Whether you’re running a small business or a nonprofit organization, location plays a primary role. Even though these days, a lot of people are shifting towards the more virtual world nothing can replace the level of trust a physical location can provide.

When we want to look into a company or a business, the first thing we do is Google it. There are several ways you can make your business discoverable online, but one easy and effective way is joining Google My Business.

Through Google My Business you can make sure you can be found on Google Maps and Google Earth. 

This is one of the first steps in becoming discoverable online.

If you haven’t already, you can get started with Google Maps with the following steps:

Step 1: Make a Google My Business account and disclose your business address.

Step 2: Specify the business or services you offer.

Step 3: Get your business location verified by Google.

Step 4: Specify all the relevant secondary business categories.

Step 5: Add an introduction and images. 

Step 6: Include social media channels and any other relevant links.   

The Value Provided by Google Earth and Google Maps

The value provided by Google location services like Google Earth and Google Maps tends to be the gift that keeps on giving. First and foremost, it helps people find you. But also, it leads people to your website, builds credibility, and can help you enhance your brand image across multiple platforms.

These features are not limited to just businesses, it can also help bring awareness to community locations, nonprofit organizations, and even events.

How Can Nonprofit Businesses Use Google Earth and Maps in Their Favour?

If you’re a nonprofit business, something interesting you should look into is how to use Google for Nonprofits. Google has several unique services nonprofit organizations can take advantage of.

The best part about all of this is that it’s free! You can also get additional free credits from Google if you register for a Google Non-Profit Business Account. 

With regards to this type of account, to reap the advanced benefits of Google Maps there are eligibility criteria that you need to pass.

However, once you get this, you and your organization supporters can use advanced features which you would normally have to pay for. This works by Google providing you free credits that you can use as your business deems fit.

Here are Some of the Benefits Google Earth and Google Maps Can Offer:

1. Become Discoverable

Even though this is pretty much a self-explainer, there are so many ways where you can make your business discoverable. One of the biggest benefits of Google Maps will lead to a lot more foot traffic or prospects.

However, having your location online can help customers tag your business in social media posts. Customers can even help set meetings through platforms like Facebook, or through the Google Events Calendar.

Google Maps along with the use of geotagging and the Google My Business Platform, helps bring awareness to your business. With the help of geotagging, marketers can use location-based SEO and SEM strategies to rank locally. 

Now people in close vicinity or those who are interested can find your business a lot quicker and easier. 

2. Customized Maps

Customized Maps is yet another lesser-known service offered by Google Earth.

With Customized Maps, you can walk people through your brand story. You can present your motivations, business locations, and general day-to-day business – which is a great way to promote yourself to people. 

These people can be potential business partners, clients, and even future employees.   

In the case of nonprofits, you can show donors the factors and areas in which your work is effective through a presentation.

You can even touch on the various reasons your business does what it does, with the use of images and insightful text. The images and text are accompanied by map locations, or even 3D views of the location – to help paint a clearer picture.

 If you want to look more into it, Google does a great job of explaining this in-depth.

3. Virtual Tours

When making pitches to clients, or closing deals, from the client’s standpoint, they must know who they’re in business with. When dealing with clients overseas or also while in a tough spot due to a global pandemic, virtual tours can come through.

It would be a smart move to indulge your prospects with an immersive virtual tour experience. With Google Maps, you can create virtual tours that can highlight the different parts of your business. You can also give them a look-in in the day-to-day activities.

With little spending, you can utilize high-definition 360° images to give them a unique experience from anywhere in the world

4. Building Credibility Through Reviews

This is possibly the most underrated provision provided by Google Maps and the most overlooked one from a digital marketing standpoint. However, there is undeniable value in reviews on Google Maps.

Search Engine Ranking is something that’s at the center of any digital marketing campaign. When dealing with businesses, taking advantage of local SEO techniques is key.

However, when dealing with conversion, what it comes down to is customer experience.

An infographic conducted recently by Invesp concluded that 90% of consumers read online reviews before purchasing. It also mentioned that 72% said that good online reviews made them trust a business more.

Allowing for customers to rate your business, leave reviews and also add pictures on Google Maps is an aspect that often goes overlooked.

Another element worth mentioning is tagging the business’s location on social media. This is a good form of word-of-mouth marketing and is also really good for local SEO.

Generally, people love to know what is trending. Positive reviews on social media that geotag your business location is a great way to keep getting new customers.

However, one should keep in mind that they should go out of their way to provide their clients with positive experiences. 

As reviews can be just as harmful, businesses should keep in mind customer satisfaction and delivery of quality services.

5. Accessibility to Multiple Platforms

With Google Maps, people interested in your business can find it easily. But more importantly, they can lead to the different platforms on which your business markets itself.

With Google My Business, your clients can access contact information such as your telephone number, email address, and website. This helps with local SEO based on the nature of the service you offer. 

They also can help people engage with people on several other platforms that can be accessed all at one point.

These days, most business details can be found when looking for the business on Google Maps. The predominant reason that people like Google mapping services so much is because it provides a legitimate and trustworthy access point.

It can be accessed on different types of devices and overall has a user-friendly interface.

Conclusion

From everything we’ve just covered, the benefits that Google Maps and Earth offer clients are quite clear. The only thing people need to keep in mind is how to utilize it to best suit their needs and functions.

Regardless of whether your business provides food, products, or services, there is an undeniable need to acknowledge the impact location plays. 

Whether it’s leading to potential prospects, potential employees, or even just awareness, map location and accessibility play a vital role.

In the case of Google for Nonprofits, there are several ways in which you can offer your potential donors enticing, location-centered content.

But your general takeaway from this article should be to take advantage of numerous opportunities these location services provide. Google Maps and Google Earth can provide your business with several perks if you know where to look.