I’m pretty sure that most people are familiar with Google as a search engine that can easily find answers to all questions (possibly a little ambiguous questions) and of course, to find businesses and products. I know before I do anything, I check with google for the best business for my needs and always check the competitors’ websites. This process is no different for customers searching for your products and/or business.
Google is the most important search engine in the United States, controls over 85% of ALL internet searches. Whether your customers are searching on their desktop, mobile phone, or tablet, Google is most likely the search engine your customers will use.
Did you know that Google has different tools that can assist you in growing your business? In this article, I’m going to discuss three of my ‘must-have’ Google tools in my marketing efforts.
- Google My Business
I’m a huge fan of Google My Business for all types of businesses. This is the tool your company will use if they are serious about having your business found online.
Google My Business (GMB), is a FREE easy-to-use tool your wire harness business can use to manage its online presence while using the Google search engine. With over a billion searches each day, it is easy for a business to be almost undiscoverable and miss out on important opportunities. The GMB tool will help you build a stronger web presence and ultimately generate more leads. And who doesn’t love more LEADS!
Google My Business gives you the ability to create, customize, and manage the information displayed on your Google business profile publicly in Google search and the key to showing up on Google Maps.
What’s included on your GMB page:
- Business name & the category/industry of your services or products
- Business location & address
- Contact information
- Opening/Closing hours, Holidays to show when you’re business is closed
- Links to your website and other channels (Facebook, LinkedIn)
- Product photos & video
- Reviews and star ratings
Google relies on three factors for search ranking:
- Relevance: How well your business profile matches a search query. The more complete/detailed your profile, the easier it is for Google to determine relevancy.
- Distance: How far your business is from the location used in a search query.
- Prominence: How is your brand performing; Google measures online and offline prominence. The more prominent your wire harness business, the more likely you are to appear in search results.
Finally, Google My Business not only puts you in front of customers in Google search and maps, but it also provides useful information to help you gain a better understanding and how to further expand your online presence. GMB provides Analytics for your business. It will share data on where your customers are searching from and how they found your business.
- Google AdWords
There are various platforms online that you can invest in with Search Engine Marketing but Google AdWords is definitely #1 in my book. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is, without a doubt, the simplest and most effective way to drive traffic to your business website. Google has revolutionized the PPC space, this style of advertising gives businesses the potential to grow any type/size of business.
Google Ads provides a competitive edge with some amazing benefits including:
- Highly measurable digital marketing tool
- Drives quality leads to your website and business
- Ability to increase sales and conversions
- Target highly defined audiences
- Access to Google Keyword Planner
- Work to your own budget & have clear control of your advertising expenses
Of course, there are some drawbacks to think about:
- Expertise of AdWords program
- It can take time to see results
- PPC can be expensive if you are not proficient with the tool
So how does Google AdWords work?
The simple answer is each company pays for each click their ad receives in the Google search engine. These are called Google Campaigns. The more organized these campaigns are with the right keywords, I suggest using the Google Keyword Planner, the more clicks you will receive from YOUR audience. Then after they click the ad, make sure you have a customized landing page. This is an important step if you are using AdWords to collect leads.
- Google Analytics
Promote better business decisions with data. Analytics isn’t just reports. It’s analysis. Google Analytics can provide a wealth of data and information. The key is turning it into insights to continually improve your online marketing efforts. You can use your Google Analytics account to improve your current website, PPC, Social Media, and more. You will be able to find more visitors, track conversions and find the answers and insights that will improve your business and a deeper understanding of your customer experience.
So what exactly are the main benefits Google Analytics?
- It’s free! You cannot beat that price!
- The data is collected automatically
- You can customize your reports to align with your goals/objectives
- Integrates easily with other tools like Google Ads and Google My Business
- Measure organic search traffic so that you can see the keywords your customers are looking for when searching for your products
- Helps you figure out why your customers are leaving your website
- Helps you better comprehend your demographic, including age, gender, interests, devices and location
It’s simple to start with Google Analytics. It can be set up with just a few simple clicks – then, you’ll be presented with a JavaScript code that you’ll need to have your webmaster embed into every page of your website. If it’s a WordPress site, you can just download a plugin instead.
This FREE tool is a must for any business that has a website. The data provided from Google Analytics helps you gain a better sense of awareness of the type of content that drives traffic, if it is driving the right traffic to the right pages and if your pages need to be optimized to help achieve your digital marketing objectives.
There are many tools at your disposal to help you in your Digital Marketing Efforts but Google tools should be at the top of your list. Now, these tools are great, wonderful, fantastic but they can be confusing and time-consuming. I would highly suggest that you have an expert, whether within your marketing team or a consultant, help set up and monitor your accounts.
Siebert Consulting Group is well versed in all Google products and will provide you with the support and guidance you require to accomplish your goals and maximize the return on investment, increase leads, and/or drive brand awareness. These platforms can get very tricky and can be a complete waste of money if not properly managed. With our experience, we can be sure to attract interested customers. If you are interested in learning more, please visit www.siebertcg.com or call/email me, Christine Siebert, at 630-299-9121, christine@siebertcg.com.
You can find this article in the March/April 2021 issue of Wiring Harness News.