. Yep, they still own the local search content you provide. For this, they even own the analytics although they show you an overview in your GMB panel. I only imagine that they use all of this to help calculate your overall authority in the results, and indirectly, your rankings in the local 3-pack.
Google does get info for these based on both content you provide in your own free Google My Business (GMB) profile combined with ratings or your organization.
I was a huge fan of the Small Thanks with Google Site that gave you free posters to showcase the positive things customers say about you, but the site’s now down. There’s no redirect and is now just a broken 404 page. The above-mentioned Google local marketing kit seems to be the replacement along with the other opportunities.
Google has a pretty strict policy regarding obtaining user reviews, and a lot of fantastic articles have been written regarding this. In a nutshell, soliciting positive reviews is bad. Reminding people they can leave honest reviews is good. Google is now showcasing the latter with new window decals.
Have you or your company/organization used the Google Local Marketing kit yet? We’d love to hear your experiences!
Local businesses can now reply to Google Maps reviews via desktop
Local business owners have been waiting for the ability to respond to user-reviews via laptop, per Search Engine Land.
It makes sense for business owners to relish this. As mobile savvy as they are, they may not want to reply to reviews on a phone due to personal perception, or are just used to working on a laptop during the work day. Using a laptop for these are (per Google) now an official option and it takes just seconds.
Right now, I immediately think of Minneapolis/St. Paul area businesses such as restaurants, bars, laws firms, hospitality, and other service-based businesses who may receive Google reviews up over once a day. No matter where, you can most likely view the same or more.
There are many through experience who have enough clout with Google that they take our responses, plus photos and anything else Google My Business (GMB) on the spot. For many others, it does take a few days at least. I do not know how immediately these replies take to go live. My guess is either on the spot or within a day.
If you’re a local business or organization you can reply to business reviews whether you’re signed in to GMB or not. If not, here are the steps.
- Google your businesses/organization name
- Click on “Google reviews” on your GMB listing/local box
- You’ll see a reply button for reviews. Reply
If you’re in your GMB profile.
- Click “reviews” in the left panel
- You’ll see a reply button for reviews. Reply
That’s it! You’ve now replied to a local business review, of course we hope in a positive and compelling way. Happy replying!
Replying to Reviews on Desktop
7 Tips to Enhance 360° and Still Photos for Google My Business (GMB) Profiles
If you’re new to Street View photography to enhance your Local Search (local SEO) chops, there are some good ways to embrace this and learn while enhancing Google My Business (GMB) profiles. Seriously! If you’ve already mastered this, hopefully this will give you some additional insights. Here are 7 tips to improve your Google My Business (GMB) Street-View and virtual tour (VT) photography skills.
- Practice, practice, practice. If you’re just starting you need 50 Google published 360° Street View photos. Once you’ve done this, it can take a good month or so to be added to their Street View For Hire page. Here’s the app for you to get started.
- Keep your clients informed from the start. The more knowledge they have benefits everyone. Whether it’s for interior VTs for showcasing navigation inside their location, or external 360° photos to imply directions to them helps them determine their strategy.
- Remember the sun. This seems obvious, but a bright sun can reduce photo quality no matter what camera you use. I recently had a great exterior view towards the south. It was noon and had to delete the 360° because I couldn’t escape the bright rays.
- Charge up beforehand. If you’re using a Ricoh Theta V or similar 360° camera, the battery can run low fast if you’re taking a lot of photos… at least in a Minnesota winter. It’s always a good idea to bring a laptop and external charger to charge both your 360° camera and smartphone. This has saved me more than once.
- For stills, don’t be afraid of Portrait mode. As much as I absolutely despise iStocky type photos, focusing in front while blurring the background can work if it’s obvious that the photos taken are real and of the location. Example:
Real Optometry Instruments at a Local Clinic
- Add descriptions to each still photo. The photos themselves can be very compelling, but adding a description can help you tell a story for them, or imply directions and specific entrances to a building.
- Transfer photo rights! This is a selling point for me. Just like any business or organization should 100% own their website, they should also own their GMB photos. Example:
Partial Screenshot of a 360 photo showing ODG as the owner
The photo name still comes up as myself, although the important photo credit belongs to ODG.
Thoughts? Comment here or let us know via Facebook or Twitter!
LocalMN provides Google trusted Street View photography as well as local search consulting and implementation. Contact us to learn more.
We’re Now Google Trusted Verified!
In addition and to compliment our Google Street View Trusted Photography status, we’re also now a Google Trusted Verifier.
Google My Business (GMB)
This makes your time more valuable by having someone come out to immediately verify your business to GMB, take photos and 360° virtual tours, consult you with Google Posts, GMB Insights. So often, people will set up their GMB correctly and adequately, although don’t take full advantage of this free tool for you DIYers. For agencies, we’re looking to add this to your mix for local search services.
When we come out to visit your Twin Cities location, we come with these ready-to-use icons, literally right on the Google Pixel 2:
We forté in being flexible. If you just need GMB verification, we do this. If you need verification plus setup, photos, 360° Virtual Tours, Google Posts insights, and overall GMB consulting, we also do this, and we do it well.
4-hour consultations for you and your business (at your location) are available for this and is definitely time well spent. From there, you can decide to hire us on a more permanent level or go your own way with the confidence to DIY.
Side note: This is proudly available for physical businesses and organizations in Minnesota. Transportation expenses outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area TBD. We are Minnesota.
Contact us Minnesota, and lets get verified! Skål!
What Permissions Your Local Search Company Should Have and Should Not Have
Just like you should absolutely own your own website, you should also own all of your properties that have anything to do with Local Search. There are many properties different companies use in web builders, Google Accounts and social media platforms. We’ll stick with 3. WordPress, Google My Business and Google Analytics.
It’s kind of hard to believe, but there are companies with deceptive sales tactics that allow you to have your site back once the relationship ends, but in chunks leaving it up to you to piece it back together. You’ll want to make sure that if you ever leave a company or agency, you have your site back full and intact. With WordPress, sites are pretty much built that way by default.
First, just make sure you have a signed NDA to ensure you own all your web properties once the business relationship ends for whatever reason.
In WordPress, your web company can have different permissions. When the site is built for you, the company would need administrative permissions (status). Admissions status is also recommended for monthly and quarterly stats so your web company can continue with customized reports and actions. If you’re set with everything when it’s initially set up, you may want to think of giving them Editor status.
Notice there are other permissions. You may want to inquire with your company what others are suitable.
Google Properties make it really easy to add you to accounts. Although not needed, it’s even easier if you have your own Google Account which includes a custom gmail address determined by you.
Google My Business (GMB) is your local search hub. You most likely have a profile whether you created one or not and you can find out by simply Googling your name. If you haven’t claimed your profile, you can start right here. Once the profile is completed you can add your hours of operation, write Google Posts, add photos and even an up-to-30 second video, and many of these 8 things you may not have known you can do.
Once your GMB is set up, your web or local search company should eventually have Manager status. You’re the owner and should have Owner status. Manager status still lets your local search company perform functions and reports you need.
In Google Analytics, it’s important that your local search company produces anywhere from overview to highly-detailed reports for you including recommendations. It’s also important for you to have access to at least the Read & Analyze level so you can access almost any data set you choose. Talk to your company to help determine which access you should have and this is all under User Management category in the Property settings. When you’re done working with the company for whatever reason, any reputable company will switch your access to administrative so you own complete control of it.
There are many other sites that local search professionals use, although these 3 are flagship-type portals that you need to know your status, and the status of your web company. Let us know in the comments of sites or tools you use or local search company uses which gives you full control.
LocalMN Interactive is a full, local web company including local search, responsive web design, UX, search marketing and Google Certified Street View Photography. Contact us with any questions about our customized services.
Local Search Marketing Predictions for 2018
2018 may be the most opportunistic year ever for local search. With Google leading the way and users and vertical markets working aside or within Google, the user experience promises the possibility to be both high in quantity and quality.
Voice Search
I’m putting Voice Search in right away because it involves probably everything below, local or not. This is changing search fast and companies are busy figuring out how to capture the market.
Here’s a real-time example. I would like to see Soul Asylum play tonight at the First Avenue, mostly because a neighbor or mine won an audition an earned a spot to play bass for them tonight. Yes. Really! I don’t want to miss that! A voice search gave me the Google My Business profile. It has the hours correct tonight as it does close publicly at 7:30 in time for the sold-out 8:00 show. When you tap on Directions, you will get an Uber and Lyft option which will be convenient when the temp is supposed to be below 0.
Score “1” for Voice Search. Just one of many ways this changes all types of search, in this case Local just a bit.
Google My Business (GMB)
In 2017, Google was keeping busy pushing to Claim businesses in Google My Business, and then features within like Google Posts, Local Services Ads and Websites.
In 2018 Google will focus more on continuous new features in Google My Business and push both new and current features. Following these alone can keep professionals pretty busy.
