When it comes to local search trends, the effective use of Google My Business (GMB) is quickly becoming a mandatory tool for all savvy marketers to embrace. Ever since it was introduced in 2014, GMB has been one of the key forces driving the importance of local SEO. GMB equips prospects with immediate and timely information — often everything they need at the moment — resulting in conversions directly on GMB or soon after they visit a website. 

However, simply having a GMB profile is no longer enough. The smartest marketers leverage a robust GMB strategy that combines understanding the insights behind GMB traffic and taking actionable steps to maximize conversions. 

G5 Analytics now uses more granular attribution to gain deeper insights into GMB engagement and conversion data. We now know that more than 16% of phone calls from GMB are qualified (i.e. from callers with an “intent to rent”). This shows just how important it is to make sure your GMB listing is accurate, optimized, and delivers answers to prospects at the moment that they are searching for a place to rent. 

Understand, Convert, and Repeat with G5 Analytics

Using a combination of UTM tracking, Advanced Call Tracking, and Call Scoring, G5 Analytics now has the ability to report on the impact of GMB to your digital marketing within a single dashboard. The results are incredibly insightful. For the months of April and May 2020, the new GMB reporting surfaced two key data points.

On average across all qualified callers (those with intent to rent):

  • 15.3% called the property phone number directly on the GMB listing; and
  • 27.7% visited the website through GMB and then called the property phone number displayed on the website.

Translation: A significant percentage of prospects engage with GMB. And these aren’t just any old prospects — they are qualified callers looking to rent.

So what’s a marketing professional to do if they want actionable insights?

  • Track and attribute credit to the traffic and calls GMB generates.
  • Look for trends in GMB engagement; sometimes weekly depending on local and national events.
  • Measure GMB performance before and after major changes to your listing’s content or photos.
  • Report on the actual number of quality leads you’re sending to your sales department (not just calls but calls with a high intent to rent).
  • Respond to reviews and monitor star rating trends in addition to that of your competition.

Now more than ever, every marketing dollar counts. Customers are searching for your business and you can’t afford to give them incorrect information. Having a marketing partner that knows how to maximize return on your GMB presence is a prerequisite to success in today’s local search landscape. G5 provides innovative, performance-first digital marketing solutions that connect properties with in-market, ready-to-rent customers. And we do it better than anyone else.

Bonus: Level-up Your GMB Knowledge

G5 recently published a three-part series on GMB, covering beginning to advanced tactics. Need a refresh on the basics or looking to dive deep? Tune in and soak up the knowledge to level the local search playing field for your business.

Watch and learn in our series, The What’s and Why’s of Google My Business: