Previously, only customers could add videos to a local business listing. At the beginning of the year, some businesses started reporting that they were seeing the option to upload videos to their Google My Business accounts. Google has now announced that this feature is out of testing phase and available for everyone.
Adding Videos to Your Listing
Head to “Photos” in the sidebar of your Google My Business account.
A top menu will appear with the options “By Owner” and “By Customer 360.”
There is also a tab called “Video.” Here, you’ll find all the videos associated with your business — your own and those uploaded by customers.
Under the “Video” tab, you can also upload your videos, by clicking “Post Videos”. Drag videos lasting up to 30 seconds to the box that appears to start the uploading process.
Expect to wait for up to 24 hours for your videos to appear. Once they’re visible, your videos will appear both for your business listing on Google Maps and in your local search results. Users can find them in the same place as your photos.
The Future for Google My Business Videos
Google already has plans to improve videos for Google My Business. Soon, there will be native mobile support and you’ll start seeing notifications for customer videos.
How to Take Advantage of This Feature
There are many ways to benefit from videos on your Google My Business listing. Just bear in mind that you are limited to 30 seconds per video. You could present your business in a mini tour or give prospects a behind-the-scenes look into your operations and company culture. You could show your top products or services in action or even feature testimonials. Any of these ideas will improve the appeal of your business, help users better understand what you have to offer, and ultimately increase your ROI.
Whatever you do, keep the best practices for video marketing in mind. Focus on quality and show prospects why they should be interested in your business, rather than overtly pushing for sales.
