What does it mean to ‘Follow’ your business?
The recent update for Android offers an intriguing value for small-businesses
If you’re looking for the best place to start with small-business digital marketing, I recommend you start here:
Digital marketing for small-business: where do I start?
Start where it matters most: Google
medium.com
Google is evolving — and quickly.
In addition to recent support for hashtags in Google Reviews, Android users can now ‘Follow’ businesses on Google Maps, which pushes notifications about business updates (like Posts or sales/events) to their ‘For You’ tab in Google Maps.
First, let’s break down how it works for users (your potential clients):
1. Search for a business on Google Maps
2. Click the ‘Follow’ button
3. Google Maps will begin to push updates to your followers’ ‘For You’ tab
4. Your business will begin to appear in the users’ ‘For You’ tab
At least at the time of this writing, Google only supports the Follow functionality for Android users on mobile devices, meaning that desktop users, iPhone users, etc. can’t yet Follow your business. Yet.
In the current world of small-business digital marketing, any mechanism by which businesses can reach their clients more directly is vital. Brand recognition, brand loyalty, customer retention — there is virtually no sound business goal that isn’t served by a more direct connection with your customer base.
Additionally, users have to opt in to the feature by clicking the Follow button. Google is more willing to serve your content and website to users who have indicated an interest in your business.
How does it help me?
Because the functionality is only available to Android users, it’s not something you can encourage all of your customer base to do. However, Google typically experiments with the Android user base first before rolling out functionality to desktop and iOS users, so it likely won’t be long before you can.
In the meantime, you can be prepared! Start encouraging customers who seem especially engaged or interested in your business to Follow you; post a clearly-designed sign in your storefront that explains the process (much as you would a poster encouraging Yelp reviews or Facebook reviews, etc.).
There are virtually infinite marketing verticals a small-to-midsize business could pursue; our clients at search/local often ask us where they should even start.
My answer is always ‘start where it will make the most impact,’ and — at least for the time being and foreseeable future — Google is the single most impactful platform available to your local business.
And maximizing the value of Google’s platforms (especially the organic/free options) offers perhaps the best ROI going.