How to Increase Leads From GMB and Get More Customers

TL;DR

• Google My Business drives more leads than organic search for many small businesses.
• Google Business Profile leads have generally increased over time.
• GMB Insights can undercount actual phone calls.
• Call tracking and UTM codes help measure leads more accurately.
• Businesses should also watch for scams involving calls about their Google listing.

When any small business hires a marketing company, they should be aiming to increase the number of leads they get.  At Sterling Sky, we focus on reporting on leads, not ranking, so our monthly reporting for clients looks something like this:

How To Increase Leads From GMB

To increase leads from GMB, start by making sure your Google Business Profile has accurate business information, the right primary category, relevant services, photos, and other useful details. Reviews, Google Business Profile posts, and clear ways for customers to call or contact the business can also help generate more leads. Tracking calls, website visits, and other inquiries separately can help you see which efforts are actually driving leads.

How To Increase Leads From GBP

You can increase leads from GBP by:

• Completing your Google Business Profile with accurate business information.
• Choosing the most relevant primary and secondary categories.
• Adding your services and keeping your hours up to date.
• Adding useful, current photos of your business.
• Asking customers for reviews and responding to them.
• Using GBP features that make it easy for customers to contact you.
• Tracking calls, website clicks, and other actions from your profile.

Does GMB Drive Leads? Organic vs. Google My Business

In our experience, for most industries, Google My Business drives substantially more leads than any other lead source for small businesses. If you’re looking to increase leads from gmb, the data below shows why your Google Business Profile deserves attention. The organic section of Google also still drives a good number of leads and should not be ignored.

Here are some examples of the number of monthly leads by source for a few industries we work with.  We counted leads as calls, online chat, and contact form submissions from the prospective source.

Does GBP Drive Leads? Are Leads Increasing Year Over Year?

In general, the number of leads from Google My Business has increased substantially over the last few years.  I am basing this conclusion on the number of leads we track for our clients from Google My Business. If you’re looking to increase leads from gbp, these year-over-year trends are worth paying attention to.

If I look at this sample from 3 months in 2021 compared to 3 months in 2018, here is the breakdown for a few select businesses:

How to Track the Correct Number of Leads

It’s important to remember that if you’re using GMB insights to track the number of phone calls, the number you’re seeing doesn’t reflect the actual number of calls the business gets.  Google My Business insights tracks the number of clicks-to-call which they can only do on mobile devices. Any calls you get from people looking at the phone number on their computer and then typing it into their phone are not counted unless you utilize call tracking.

The good news is that although the number will be off, the general trend according to GMB insights should match the trend in reality. When you’re trying to increase leads from gbp, accurate tracking helps you see whether those efforts are actually generating more calls.

In this case, the actual number of unique calls (from call tracking) was 380 but GMB insights only showed 282.  Although the numbers according to GMB were lower, the graph trend is the same month-over-month.

Additionally, to make sure you can separate Google My Business leads from organic, make sure you are using UTM codes.

Is That Google Calling or Is It a Scam?

Since Google Business Profile drives a large share of leads for most small businesses, it’s common for owners to be cautious when they receive calls referencing their listing. If you’re wondering, does gbp drive leads, the answer depends on how your business tracks calls and other inquiries. If you’re ever unsure is that Google calling or is it a scam?, it’s important to understand what legitimate Google calls look like and the red flags that indicate a scam before engaging with the caller.

How many leads do you find Google My Business is driving?  Weigh in on the forum here.

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