Opening a new business can be daunting. If you’re located in a popular area or one that experiences heavy foot traffic on a daily basis, you won’t have to worry about getting people through the door. Maybe in this situation, a Google My Business listing might not be a big priority.
For those in less known locations, however, it’s important to have a pre-opening marketing strategy in place. Creating a Google My Business listing before your opening is an excellent way to do so.
Because in all honesty, until you open the doors, you have no idea how well you will be received or if you’ll even have any customers during the first few weeks from your opening date.
Learn about the advantages of setting up a Google My Business page below:
Makes Your Business Visible
In today’s social media-centric world, having an established online presence is important. A Google My Business listing is a great way to bring your business to customers through their phones and screens. Regardless of the type of service you offer, the more customers know about your business, the more appealing you’ll be.
Build hype around your business by regularly posting updates about your opening in the weeks before the actual date. You can pique customers’ interests with promos and engaging posts to keep them on their toes and get them excited for your business’ opening. Actively posting will also help your listing stay relevant and on top of Google rankings, increasing your visibility.
If you run a restaurant, a Google My Business Listing allows you to showcase your menu and entice customers with images of food. This will give customers an idea of the kind of food you serve as well as its price range. You can also specify whether you offer deliveries, takeouts or only accept dine-in customers.
Keeps Customers Informed
Setting up a Google My Business page allows customers to know all the important details about your business. This also ensures that when a potential customer searches for your business, they would find the right information especially its business hours and contact details. The wrong information can lead to missed opportunities and bad experiences, which are crucial for newly opened businesses.
When creating a Google My Business listing for a business that has yet to open, you can take advantage of their “Opening Date” feature. This allows you to specify your business’ future opening date, which is shown in the local panel in search results. After the business opens, the date is changed to a “Recently Opened” status.
How to Use Google My Business Opening Date Feature
To use this Google My Business feature, you must first create and claim your listing. Since the listing is for a soon-to-open business, simply select the “Verify later” option when prompted. This is important, as it will prevent the business from showing up as “Open” before its actual opening date.
Then, click on “Info” in the menu and find the “Opening date” section. Click the pencil icon to edit the date, enter the year and month and click apply. Keep in mind, however, that you can only enter a date that’s up to one year in the future. After your business has been verified, you can expect your Google My Business listing to appear in search results 90 days before the set opening date.
At the 90-day mark, you can start adding content to your listing. Consider uploading high-quality images that showcase the different features of your business, publish posts that engage and inform customers and add a description that best represents your business.
Making the most of Google My Business and its various features is a must for small businesses. The DigitalMaas Platform allows you to manage your Google My Business listings easily. Update GMB posts, respond to reviews and upload photos and other content to consistently improve your ranking. We guarantee that your new business will soar to great heights by opening day.
