Recently several lawsuits with a bipartisan coalition of 38 states and territories were filed against Google and its monopoly over search results.
The lawsuit alleges the tech giant has harmed competitors with its presentation of search results, favoring its own services over those of rivals. The complaint also claims Google asserted its dominance to become the default search engine in not only web browsers and smartphones, but also newer technologies like smart speakers and connected cars through voice assistant features.
Beyond the legal consequence and outcome of the lawsuits, Google and its services will dominate the search engines and search results for a good while.
This means at least for now, you have to learn and play by Google’s rules to stay on top of the search results.
One of the crucial services provided by Google is the Google My Business (GMB). Creating a free Google My Business account is an easy way to increase visibility for local and international search results. It allows you to gain reviews and provide more context for potential customers without even having a website.
Your GMB will rank first and on the top right corner when anyone searches your company name and will automatically dump down all other results.
Creating a GMB is the first step to an online presence for companies who do not have a website or social media account and are struggling with negative, unwanted or nonrelated content about their business published on the internet.
The Google My Business account will allow you to have the first say about your own company and rank on top without putting in the extra Search Engine Optimization (SEO) effort.
Keeping your account up to date is a key factor for Google My Business.
Businesses with descriptive GMB listing are more likely to be considered reputable and will appear more frequently in relevant search results.
Importance of Online Reviews
Google is the fastest growing online review platform and positive reviews will build confidence for customers who are searching for your services online. Having positive reviews and five starts will most likely have your company chosen over your competitors.
The first step for getting five stars is to create a five-star experience for your customers. Ask your good customers for a review. In the end, your interaction with unhappy customers should reflect your values in the business.
Your response rate to questions and positive or negative feedback is also an important factor in the search ranking. Do not leave any questions, comments or negative reviews unanswered.
Google My Business is of course the very first but crucial step for small businesses to get started.
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