Guest post by Amanda Holliday, 2Ls Marketing
Did you know that 60% of Americans use smartphones and tablets to search for local products and services?  And that number only continues to grow.
As a business, how can you use this to your advantage? This is where your Google My Business listing comes in. Google My Business (GMB) is a listing of your business’ operating information, reviews, posts, and so much more.
Benefits of A Google My Business Listing
  1. It’s free!
  2. Get your business to show up in the local 3 pack
  3. Increased credibility
  4. More reviews = more business
  5. Control, index, and display pertinent business information
  6. Interact with potential customers and manage your online review reputation
  7. Curate customer photos, videos, and other user-generated content
  8. Gather insights regarding how your customers are arriving on your site

How to Optimize Your Listing

Before you can optimize your GMB listing, you first must claim and verify your business. This is simple and easy, and gives you access to all of the features GMB has to offer. To this go to google.com/business and input the basic information (name, address, phone number, website) about your business.
When leveraged correctly, Google My Business can lead to increased sales and improved customer loyalty.
Here are five  steps you need to optimize it in order to utilize Google My Business to make more money for your business.
1. Ensure your information is accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date. This information will be indexed by Google Search and Maps, providing a foundation for your local SEO. Your information should be consistent with what is currently listed on your website. Actually, you need to ensure the information is exactly the same. Inconsistencies in the information will negatively impact your search ranking.
2. Ask for reviews (and then respond to them). Reviews are the lifeblood of local search. 90% of people read reviews before purchasing!
But how do you get reviews from your customers? It’s simple. You ask them! I share more on how to 
3. Add posts to share business updates. Reviews are user-generated content. But what about content you create? That’s where posts come in.
Google opened its post feature to all businesses a couple years ago. This feature allows you to share content about your business in a variety of ways.
4. Track customer paths through Google My Business Insights. As with any marketing tactic, it’s important to measure the impact of your Google My Business listing. Google has built-in tools to help with that.
Google My Business Insights can tell you:
  • How customers are finding your business (direct vs. discovery vs. branded searches)
  • Where on Google your customers are finding your listing (Search vs. Maps)
  • The actions your customers are taking on your listing (Visiting your site, clicking on directions, browsing the photo gallery, calling you)
  • Total phone calls and time when customers are calling
Conclusion
There are many ways customers can find your business, but there is no denying that Google Search is an incredibly powerful gateway to your website. Your customers are looking for you (and your competitors).
Is your digital presence ready?
Google My Business positions your important business information in front of the eyes of potential customers who are looking for your product, service, or experience.
It helps with local SEO, offers a chance to engage with your customers via reviews or posts, and provides useful insights on your customers.
On top of everything, it is a free and valuable tool that you’d be crazy not to use. You need to take control of it today.
How will you optimize your Google My Business listing to generate additional revenue for your business?