Turn Your Business UP With One Unexpected New GBP Strategy!
Turn Your Business UP With One Unexpected New Strategy!
As a business owner, you might have noticed something intriguing when you searched for local restaurants on Google Maps recently (assuming you are using the latest Android firmware).
You will see places further away ranking higher than those closer to you. That isn’t new, but a feature that quietly rolled out recently seems to be common with all of the top ranking places that are further away (in my local restaurant area).
This is a really, really big deal.
CHECK IT OUT!
Videos now show in the #2 media spot, playing automatically on Android devices.
This is not just a novelty; it’s a game-changer for local SEO.
This is almost as important as your logo, you could argue that it is actually MORE important.
(There is no audio)
Notice the quality of El Bravo’s video.
Notice the audio issue with the Greek Town video.
Notice the Master Class that is the Little Miss BBQ video.
It is safe to assume that Google will roll this out to the iOS App soon.
Apple/Yelp/etc will likely copy as well.
This is the future and it is live today!
Let’s delve deeper into this revolution and discover the best practices and details that can help your business stand out.
Why Videos Matter in Local SEO - The Nerdy Stuff
Data, data, data...
When Google tweaks its algorithms or introduces a new feature, those who quickly adapt often see significant benefits. Recall Instagram’s promotion of Reels, or YouTube’s launch of Shorts. Early adopters saw rapid growth. The same principle will obviously apply to Google Business Profiles (GBP).
With Google’s acquisition of YouTube and the vast implementation of the Cloud Video Intelligence API, there is actually alot more going on behind the scenes. 20,000+ possible data points are tagged in these videos. Its like picture EXIF data revealing your location but they also pair in Vision API and Text Recognition to feed the algorithms.
Google’s Video Intelligence API makes your videos searchable, cataloging objects, locations, and actions within them. The more quality video content you upload, the more data Google can verify, strengthening your business’s online authority.
While this dystopian data harvesting is alittle creepy the reality is that it is probably here to stay. As always with data, this is fantastic news for businesses looking to gain an edge in local search results.
We know Google is pushing this as the future.
There is no secret to this part of the algorithm. Google openly states that adding photos to your business profile can boost your SEO Rank.
“Businesses with recent photos typically receive more clicks on their websites, with 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps, and 35% more clicks through to their websites than businesses without.”
Why Videos Matter in Local SEO - The Marketing Side
The Power of Relevant Content
Consider these stats from Google:
- 75% of shoppers say they used a Google product (Search, Maps, YouTube) in the past week to help with their shopping.
- 55% of shoppers use online video while shopping in-store.
- Video searches for “which [product] should I buy” are typically less competetive keywords.
Why this is critical for everyone.
It wont take you long to find a customer uploaded video for a business in your area. (see the first restaurant example in the video up top). These videos will be front and center and certainly wont highlight your business in the same way you are able to do so.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
Shoot, Edit, Upload!
Make a video.
Here is the catch, the video has to be taken at your business. Do not use stock footage or edited bling ads here. Stay organic. (at least with your primary video) Best practice, do a walk up and walk through, show your items for sale and show a repair in progress.
To record, get a drone (or a tall friend) and give a visual of your store, outside to in. Start as far away as feasible and try to record street and business signs nearby somewhere in the video, not necessarily front and center. Feed that algorithm.
When done, speed up the video, remove audio and trim it to about the half minute mark. They state that 30 seconds is the max but we have been able to upload longer video here, just keep the file size under 75MB. Then upload to your GBP(s).
Remember, a fully engaged video is worth way more “data juice” so keep it short and sweet. Don’t use any words, overlay, etc. Not for your primary video. Goal is to show them what they will experience as they walk up to and into your store.
Google says it can take up to 24 hours for the video to display but in our testing this only took a few minutes to go live.
TOPIC SPECS / TAKEWAY
The best time to upload is yesterday. The second best time is now.
With these tips in mind, it’s time to embrace the power of video in your local SEO strategy. Not only can it help your business rank higher in local search results, but it can also make your business more engaging and memorable for customers.
As this trend continues to expand to the other devices and platforms, now is the time to get ahead of the curve and start utilizing video content to its fullest potential.
Happy filming!
Extra Credit:
Opening a New Location? Prepare for Video Verification.
Business is booming, new stores are opening. You can expect to have Google require a video similar to this for verification purposes. They use this process to verify you actually have a public place of business where you say you do. (and to harvest data)
There is some really good info here on how to prep should you be scheduled for a video verification. It is our opinion that this is the best way to get your GBP listing verified because of the massive amount of authoritative data Google will collect during this process.
About the Author
Hello, my name is JJ and I sell Sites, Software, Ads and SEO. After 20 years in tech I founded STACKS to help businesses grow and automate their tech to reach their full potential.
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