Google Business Profile For Self-Storage Operators: Stay Competitive In The SERPs

How can self-storage operators use Google Business Profile to stay competitive in the search engine results pages (SERPs)?

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When it comes to attracting new storage unit renters from organic search, Google Business Profile has an important role to play in improving your visibility on the internet’s biggest search engine.

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In this article, we will break down the core benefits of a Google Business Profile for self-storage operators while highlighting some common mistakes to avoid and a few best practices for optimizing your Google Business Profile listing. Let’s dive straight in.

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Google Business Profile For Self-Storage Operators: 5 immediate Benefits

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Here are some immediate benefits of a Google Business Profile for self-storage operators:

1 - Increased Visibility

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By setting up a Google Business Profile for your self-storage business, you are improving your chances of appearing in Google’s “Local Pack” - a highly-coveted area of the search engine results page showcasing several local businesses related to the user’s search query. This is important for operators looking to attract renters in the local area.

2 - Improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

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When ranking your business in the SERPs, Google may take your Google Business Profile into consideration. If you have filled out all aspects of your business profile, this is likely to raise your chances of appearing higher in the search results. The more information Google has on your self-storage facility, the easier it becomes for the search engine to rank your business.

3 - Better Customer Engagement

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Google Business Profile provides prospective renters with invaluable information on your self-storage facility, such as your business hours, phone number, and website link. Renters can leave customer reviews and ask questions directly on your Google Business Profile, making it a valuable tool for presenting social proof and influencing buying decisions.

4 - Competitive Advantage

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Only some self-storage operators have taken advantage of a Google Business Profile, which means that those who do can potentially gain a competitive advantage over their peers in the SERPs. Reaching the “Local Pack” will inevitably help attract more customers and drive new revenue.

5 - Cost-Effective Marketing

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Setting up Google Business Profile is free - which makes it a no-brainer for self-storage operators looking to capitalize on search engine traffic. If you want to tap into the search volume of local keywords related to self-storage facilities in your area, a well-optimized Google Business Profile will give you the best possible chance of ranking highly in the SERPs.

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5 Mistakes Self-Storage Operators Make With Google Business Profile

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To successfully reap the rewards of Google’s “Local Pack” and generate leads from your Google Business Profile, you must avoid some common pitfalls:

1 - Inaccurate Information

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Aside from not having Google Business Profile, the single biggest mistake a self-storage operator can make is not keeping their Google Business Profile up-to-date. If your profile includes an old phone number, out-of-date business hours, and an inactive website, this is enough to deter potential customers away from renting units at your facility.

2 - Ignoring Customer Reviews

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Encouraging customers to leave their reviews on your Google Business Profile is essential to building up your online reputation. Prospective renters will naturally gravitate toward self-storage facilities on Google with plenty of customer reviews. It’s just human psychology at play.

3 - Poor Quality Photos

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A Google Business Profile enables you to shape the narrative around your business. In the case of a self-storage facility, you can showcase the units your facility has to offer through high-quality imagery. Try to upload as many high-quality images as possible to your profile.

4 - Not Using Google Business Profile Insights

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It’s always worth keeping a close eye on your profile performance. Google offers no shortage of useful insights for you to look through. With a treasure trove of data at your fingertips, you can begin to build a clear picture of how your business is performing on Google Search and Maps. These insights are only available for verified profiles.

5 - Not Optimizing Your Description

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Your Google Business Profile description should accurately reflect your business and include relevant keywords. If you fail to optimize your description this can harm your SEO efforts and limit your visibility in the SERPs for local keywords related to self-storage facilities.

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How Can Google Business Profile Complement Your SEO Strategy?

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A Google Business Profile can complement the overall SEO strategy for your self-storage business. If you optimize your profile with accurate and relevant information, you can raise your chances of appearing in the “Local Pack” and increase your visibility in the SERPs.

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It’s often surprising to see many self-storage operators failing to take advantage of a Google Business Profile. With a free opportunity to boost your visibility in the SERPs and tap into plenty of organic traffic, it’s really a no-brainer.

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Simply setting up a profile isn’t enough. Sure, it’s a good step in the right direction - but you need to bulk it out with some high-quality imagery and glowing renter reviews. When you interact with customers, make a habit of encouraging them to leave a review. You could even offer incentives to leave reviews on Google, such as future discounts on unit rentals.

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How To Run A Self-Storage Business: Unlock A Treasure Trove Of Non-Obvious Tips & Tricks

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When it comes to leveraging digital technology to grow your self-storage business, setting up and populating your Google Business Profile is just one of many things you can do.

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We have developed an Operator’s BluePrint to “Building an Unmanned Facility” — the all-in-one resource of all the tools accessible to an operator to run their self-storage business more effectively.

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