Many business owners are unaware that their customers and prospects can follow their business on Google Maps. Followers will receive notifications in the Google Maps app when you make updates to your Google Business Profile, such as specials, events, changes in hours or new offerings. And as the business owner, you can see your followers' public profile (unless they choose to follow you privately) so you know who your biggest fans are.
Here's how you can instruct your customers how to follow you on Google Maps (copy and paste this into your own blog post, a Google Profile Update, a social media post, your newsletter, etc. Don't forget to change the {insert} fields!):
Open the Google Maps app and search for {insert your business name}.
Use the Save icon to follow us. Maps will give you the opportunity to Categorize your saved locations (i.e. Starred places, Favorites, Food, Entertainment, etc.) Once you select {insert your preferred list} category, hit done.
Now, when you go into Google Maps, you will see a menu at the bottom with all your Saved locations and an Updates icon.
Used the Saved icon to view all your saved places, to unfollow a business, or change your profile visibility to Private.
Use the Updates icon to view updates from or send messages to locations you follow, like ours!
Use the Contribute icon to write reviews of your favorite businesses, like ours!
You can use your Google Business Profile to make updates to business hours such as holidays or vacations, make offers, share events and promote products to your followers. Here's how you make an update from your mobile device:
Open the Google Maps app and make sure you are logged in with the same account you use to manage your Google Business Profile. Tap your profile photo and go to your Business Profile. Use the Promote option to select the elements you want to use such as a video, photo, event, offers, etc. and create your post. Use the Publish button in the top right.
Once you have published your post, confirm you can see your post on Google Maps. If your post is not showing, it may be pending due to still being in upload status, your business may not be verified on Google, or the content was not approved because it violated Google's content policy.
Notifying your customers they can follow you in the Google Maps app is another way they can keep up to date with your business happenings, especially when they will be in your area!
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