Google My Business: Why your school should be using it

In today’s digital world, when you need to figure out something, what do you do? You guessed it; you Google it. Although Google has transformed into a verb that has replaced the term “search,” it is still a worldwide platform that offers many tools that could be beneficial to your school. It would take a lot of time to go through them all in this one blog, so we’ll start with a simple tool that you can use to promote your school’s brand – Google My Business.

What is Google My Business?

Have you ever searched for a business and clicked the website button or the phone number but found yourself at a broken link or hearing the “out of service” tone? It’s frustrating, right? That’s where Google My Business comes in. Unlike what many people perceive, Google My Business isn’t just for businesses selling goods or services. It is an easy-to-use tool that lets you claim your business or organization and ensure all the information on the profile is accurate.

To get started editing your school’s information, all you need to do is verify or claim it on Google My Business. And if your school doesn’t have a profile yet, you can create one at the same link. Once you’ve claimed or created your profile, you can update all the necessary information, and your school will be visible to users through Google search and on Google Maps.

Why do I need to use it?

First off, you should be using Google My Business because it’s completely FREE. Secondly, if there is information about your school on the Internet, it should be accurate and represent your brand as a whole. Here are a few additional reasons you should use this tool:

• You can control who edits and manages your profile information. If someone leaves or is a new addition to your team, it’s easy to remove or add additional managers. This feature is crucial in ensuring the information is up to date.
• You can receive and respond to reviews. If parents at your school love what you’re doing, let them brag about it for the world to see. Reviews bring an extra layer of validation to your school and help parents feel secure in their child’s education choice.
• You can add text, photos, and other content. Like your website and social media profiles, your Google My Business gives prospective parents a glimpse into what life is like at your school. This is an excellent way to lead them to your social media pages and website to seek more information. The text on your profile can also help your school be found easier when users search with specific keywords.
• You can view insights. Google My Business Insights can tell you how people find your profile and what they are doing once they get to it – clicking call, clicking to the website, or clicking for directions. Knowing how someone found your school on Google could help with future marketing initiatives.

In the new year, you and your team should create or claim a Google My Business profile if you haven’t already. It’s an easy step to ensure you’re ahead of the curve.