Google is truly a life-saving search engine for most people around the world. If you want to know something, you go to Google, type your query and get quick answers. So, in a way, it’s a lifeline for many and to further enhance the user experience, Google recently also rolled out a unique question and answer feature.
Have you tried this feature yet?
The feature was rolled out for small and big business organizations to directly communicate with their customers. Some business organizations are aware of this feature and use the feature to their advantage. But, are you using it for your business advantage. If you are clueless about the same, then read on.
Search engine optimization is important for business. Local SEO creates a good exposure for your brand and also highlights your promotion. You can create your business page on Google My Business for SEO. You can also create a Google question and answer portion for the business listing. Google aims at emphasizing on local search more, so this listing is a must for startup business websites and organizations too.
By creating this page, you can directly inform your customers about your product and also provide details. A customer that seeks information can trust your business organization with this page.
How Businesses Can Optimize For Google’s Question and Answer Feature?
- Create a Content Management Plan
The feature is quite new so you need to create a content management plan. It’s important to find out the questions that are asked by the customers and provide relevant answers to those questions. This should be relevant to the search journey of your customers pertaining to your product or your brand.
After you make a list of all the answers, focus on other areas of research. Do research on all the common questions about your product or your business. Look for common questions that are asked on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Know about the sub-services offering that is new to your business.
- Start With Posting Questions and Answers
Once you plan your content, you need to start posting your own questions and answers. This is important if you have a startup business or a small business organization. If its finance related, you can post the question (Is it beneficial to invest in mutual funds?) with an answer explaining this in detail.
It’s acceptable to post your own questions with answers so that the consumers demands get fulfilled. All the information that you give out in your answer would be beneficial for the consumer buying your product. This is like your promotional strategy that’ll indirectly help your business as well.
- Accept the Challenge
If you use the question and answer feature by Google, you need to be prepared for the added challenge. You need to be updated regarding various product/service related questions and answers so that’ll help you to keep a hands-on approach.
Once you start using the feature you can’t completely opt out from it. So, the task can be challenging at times. However, you can easily undertake this task and see it to fruition if you have a specific team to handle the feature for your business. This will help increase your website traffic.
- Get Specific
If there is any specific information that you need to provide to your clients or people then you must be specific with your question and answer form. For example, if you have a restaurant and you also serve vegan food, then you need to specify that in the question and answer form.
These things are not mentioned in the FAQ questions of your website. Depending on the nature of your business, the specification is a must. If the information is helpful to someone, then the answer you provide can also be a lengthy one.
- Think About the Customer First
When you write your own set of questions and answers for the product, it’s important to keep your tone clear. Don’t think about your preference or what you perceive is good for your business. Go out of your way to think about your customer. How your customer will perceive the information? What your customer would want from your service or any expectations?
Also, the language that you use for questions and answers should be simple and specific. Don’t use jargons that are difficult to understand. Use simple English and words that are easy to read. Technical jargon is always a turn off for a layman.
- Don’t Post Spammy Stuff
The questions and answers you post should be in a professional tone and to the point. Avoid posting too much of Q&A as that’ll make it look spammy. Also, don’t post-Q&A that is not needed. This tool is not for promotion and marketing.
Google has designed this feature to help consumers understand your product better. In fact, any kind of marketing is a total turn off with this feature. Also, don’t post your questions and answers with keywords. That would be SEO and Google is strict with the feature terms.
- Stay Updated on Q&A Session
You can integrate with a Google map app for this feature. You’ll automatically get a push notification when someone asks a question about your business or your product. It’s important that you answer new questions ASAP as that’ll help to impress your new clients. If you provide quick answers for all the new questions, then it’ll help to maintain your business image too.
- Report Malicious Threats
Security is a concern all over so you need to stay alert on this. There may be a possibility of spam questions or malicious posting in your question and answer feature. You need to keep an eye on this and report the problem to Google. Also, keep the editing options in private if you want to enhance the security feature.
#Conclusion
The new feature of Q&A by Google can be used by small or big business organizations. The idea is to connect directly to consumers and make them understand things in a better way. So, do try this feature for your business and ensure to always give complete information about your product or service.
Sudhir Bhushan is a Tech & Social enthusiast. He is also a Web Entrepreneur by Profession and loves to write about latest trends in Social Media & SEO. You may also follow him on Twitter | Facebook | G+
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