Google recently introduced a new feature for verified merchants on Google my Business (GMB). Business owners can now create a GMB short name (also called a custom name).
You may be wondering what the purpose of this new feature is.
Google My Business short names make it easier for shoppers to find you online!
I’ll explain more below.
What is a Google My Business Short Name?
It is basically a simple or shorter name that is used to represent your retail business or location. If your retail business has multiple locations, it is a good idea to use your business name with the location (city, neighbourhood, street etc.) of the store as your short name.
The majority of merchants and business categories now have access to the feature. So it is a good idea to claim your preferred short name before it is no longer available.
What are the Benefits of a Google My Business Short Name?
GMB short names make it simple for you to share your business listing with shoppers – so they can easily find you online.
Before Google released this feature, GMB profiles had extremely long URLS – making it difficult to share with shoppers or use as a landing page.
When you create a short name, shoppers can enter your short name URL “g.page/[yourcustomname]” and they will be directed straight to your business profile.
Once you claim your short name, you will also get access to a short URL for requesting reviews.
With a GMB short name, it is now easy to promote your business to gain more reviews, share directions, and get leads.
Best Practices
Before you take the steps to claim your short name, here are some things to keep in mind:
It’s important that your short name is associated with your store’s name.
Make sure that it is simple so that you can easily promote your business and shoppers can remember it.
If you have multiple locations, you must claim a short name for each GMB listing. Again, it’s a good idea to include your location (city, neighbourhood, street etc.) to make your name unique and easy to remember.
It is also a good idea to use your short name URL on marketing materials. This way, you can gain more reviews and local exposure.
How to Claim Your Short Name on Google My Business
4. Enter your short name – it can be up to 32 characters. If your name is unavailable, you will receive an error message. You can try a shortened form of your name or you can try adding your location. Otherwise, try another short word that describes your retail store.
5.Click “Apply”. Once you do so, your short name will show as pending. When it is ready and approved, it will show up on your business listing.
Did you find this article helpful?
Would you like to learn more about how to increase your retail store’s online presence?
Good news- we are hosting a breakfast seminar exclusively for GTA store owners! We will be discussing how you can attract more local shoppers with POS technology among other important topics. To learn more about the event and to register, click here.
If you are not making use of digital marketing tools, you are missing out on a huge chunk of customers!
Shoppers are now searching for retail businesses like yours online. According to Google:
3 out of 4 customers now use a search engine to find a business.
7 out of 10 customers made a purchase from a business they found using a search engine.
This is why digital marketing strategies are essential for retailers who are looking to drive foot traffic and sales.
To learn more about the benefits of digital marketing for retail stores, click here.
Below are three strategies you can leverage to build an online presence and attract more shoppers.
3 Online Marketing Tactics that Increase Foot Traffic
1) Local Directory Listings
Local search results present a huge opportunity for retail stores; according to Google, 80% of people now use a search engine to find local information.
This is why local directory listings are so valuable to retailers as a digital marketing tool – they help optimize your retail business for local search (or local SEO). In simpler terms, they help you be found locally by making your retail store appear in search results.
Directories feature business information such as your address, contact information, store hours along with other useful features such as customer reviews, images, videos, and preferred payment options.
Not only do local directories help you appear higher up in search results – they also help your business stand out among big box stores and online retailers.
As mentioned above, most retail stores haven’t optimised for local search while online competitors can’t compete with your store locally. Meaning – there is a competitive edge you can gain by focusing on local SEO.
To learn more about the basics of SEO, click here.
The following are some online directories that will help you get noticed in local search results:
Google My Business
Yelp
Yahoo Local
Bing Places for Business
MerchantCircle
Yellow Pages
Foursquare
Manta
Angie’s List
Citysearch
2) Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS)
Buy Online, Pick Up In-store or BOPIS (also commonly known as click and collect) takes advantage of consumer shopping habits to drive foot traffic.
BOPIS is increasing in popularity as more and more retailers are adopting the strategy in order to remain competitive in the age of Amazon. And it is a tactic that seems to be working – according to the Business Insider, 68% of US consumers have made multiple click and collect purchases.
