If you are into marketing your business online, you know that Google Business Profile is one of the essential features you should be using. In the August of 2017, Google launched a new feature of Google Business Profile that most people have been underutilizing. If you have a Google Business Profile account, you should have come across a Questions & Answers section (Google Q and A) on your listings.
As a business owner, you should take advantage of these new Google Q and A features on Google Business Profile to optimize local search strategy, build your online visibility, and get ahead of the competition. If you want to learn more about the Google Q&A knowledge panel, you can count on this article for more information.
What is Google Q and A?
Google Q and A is a crowd-sourced FAQ feature on Google Business Profile that enables Google users to ask questions and any Google user to answer the same question about any business in the world. The questions and answers will appear on the business profile whenever a user searches for a business on Google business listings.
The questions and answers can show up directly on Google search results. Users can give thumbs up to vote for questions and answers, which influences their order and where they are likely to appear.
The main objective of the Google Q and A feature is to provide all the consumers with more details about a business. These additional questions and answers about a business will help most customers find more meaningful answers to the questions they have. This can also influence customers’ decision to call or visit a business right from the Knowledge Panel.
What is the Importance of Google Q and A feature?
Most studies have shown that at least 97% of consumers research online for products and services before making that final decision to buy. It means a business owner who succeeds in presenting their businesses in the best way possible stands a chance of attracting more customers online.
Customers will always have questions about your business products and services. If you don’t have a FAQ on your website, it becomes challenging for customers to learn more about your brand. Also, even if customers don’t have specific questions to ask about your business, the extra information that users post about your business on the Google Q &A section adds more information about your business online. This information is critical to customers who depend on it to decide to buy your products and services.
The Google Q &A section is not just vital in making your business visible online. If you are more familiar with Google Business Profile, you will agree that Google will always value businesses that remain on top of their listings and those that utilize their features. When you respond to customers’ questions about your business, Google will recognize you, which makes your business responsive, customer-focused, and legitimate.
If your business is operating in a highly competitive market, the Google Q and A section is one place you can stay ahead of the competition. Provide valuable information to your customers on this section and build an inventory of voice search queries.
How to use Google Q and A
Google Q and A is just like any other new feature that Google is coming up with. It can take some time for the questions and answers to stick on listings after several tries. Therefore, if you post your listings on this feature, you should exercise some patience. Google is doing its best to make this new Google Q and A feature work for any small business out there that intends to boost online visibility. Here are some of the tips you can employ to make use of this feature:
1. Monitor your questions and respond
The best you can do is answer customers’ questions when they ask about your business. When you have unanswered questions on your listings, you make your business look “dormant” and unengaged online.
Keep checking on your listings to make sure that you respond to all the customers’ questions about your business. Google Business Profile does not have the notifications feature for questions. You have to remain active and monitor all the questions that customers may have about your business.
You also want to keep checking this section because anyone can respond to a question. When people ask about your business, you should give the correct answers. Answer all questions on time to create an impression to your customers that you are always available to listen to them. Your customers should know that they are getting correct information from a legitimate source.
2. Remain proactive
Google Q and A is a new feature on Google Business Profile. It means you may not have received many questions about your business by this time. However, you don’t want it to remain this way for long. You should be more proactive in this section.
Post your questions about the business and answer them correctly as a business owner. By doing this, you update information on your business and put it before the right people interested in your products and services.
If you want to post and answer questions about your business on Google Q & A, you should think of a FAQ that customers may have. This will ensure that your questions are relevant and more helpful to your target customers. Find out what everything customers want to know about your product and services and provide answers to that.
Final thought
Google Q and A is a vital feature you should be more concerned about to boost your online visibility on Google Business Profile .
Give it time and see what results you get. Investing your time in improving this section of Google Business Profile is one way of supplementing your local search strategy, engaging, and interacting with consumers. You have endless opportunities with Google Business Profile to market your business online and put it before the right audience.
