With more than 273, 000 auto repair shops currently operating on the American mainland, the auto repair business is congested and competitive. As such, it is important to use every tool at your disposal to attract new customers, grow your business and increase your revenue.
There are various means you can utilize to grow your business and one of the most effective is Digital Marketing. In this post, we will examine digital marketing with a special emphasis on local search tools like Google business listings for auto repair.
Focus on the Micro Level
A key element of any successful digital marketing campaign is focusing on the micro level. Focusing on the micro level will typically involve utilizing small but effective digital marketing elements. For example, there are many local search tools that you can use to target a particular local market and promote the services of your auto repair shop.
What Exactly is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free online business tool, created, maintained and updated by Google. Google my business provides lists of local companies in response to a search query. For example, when the search is for auto repair business Miami, Florida, Google business listing for auto repair will all the auto repair shops it can find in Miami, Florida.
Google will choose three businesses from that list and display their details in the first three positions at the top of the list. The prominent positioning at the top of the list ensures they are the first business names seen by whoever is conducting the search.
Why Google My Business is Important for Auto Repair Shops
Why auto repair shops should use “Google My Business”:
- Create and sustain an internet presence – By using Google, My Business auto repair shop owners can promote their business on Google. The result will be an increase in awareness which leads to an increase in business.
- Providing essential information – Google My Company supplies potential customers with all the necessary information about your company. Google My Company will show the operating hours of your business, all the necessary contact details, and a diagram on Google Maps showing the geographical location of your auto repair shop. Furthermore, Google My Company is flexible, which means you can easily update any information relating to your company.
- Develop a positive online reputation – Your online reputation is important because it can influence a potential customers decision whether to use your auto repair services. With Google My Business, auto repair shop owners can use online reviews to establish and maintain their company’s online reputation.
Google My Business Checklist for Optimization
#1: Confirm Your Information
There are various sections in your Google My Business listing, including:
- Your Company Name
- Your Company Address
- Your Company Telephone Number
- Your Website URL
- Your Company Description
- Your Company’s Category
- Your Company’s Attributes
The first step in creating a Google listing is to supply Google My Business with your auto repair shop description. The description will include details such as your company’s name, address, phone number, and website (NAP). The data you supply Google My Business will be indexed by Google search and Google Maps, which lays the foundation for Local SEO.
After completing NAP, the next section requiring your attention is the Google My Business category. Google My Business supplies you with a list of categories and you can use as many of these, or as few of these, as you think is appropriate. With that said, be careful not to use extraneous categories, as Google will interpret this as overloading the listing with keywords.
#2: Keep Your GMB Page Updated With Events and Holidays
It is important to keep your GMB page updated and ensure it includes events and holidays. Google My Business allows users to schedule special hours for holidays and events ahead of time. To schedule special hours, events and holidays, log in, access your dashboard, then access the info tab, which allows you to edit the operating hours.
#3: Look into Potential Keywords
Keywords are individual words, or word clusters, that are commonly used by people when conducting an online search. Keywords are an essential part of an SEO strategy. Ideally, your site should contain a combination of general keywords and local keywords. It is important to use local search tools like localized keywords because this way you stand a better chance of increasing your local market base.
If your Google My Business listing has been active for a long period, you can use it to measure the effectiveness of particular keywords, by following the procedures below:
- Go to the Google My Business dashboard and click on Insights. The Insights section will show you the amount of traffic your GMB listing generates and the most popular search phrases people use to reach your listing. You can use this information to determine what keyword phrases you wish to use on your website.
#4: Request and Respond to All Reviews
Research has shown that 90% of potential consumers consult online reviews as part of their purchasing process. Therefore, including customer reviews as part of your website is essential.
Since reviews play a critical role in the purchasing decision process, it makes sense to maximize their effectiveness. Here are some steps you can take that will maximize the effectiveness of reviews.
- Use the GMB dashboard to respond to reviews, including negative reviews.
- Ensure your response to reviews is always positive, polite, and helpful. This is particularly true when responding to negative reviews. Studies have shown that over 45% of customers are more likely to view a product or service favorably when they see a positive response to a negative review.
- Actively encourage people to leave reviews by trying to convert positive star rating posters into positive review posters.
The Bottom Line
A customer may find your website and auto repair shop in many ways, and one of the most frequent ways is through local business listings. Indeed, a local business listing acts as a doorway to your website.
In the past, people would search for products or services using directories like the yellow pages. However, in today’s digitally dominated world, people usually search for products or services online using tools such as Google My Business in the digital age.
Google business listings for auto repair shops provide essential information about your business and make it stand out from competing companies. A listing will drive more customers to your website and directly increase the local customer base.
Optimize Your SEO Strategy with Advanced Digital Automotive Group
Creating your Google My Business profile should be the first step in your local SEO strategy. The second step is to optimize your auto repair services list, which attracts the attention of search engines and customers and potentially enlarges your customer base.
However, creating and implementing an effective digital marketing campaign that exploits the Google My Business category can be challenging. Rather than trying to figure out the complexities involved, many companies will choose to engage the services of a professional digital marketing agency such as Advanced Digital Automotive Group.
Advanced Digital Automotive Group (ADAG) is a digital marketing expert that supplies a complete range of digital marketing services, including Local SEO, Website SEO, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Keyword optimization, and Google My Business listing optimization.
If you want to improve your digital marketing, increase your customer base, and grow your business, contact Advanced Digital Automotive Group (ADAG) today. Let’s discuss how to work together to achieve your digital marketing goals.