To summarize, BOPIS drives foot traffic while offering several advantages to retailers including:
Higher rates of impulse purchases
Decreased shipping costs
Lower return rates
Satisfied shoppers
3) Google Local Inventory Ads
Google Local Inventory Ads are one of the most important digital marketing tools that retailers can leverage to drive foot traffic. This is because LIAs give retailers the unique ability to display a store’s in-stock merchandise – at the exact moment that a relevant local search is made.
When a shopper makes a relevant product search, and that product is available at a local store, they will be shown a local inventory ad with an “in stock” label.
Once that shopper clicks on the ad, they will be taken to the Local Storefront page. Here, they will be given more information about the product and your physical store including other in-stock inventory, current promotions, store location, and hours.
So by implementing Google LIAs in your digital marketing strategy, you will be able to target local shoppers and drive relevant traffic to your store!
We hope you found this article helpful!
Would you like to learn more about how to increase your retail store’s online presence?
Good news- we are hosting a breakfast seminar exclusively for GTA store owners! We will be discussing how you can attract more local shoppers with POS technology among other important topics. To learn more about the event and to register, click here.
Which means that being online is now essential for retail businesses (both small and large) that are looking to grow sales and foot traffic.
In fact, the majority of shoppers are now conducting product research online before making purchases in store. Specifically, shoppers are using Google to search for products, read online reviews, and find local businesses.
This is where SEO comes in. Good SEO helps shoppers find your retail store – both online and offline
What is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization. It is the process and a set of best practices you follow to rank as high as possible in search results.
Search engines like Google need to be able to pull the most relevant content to display to users. In order to do so, these search engines use mathematical formulas (also called algorithms) to figure out which websites should be displayed first.
Google’s algorithm determines how valuable content or websites are based on a number of factors. These factors include mobile responsiveness, site speed, keyword usage, link-building, content quality etc.
The goal of SEO is to send signals to Google’s algorithm that show your content is both relevant and valuable. Or in other words, that it is worth ranking high in search results. Obviously, the higher your content ranks, the more likely you are to generate traffic to your website and physical store.
Organic (unpaid) search results also appear more credible to shoppers. Think about it this way – the main goal of Google and other search engines is to provide users with high quality and credible content. Because of this, search engine users now associate higher rankings with more valuable content.
So by implementing SEO in your marketing strategy, your site will rank higher. Having a higher ranking website will then build credibility and authority amongst your target shoppers. Ultimately, this will generate more sales for your retail store.
2) Attract Local Shoppers
There are billions of local searches made each month. According to Google, 80% of people now use a search engine to find local information.
This is why a local SEO strategy is more important than ever for brick and mortar businesses. A strong local SEO strategy comes with many benefits including:
Greater local visibility
More relevant traffic
Increased visibility on Google Maps
A good local reputation
As you can see, ranking in local search results is a big deal! Retail stores with a strong local online presence are more likely to see an increase in foot traffic and sales.
3) Low Marketing Costs
Traditional marketing methods (billboards, TV advertisements.) make it difficult for small brick and mortar businesses to compete with larger retailers. Although an SEO strategy may take time and effort, it allows smaller retailers to compete with these bigger names for a much lower cost.
Organic search has also proven to be more effective than paid search advertising. Not only does it generate more sales for your business – but it does so at a lower cost than PPC or traditional marketing campaigns. Put simply, an SEO strategy will generate a higher return on investment – making it worth the time and effort.
Another advantage is that SEO tactics attract shoppers that are actively searching for your products or business. This is why it results in more relevant and qualified shoppers – or in other words, better business.
SEO Boosts Store Traffic and Sales
By now, you should understand why an SEO strategy is well worth the time and effort. Appearing in top search results will get your retail business in front of a relevant local audience, ultimately leading to more traffic and sales.
We hope you found this article helpful!
We will be posting more SEO tips in the upcoming weeks. Subscribe to our blog to stay updated on the latest retail news, trends, and tips!
