How Google Local Guides Improve Your Brand’s Visibility Online
Whether your business is 15 days old or 15 years old, it’s highly likely that your brand can be found online. What’s also very likely is that someone has posted or shared something about your business, like a Google Review. The keyboard warriors are out there. Some are critiquing your business operations, while others are championing your business’s best qualities. The ones that are reviewing businesses regularly on Google are called Google Local Guides. Also known as just Local Guides, they can help grow your brand’s visibility online through their contributions.
What are Google Local Guides?
In 2015, Google launched the Google Local Guides program as a tool to utilize user-generated content and improve information available to consumers on Google Maps. These special Google users span across the globe with a community of over 120 million active users. These users are writing reviews, answering questions, sharing photos and videos, and checking facts about businesses and organizations online, specifically on Google Maps. Millions of people seek these contributions when looking for quick, easily accessible information on Google.
Local Guides earn points as they add more information to Google through their contributions. With more points, they are eligible for more perks. And while Google Local Guides aren’t paid, their hard work directly benefits your business – at no cost to you.
How Do You Become a Google Local Guide?
While you may think this exclusive community on the Google platform is difficult to join, you’d be surprised. The process to enroll as a Google Local Guide has age and location requirements, but the approval process is simple. Google users can be approved as a Local Guide within nine weeks. Businesses cannot register as a Google Local Guide, but individuals can apply.
What are the Rules for Google Local Guides?
Just like the application requirements, there aren’t a lot of rules that Google Local Guides need to follow. But there are rules to keep the program filled with honest, valuable information for Google users. If the rules are broken, Google will shut down any Local Guide account with violations, like:
- Duplicating reviews
- Copied or stolen photos
- Personal attacks
- Incorrect or unnecessary edits
- Off-topic answers
Google explains that Local Guide contributions are what bring value to Google Maps. Local Guides are asked to provide clear, accurate photos and videos, answer all questions, provide relevant business information honestly, and include notable information about any location or experience – all things that help your business.
How Can My Business Benefit from Google Local Guides Online?
It’s no secret that the majority of consumers are looking for products, services, and businesses online. Google Maps is where Google Local Guides add their contributions and help grow your business. With over a billion people using the Google Maps platform monthly, you can understand the value of having accurate and up-to-date information about your business on Google. Instead of spending precious time every day updating your business on Google yourself, let Local Guides help with this.
User-Generated Content is King
Through all of the photos, reviews, videos, answers, and other details that Google Local Guides are providing about your business online, it’s less work for you! Local Guides rack up plenty of points from their contributions online, then get rewarded on their Local Guide Profile in Google Maps with badges. Badges are earned from the number of contributions plus the number of views and interactions from Google users with their content.
More Reviews, More Visibility
The content that Local Guides provide businesses with online shapes consumers’ first impressions. Local Guides (and sometimes other Google users!) are producing Google Reviews every day that appear in your Google Business Profile and on Google Maps. Quantity AND quality Google Reviews do matter! Based on data from leading Google marketing professionals we trust at Idea Queen Marketing, it’s true that the volume of Google Reviews can positively influence your ranking factor as well. When your Local Guides are posting positive reviews of your business regularly, it’s a great way to scale your business’ visibility online.
Keep Your Google Business Profile Up-to-Date Without Hassle
Ultimately, Google is incentivizing accuracy through the Google Local Guide program. One of Google’s core principles for their online listings is trustworthiness. Local Guides strive to provide accurate edits and information because they want to be sure their edits are approved. As Local Guides get more edits approved, there are more points and perks that come to them along the way. The approval process for edits and business updates from Local Guides is easier for Google because of the trust they have in them – and it’s easier for your business.
While edits from Local Guides are appreciated, Google also appreciates businesses that keep their information up-to-date in their Google Business Profile. Local Guides are only there as a tool to help Google ensure the accuracy of the information you provide online.
What Do I Do About Negative Google Reviews?
Unfortunately, it’s possible that every customer interaction isn’t stellar. There’s always a chance that an unhappy customer could also be one to race to the internet and share their negative experience. It’s so important to respond to all reviews – both positive and negative. Remember that your response is public when responding to a negative review. Approach your response positively, professionally, and politely. Attempt to see the comments from the reviewer’s point of view, and ensure that you plan to rectify any concerns they may have moving forward for other customers.
What’s worse than negative Google reviews? Fake reviews. They’re the worst! When you know a Google review is fake, whether it’s from a Google Local Guide or not, it’s important to report it. The reporting process isn’t quick, and it’s not perfect. The fake reviews can only be removed if they are violating Google’s terms of service. Even if the review is eligible for removal, it can oftentimes take weeks for a review to be removed. Don’t get discouraged – just understand that it is a process. This is yet another reason to work hard to grow your business with positive Google Reviews from all Google users, especially Local Guides.
Support Google Local Guides So They Support You
If you want Google Local Guides to do business with you, make it easy for them! It’s very common for them to utilize Google Business Profiles on Google Maps to find new businesses to explore in their communities. Set yourself up for success by keeping your Google Business Profile up-to-date and having plenty of information readily available for them to use as a resource, like photos, menus, and contact information.
Google Local Guides Continue to Help Businesses Never Stop Growing
The Google Local Guide program is responsible for actively growing businesses across the globe through the Google Maps platform. With the help of Local Guides, businesses can experience better search engine results, enhanced imagery leading to increased brand trust, and more visits to your website and storefront from the improved visibility. The program is a good, no-cost tool to support as businesses look to grow their business visibility online and climb the rankings of local search engine results.
Looking for help with your Google Business Profile? If you need guidance on how to present your business on the Google platform best, connect with Idea Queen Marketing for a free consultation.