Google Posts
Google Posts grows in 2018, but grows slowly. It was released in June, 2017 to be shown in branded searches and quietly used by few. They can be very informative for end-users and cover more valuable search result space for the branded company name. The Posts provide interest to click and learn more about events, newsletters, new offerings or any other thing relevant to the company. However, Search professionals have been weary of this all. Google owns the content provided and doesn’t pass any direct SEO Love to links that pass through.
Local Services Ads
In a simpler word, Ad. Google pushes this hard in 2018. This is how Google makes money. Originally Home Services Ads, they rebranded it to include and imply Local. Companies won’t be looking at it based on their favorite keywords, but by the quality of leads. Local Service Ads do have a prominent, thin listing up top on both desktop and mobile. Google’s currently pushing it hard enough that even companies that don’t have the “Google Guaranteed” badge sometime appear, most likely because not every industry has enough participants yet. Right now, there are a very limited number of industries this is offered to. Look for this to expand, and expand greatly to cover industries like legal, landscaping and other industries to where people compare companies.
Currently, all three of these companies are probably busy right now with the arctic chill Minnesota is having. Plus, maybe Google is banking on being listed next to Google Guaranteed listings will have some automatic trust.
Google Websites
They’re nice, they’re free (unless you get a customized domain – recommended), it’s almost built for you in GMB. They also show maps, custom photos, fill-in-the-blank hours of operation. With that said, don’t look for this go grow in 2018. At least, not in the U.S. This is certainly meant to help Google, and that’s fine. In my view, they can have the data. Google Websites are probably best for businesses who are just looking for a 1-page brochure about their business.
Other Opportunities
Real-Time Transit
Real-Time Transit
Google will either develop or buy a company who can provide real-time transit in 2018. Both Uber and Lyft obviously have this, and Metro Transit MN just came out with this feature on a mobile app or their website as well. I’ll bring up the arctic chill again. When a bus is late, this feature makes it handy by not having to stand outside quite as long when it’s really cold. The concept fits in perfectly for usability, placing inside the Directions and Bus tab in Google Maps.
Local Guides Grows and Grows
2018 promises to be a big year for Google Local Guides. For Google, they get data. The Local Guides at Connect are passionate and happily contribute photos, reviews and knowledge to Google and GMB. Just look at the 2017 World-Wide Food Crawl Meet-Up. Main incentives for Local Guides aren’t rankings-based. Rather it’s points and levels obtained-based, sometimes meaning perks provided by Google. The other incentives are really satisfaction-based to bring positive awareness to make local communities better. Google knows and appreciates this all, and they even provide a yearly Local Guides Summit.
Ratings and Reviews
Google cleverly builds on reviews in 2018 while Yelp confuses people. While Yelp is telling us to absolutely not solicit reviews but go ahead, Google just goes on and removes paid reviews. And now, it’s also against Google’s guidelines for ex-employees to leave negative reviews. With that said, Google highly encourages honest reviews. Albeit often indirectly, they highly encourage them. Here’s one way they do this and also reach your customers online and in person.
Local Guides now get extra points if their Google reviews are 200 characters or more. Perhaps this increases the level of quality and reduces the number of 5-Star ratings with no reviews below it for the purpose of gaining points only.
Reputation management companies have been around for years to encourage reviews and consulting when negative reviews happen, just to mention a couple services. There are good companies who offer this and have become trusted because of it. Some companies like Get Five Stars go further by developing more of a comprehensive platform. It’s built to acquire customer feedback, encourage online reviews and other features mentioned above. I see services like these all growing in 2018, albeit mostly with companies who already have a head start. It’s a growing and demanding opportunity, but also a comprehensive one.
Local Videos and 360 Photos
DIY or Pay Professionals?
2017 may have been the year of making more videos. 2018 will be the year of making more videos, smarter.
DIY video can certainly be done on the cheap. Have a smartphone, tripod or monopod, lapel mic, iMovie app, and you can make an adequate one… or not. Companies may start with going the DIY route because it is rather inexpensive. Many of them afterwards will go towards independent companies, or agencies who specialize in videos.
2018 will be a really good opportunity for independent videographers. They know everything about video strategy and creation, as well as being search savvy. Some are confident enough to provide you free tips as well. Here’s Erica from Puke Rainbows on 2018 Video Marketing Trends to watch for.
360 Degree and Street View Photography
Street View photography will certainly grow in both supply and demand in 2018. Per Google Street View:
Listings with photos and a virtual tour are twice as likely to generate interest.
