Is Your Small Business Taking Advantage of Google’s Top 5 Free Tools?
In today's digital world, using the right tools can make a huge difference in the success of small businesses. Google offers several services designed to improve productivity, improve online presence, and drive growth. Here are the top five Google services that you should consider using with your small business:
GOOGLE SEARCH CONSOLE
If you want your company to appear in internet search results, then you definitely need to set up your website in Google Search Console. Indexing your website on Search Console basically introduces your site to Google and says, HEY, I want my website to appear in search results. Search result rankings are never guaranteed, but I do recommend going into the Search Console every six months to request Google reindex your website. As of July 2023, 82% of the world’s websites are inactive (approx 914 million sites!). By re-indexing your website every six months, this indicates to Google that you are one of the 18% (about 201 million) of websites that ARE active and you want people to visit.
Understanding how website visitors interact with your website is key to adjusting business strategies and your target markets. Google Analytics provides comprehensive insights into website traffic and website visitor interactions. This tool helps businesses track metrics such as the number of visitors, where visitors are coming from, pages per visit, bounce rate, demographics, visitor cities and states, clicks, and conversion rates. According to a survey by Clutch, 53% of small businesses use web analytics tools to improve their marketing efforts. By identifying which marketing channels are most effective and where visitors are located, businesses can allocate resources more efficiently and optimize their target audience
GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE (Google My Business)
This is a MUST for any small business looking to appear in local search results. This free service allows businesses to manage their online information across Google Search and Maps and display their reviews. It also helps businesses to appear in local search results, which is crucial since 46% of all Google searches are seeking local information. Furthermore, businesses with listings that include a summary, hours, reviews, and a link to a website are twice as likely to be considered reputable and trustworthy with internet searchers.
Easily share and access documents, images, forms, and more to anyone, anywhere. Whether you are sharing documents with clients or employees, Google Drive provides seamless access. Plus, it offers different user security levels, like view-only, edit, manage, etc. This cloud-based solution ensures that all documents and communications are accessible from anywhere, fostering flexibility and efficiency.
Formerly known as BARD, Gemini is Google’s AI option—a competitor to ChatGPT. If you need help thinking of social media posts, developing content for your business, finding useful statistics, creating computer-generated images, etc, then start using Google Gemini.
Incorporating these Google services can provide small businesses with a competitive edge in the digital marketplace. From improving local visibility and understanding customer behavior to improving productivity and communication, these tools are designed to support and grow small businesses. By taking advantage of what Google has to offer, small businesses can streamline their operations, reach new customers, and ultimately, achieve greater success.
Contact Propel today to learn more about how to integrate these services into your website, request a free quote for a new website, or schedule a consultation about how to update an existing website.
