F R E E – T R A I N I N G
How to attract more customers to your physical premisis and get them to #shoplocal
Covid19 has seen many retail business’s shut and others struggle to bring in customers. I wanted to put together a quick free training to help business attract more customers FOR FREE by leveraging their Google Business Listings.
P.S. This is also a great hack for improving your local SEO.
How to Get Free Traffic from Google Using Your Google Business Profile
Want free traffic from Google? This tip doesn’t cost a cent, and can help you turn Google searches into real sales.
Whether you’re a local business owner, a retailer with a bricks-and-mortar presence, or running an online store, your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is one of the easiest ways to start showing up in search results and attracting local customers.
In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to use this free tool to help people find you on Google, engage with your content, and walk through your door (or click ‘Buy Now’ on your website).
What Is Your Google Business Profile?
Your Google Business Profile is like a Google-powered mini website for your business. When someone types in your business name (or a product or service you offer), your listing shows up on Google Maps and in local search results.
It includes:
- Your address, hours, and phone number
- Reviews
- Photos
- Posts and updates
Think of it like Google’s version of a Facebook Page, but with one big difference: it shows up right when people are searching for what you offer.
Step 1: Log Into Your Google Business Account
Go to Google My Business and sign in with your regular Google account.
If you haven’t set up your listing, follow the steps to claim your business.
Once claimed, you’ll have access to your dashboard.
Step 2: Use Posts to Drive Traffic and Sales
Here’s where the magic happens.
Once your profile is live, start posting, just like you would on Facebook or Instagram.
In this video, I used my dad’s pharmacy in Colombo Street, Christchurch, as an example. He was already posting promotions and updates on Facebook, so I recommended he simply copy and paste the same content into his Google Business Profile as a post.
What kind of posts should you create?
- New product arrivals
- Special deals or promotions
- Holiday hours (e.g. Christmas, Easter)
- COVID-19 updates
- Events or competitions
Posts stay live for 7 days (except COVID-19 updates which are prioritised). When someone Googles your business, they’ll see these posts right away, like the face mask promotion my dad shared, which was viewed 358 times and clicked 11 times… all from people actively searching for his business.
Step 3: Add Photos and Videos
You can also upload:
- Product photos
- Behind-the-scenes videos
- Staff introductions
- Store displays or specials
Google shows your images to people searching for businesses like yours, so this is an easy way to grab attention, build trust, and show off what you sell.
Step 4: Choose a Call-to-Action
When you post, you can add a call-to-action like:
- Learn more (link to your site or product page)
- Book now (great for service providers)
- Order online (for retailers or takeaways)
- Call now (perfect for mobile users)
Choose the one that matches your goal, and link to the relevant page.
Why This Works (and Why You Should Start Today)
People search Google every day looking for businesses just like yours.
By keeping your profile active and up-to-date, you’re:
- Giving Google more reasons to rank you higher
- Letting customers see what’s happening in your business
- Driving more clicks, calls, and in-store visits
And best of all? It’s completely free.
Final Thoughts
If sales are down, or you just want more visibility, this is one of the most cost-effective things you can do right now.
- Keep it up-to-date
- Post consistently
- Reuse what you’re already doing on Facebook
- Add keywords naturally into your posts (e.g. “face masks Christchurch”)
I’m Lucy Ross from The Ivy Lead Ltd and EcommerceMarketing.co.nz , digital marketing strategist and eCommerce growth consultant.
If you found this helpful, drop a comment below. Are you using Google Business Posts yet? What results have you seen?
Watch the full video above for a hands-on walkthrough!
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