Google My Business is one of the most valuable marketing tools out there. When properly optimized, your GMB profile can help to attract, inform and convert prospective customers. Plus, from an investment standpoint, it certainly doesn’t hurt that GMB is free. But an investment of time and effort is necessary if you’re going to put your GMB to work for you, especially if you want the best possible results. And one such area of you need to pay attention to, is the Questions and Answers feature.
What is the GMB ‘Questions and Answers’ Feature?
‘Questions and Answers’ is a community discussion feature. Embracing the power of crowd-sourced information, it serves to provide a better understanding of businesses like yours by allowing users to ask and answer the questions that are important to them.
Where Do the Answers Come From?
As a community-based tool, the aim of the Q&A feature is to create a resource ‘by the user, for the user’. This means that anyone interested in your business can ask a question about it. But arguably more important is the fact that anyone (not just you) can answer those questions. This means that you’re not entirely in control of the information made available to prospective customers. However, what you can do is steer users in the right direction. How?
Be Proactive
Think of your Q&A section as the FAQ for your business, and use it accordingly. Antici the Frequently Asked Questions from new and existing customers. By being the one to ask those questions, and providing the best possible answers you’re asserting more control over the information that’s made available.
Just remember: more than one answer can be provided for each question. In some cases, answers coming from other users could be inaccurate or misleading. In extreme cases, the answer might even prove harmful to the perception of your business.
Of course, you want to assert your answer as ‘the correct one’. Fortunately, the GMB ‘Questions and Answers’ feature works on an upvote system, which means that the answer with the most votes is moved to the top of the heap. Recruit team members, friends and families to upvote the preferred answers, and you can gain better control of the information made available to prospective customers.
Ask. Answer. Upvote.
These three simple steps can help you to make the most of your GMB Profile. Your investment of time and attention will help to create better-informed consumers and aid your business by engaging with customers in a constructive manner, both of which can help to improve your conversion rate.