Videos can now be uploaded to Google My Business listings. Both owners and customers can submit them. This added feature emphasizes a video-first theme of 2018.
As announced by Allyson Wright, the Google My Business (GMB) dashboard will now allow you to upload videos.
In this article, we’ll share a few key things:
- General information about GMB videos
- How to upload videos to your GMB listing
- A GMB listing checklist
- Video is taking over: GMB can help
- Optimizing for the future (voice search)
Read on to learn how to use Google My Business and video uploads to improve your brand image.
Google My Business Listings Video
This added feature allows customers and business owners to upload videos regarding the listed business. Currently, videos are limited to a maximum of 30 seconds and 24 hours waiting time for it to be visible on business listing in the local search results and Google Maps.
If you’re worried about the customer’s ability to upload video, don’t fret. Google My Business allows merchants to flag inappropriate videos using their dashboard. In the future, Google will also be including mobile notifications and support for customer videos.
How to Upload a Video
To upload a video, just go to the Google My Business dashboard. Click on ‘photos’ located on the left-hand side. For multiple listings, select the individual listings on the ‘locations’ menu.
If you know how to add a photo, the same process allows you to upload video. Start by selecting ‘videos.’ Then, hit the ‘post videos’ option or click on the blue plus sign that is floating on the right part of the screen.
You will then see an upload screen where you can either drag and drop files or select them from your computer in a separate window. Afterwards, wait for the video to be uploaded and viola, you’re done.
You can now check your videos on the Google My Business dashboard’s overview tab or where it is displayed alongside any photos you may have uploaded.
As a business owner, you can also check the videos uploaded by customers on the ‘customer’ tab’ while videos from merchants can be viewed on the ‘by owner’ tab. If you want to check all videos, just go the ‘videos’ tab.
Checklist for Google My Business Listing
As you check the new videos feature, use this opportunity to quickly scan your Gmb Listing to ensure that it is working correctly for your business.
- Start by checking if your address is correct. Verify it. Then double check your phone number. Have you changed it recently? If you have, then update your contact information.
2. Confirm opening hours. These can be changed by owners and by the recommendation of customers. Ensure that these stay accurate otherwise you may find disgruntled customers that either came when you were closed or missed you when they thought you were closed.
3. Respond to every review. Treat each review as a worthy comment no matter if it is positive or negative.
4. Add photos to show people your business and place a ‘virtual tour’ to make the experience better. Now that you know how to add videos, make sure there is plenty of video content included. Use these to give people a virtual tour of your business and the surrounding area.
5. Lastly, review the changes that Google suggested for your GMB listing. Oftentimes, these are worthwhile considerations that can help increase your business’s visibility.
Read More: The definitive guide to making the most of your GMB listing
Use This Opportunity to Transition to Video Content
Google My Business video allows you to elevate the quality of your business page. You can use your uploaded video to entice potential hires, vendors, and customers. Whenever people Google your business, your videos will show up.
As we’ve discussed a lot recently, video and live video, in particular, are the next great content marketing product. If you’re already working toward video-based content creation, you know quality is key.
These days, short, shocking videos don’t do enough. You want to engage your customer. You want to answer their most common questions before they know they want to ask them. You want your content to start a conversation.
Don’t Forget to Optimize for Voice Search
Features like GMB video are rolling out while the entire search industry is changing. As you may have read recently, voice-based search is on the rise.
Read More: How to Optimize Your Content for Voice Search According to Google
As you add photos, videos, and other content to your GMB listing, think about voice search. Make sure your photos and videos have relevant file names, ALT descriptions, and captions. You want your business to have as much content suited for a related voice search in order to capture this rising search traffic.
To Conclude
With the latest Google My Business video feature, this is just one other medium for sharing your high-quality video content. This addition makes GMB one of the most powerful tools for improving brand image.
As a business owner, you can also use these videos for recruitment, branding, testimonies, reviews, office tours, sneak peeks to behind the scenes projects or events, or even to share team culture to show what your business is all about.
Don’t miss out on this tremendous opportunity to show off your business and attract more customers. Update your GMB listing and start uploading videos.
Have you started using video in your Google My Business listings?
The post How to use new Google My Business Video Uploads to Enhance Your Brand appeared first on Edgy Labs.
