FREE Conversion-Driven Google Tool For Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Many Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) suffered during the COVID-19 lockdown and some individuals had started their small business from home. We all know bringing our business online is the only way to survive through the lockdown. Plus, the digital purchasing trend is likely to continue in the post-COVID-19 era.
“I have spread it on Whatsapp and created a Facebook Page to promote my business?” - You did it right, but do you know you can actually DO MORE by using Google?
Here are two features on Google that can widen your customer base and increase sales.
GOOGLE MY BUSINESS
Google My Business (GMB) is free to register and you will be required to fill up your business details such as business category, address, operating hours and phone number.
In Malaysia, 98.2% of internet users choose Google as their primary search engine. After setting up, your business information will be listed on Google search results or map when a user searches for your business or related keywords. This means free exposure to millions of potential customers every day on Google.
GMB provides an insights dashboard reporting the number of views on your business profile, how your business was discovered on Google (via search, Google Map etc) and keywords users input to discover your business. This helps you to understand your potential customers better and identify important keywords for SEO or Google advertising campaigns.
With Google My Business (GMB), customers can leave reviews for your business and you can reply to the feedback. A business that has good reviews or is responsive towards feedback gains higher brand trust compared to others.
GMB is equipped with call-to-action (CTA) buttons such as messages, get directions on Google Map, call the store, visit business websites etc. You can also publish posts via GMB just like social media. With this, businesses can build up good customer relationships by connecting and engaging with customers on Google with just one click.
If you already have an established business website, GMB can direct more visitors to your website and increase engagement which eventually improves the page ranking of your website on the search engines result page (SERP).
But if you do not own a business website, that is totally okay! Because GMB comes with the website builder. This feature will render a customized website for your business based on the information provided on GMB profile. You can edit the website later on with no coding experience needed.
Google My Business (GMB) is the first place customers look up for updated information about your business. Hence, it is no longer optional but crucial for businesses to build online presence.
GOOGLE SITES
If you are a starter and looking for a simple website to showcase information or product, Google Sites will be your go-to tool.
Google Sites is a free webpage creation tool that can be accessed directly from Google Drive. It is stored in Google Drive and can be shared with team members for editing. There are templates and themes ready for different purposes such as help centre, personal portfolio, event, small-medium enterprise (SME) and non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Google Sites is free to use and easy to access even on a personal Gmail account. Google Sites is integrated with Google’s products where you can insert sheets, slides, forms directly from Google Drive, video from Youtube and location from Google Map.
While Google Sites is free and beginner-friendly, it does have its major downside on marketing and sales features. Unlike e-commerce website builders such as Shopify and Easy Store, customers cannot purchase directly and track orders from Google Sites. If a business uses Facebook or Instagram ads, Facebook Pixel cannot be installed on Google Sites for tracking and remarketing. Thus, it is not suitable for business in the long run.
Another disadvantage of Google Sites is limited design features. For instance, you cannot add or edit CSS and any interactive visuals to the website. On top of the limited number of templates and themes, users have less flexibility in editing the templates. An interactive and aesthetically pleasing website is important for brand image and better user experience which eventually impacts the overall customer purchasing journey with the brand.
For long-term marketing strategy, it is recommended to use proper website builders such as Squarespace, Wix or WordPress for business websites as they come with functionality that caters for SMEs at affordable prices.
If you are a registered SME in Malaysia, you are eligible to claim SME Digitalisation Grant up to RM5,000 upon signing up for digital marketing packages which include website development with Gapture Malaysia. Visit here for more information on SME Digitalisation Grant.
Limited slots available for grant applications, so take this chance to upgrade your business website today. Reach out to our Gapture Malaysia team for grant application and build your website now!