To become a Google Trusted photographer for this is a trial and error process. There are a number out there, coming from backgrounds from photography to marketing. Right now 360 photos for businesses are somewhere between the “this is really cool” stage and “this is really useful for our customers” stage.
Conclusion
Only time will tell how accurate my predictions will be. I suppose another post will come at the end of 2018 to see. What do you think? Am I spot on for these or am I out of my tree?
LocalMN Interactive provides Local Marketing services and we are beyond excited and very confident to see what comes in store for 2018. Let’s get together! We look forward to customize a local search strategy customized just for you. Skol!
Google My Business in the Kraus-Anderson Block
Two months ago, I wrote about Google Maps in Elliot Park. It was a #mspwalk and then blog post inspired by a coffee chat I had with Dan Collison, Director of so-many-things Minneapolis at Moose & Sadie’s. He mentioned and implied how Downtown East and Elliot Park (East Town) was growing and he’s right, more than I could have imagined! It’s really positioned well for it.
On the west edge of Elliot Park and East Town, Kraus-Anderson (KA) is in the middle of re-developing an urban city block which features their new HQ that opened in October, luxury high-rise apartment, a Marriott, Finnegan’s new digs among others.
What’s interesting isn’t that they’re building a square block, but where they’re building it. It’s technically in Elliot Park which was one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Minneapolis 150 years ago. Now, it’s starting to become gentrified to bring back some of the old charm and prestige to the combination of Elliot Park brownstones to the modern Minneapolis skyline view. It’s a block away from the skyway system, and quick walks to both the Downtown West neighborhood and East Town, home of U.S. Bank Stadium.
So far, the Kraus-Anderson block has their headquarters, Finnegans, HQ Apartments, and the Elliot Hotel, a Marriott upscale Autograph Collection either completed or under construction. All of these should benefit from quality Google Maps information including their respective, fully-populated Google My Business (GMB) pages.
The Google Maps cars should be kept fairly busy in the near future as well as opportunities for Certified Google Trusted Street-View photographers to help fulfill Google My Business pages with quality photos.
Voice Search for HQ Apartments
With products like Google Home and Google Assistant, the use of voice search is continuing to rise, and rise quickly. To the left is a voice search for the new HQ Apartments on the block.
You then have the options to tap the bottom options or anywhere up top which takes you to their respective Google My Business page. There, you have more of the same options plus the ability to see all photos, ratings and reviews and anything else that HQ or the public decides to populate in the HQ Apartments GMB page.
The mixed-used block is something that can at least help bring vibrant and tech-savvy consumers to the area. In addition to KA headquarters, here’s a bit about the mixed-use block and their post regarding the block’s components.
*The KA headquarters is the first completed component of the master-planned, mixed use block development in the vibrant Elliot Park neighborhood of East Town Minneapolis.
*Source – KA Block Update: November-December 2017
US Bank Stadium is arguably the anchor of the East Town neighborhood with businesses, organizations and areas of interest being built or already present around it. The area’s easy to get to by car, bus, pedestrian and bike, but is probably easiest via the Light Rail as the US Bank Stadium station holds both the Blue and Green Line trains.
In addition, nearby blocks are often vibrant as local destinations. Here are a few GMB pages full of ratings and reviews, photos, directions and other items that uniquely fit in them.
- Portland Tower
- Hyatt Place
- The Armory (newly renovated)
- Tavern333
- Hen House Eatery
Note – Three of the above are in the Downtown West neighborhood. Between this and the Kraus-Anderson block being short and easy access to both I94 and I35, their block could be in a perfect location and local destination. This development of urban city blocks in Minneapolis isn’t the first, but it’s certainly not the last, either.
Setting your Google My Business Hours for Thanksgiving
Fast, easy, painless, and it literally takes 5 minutes or less. It’s surprising how many local businesses do not take the time to change their Thanksgiving hours of operation in Google, but understandable. Many may just not realize how easy it is, or maybe don’t do it because they don’t want to have to remember to set the hours back after the holiday. Straight from Google,
Set special hours
For days when your business has an irregular schedule, like holidays or special events, you can enter special hours in advance. If you schedule special hours, your regular hours remain in place for all other days.
They make it really easy to let you know and guide you as well. Here’s an email I recently received.
Click “Go to my holiday hours” (or go to your Google My Business account), follow a few easy steps including the ones below to confirm and you’re done.
The best part, the hours automatically revert back to normal after Thanksgiving. No worrying about remembering to set the hours back.
Questions? Ask away! We’re more than happy to help.