Growing Your RV Rental Business With Google Business

Welcome to this week's episode of the RV Rental Secrets Podcast with your host, Stacy Maxon. In today's installment, Stacy dives into the essential topic of expanding your RV rental business using Google Business. Formerly known as Google My Business, this tool proves to be a potent asset for local businesses, particularly RV rental companies, aiming to attract customers and generate leads.

Stacy guides you through the process of creating or claiming your Google Business listing, emphasizing the importance of accurate business information such as name, address, phone number, website, and business hours. Given the prevalence of online searches, having a well-optimized Google listing ensures that potential customers find your business when seeking RV rentals in their area.

The host provides insightful tips on optimizing your business profile, including adding high-quality photos of your RVs, facility, and team members to attract potential renters. Crafting a compelling business description that highlights your unique selling points and selecting relevant categories further enhances your visibility in search results.

Encouraging customer reviews on Google Business is another crucial aspect highlighted by Stacy. Positive reviews not only influence potential customers but also improve your search result ranking. Stacy shares a personal strategy of texting customers post-rental, providing a link for easy review submissions.

Stacy also delves into additional features of Google Business, such as Google Posts, which allows you to share updates, promotions, and special offers, thereby capturing the attention of users searching for RV rentals. The Q&A section and attributes that make your business stand out, like being family or pet-friendly, are explored to help potential renters find the information they need.

To further refine your strategy, Stacy stresses the importance of monitoring insights provided by Google, such as views, clicks, and calls generated from your listing. These insights offer valuable information on how users find and interact with your listing, helping you make data-driven decisions.

In closing, Stacy briefly touches on the option of utilizing Google Ads to put your business at the top of search results, ensuring increased visibility. This episode serves as a quick but comprehensive guide to leveraging Google Business for the success and growth of your RV rental business. So, whether you're listening on the go or at your desk, be sure to revisit these valuable insights and get your Google Business listing set up for a successful upcoming season. Tune in next week for more expert tips from Stacy Maxson on the RV Rental Secrets Podcast.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to the RV rental secrets podcast. 2 00:00:02,879.9999 --> 00:00:09,460 I'm your host, Stacy Maxson, and I'm thrilled to guide you through the journey of launching, growing, and managing a profitable RV rental business. 3 00:00:10,30.997732426 --> 00:00:12,290.997832426 Welcome to the RV rental secret podcast. 4 00:00:12,510.997532426 --> 00:00:17,90.997832426 This week, we're gonna talk about growing your RV rental business with Google Business. 5 00:00:17,655.997832426 --> 00:00:27,410.997832426 So Google Business formerly known as Google My Business, is a powerful tool for local businesses like RV rental companies to attract customers and generate leads. 6 00:00:27,410.997832426 --> 00:00:37,290.997832426 I'm gonna walk through how you can effectively use Google Business to obtain local leads so first, you're gonna wanna create or claim your Google Business listing. 7 00:00:37,430.997832426 --> 00:00:43,115.999832426 So if you haven't already, start by creating a Google Business listing for your RV rental Business. 8 00:00:43,575.997832426 --> 00:00:47,115.997832426 If a listing already exists, claim it to gain control. 9 00:00:47,115.997832426 --> 00:00:55,450.995832426 So you're gonna check this by going to Google dot com and then typing in your business name to see if there's already a listing. 10 00:00:55,510.997832426 --> 00:00:58,650.997832426 And if not, that's when you can go ahead and create your listing. 11 00:00:58,650.997832426 --> 00:01:06,991.001832426 If there is a listing there, you wanna make sure all of your business information is accurate, including the name, address, phone number, website, and business hours. 12 00:01:06,991.001832426 --> 00:01:14,771.001832426 The reason why it's so important to have a Google listing is think about what you do when you're trying to find something. 13 00:01:15,476.001832426 --> 00:01:25,471.001832426 You know, the first thing you do is Google, you know, RV rental businesses in my area, restaurants in my area, Restaurants near me, RV rentals near me. 14 00:01:25,691.001832426 --> 00:01:32,982.664499093 And that's what your customers are doing, and you wanna make sure that when they do that, you're gonna show up on their search results. 15 00:01:32,982.664499093 --> 00:01:43,677.66949909 sO the next thing you do, if you have a business profile or if you create one, You wanna make sure that you're optimizing it so that it gets seen by the most people. 16 00:01:43,677.66949909 --> 00:01:48,432.67949909 And when it does get seen, It's gonna make them want to click on your business. 17 00:01:49,52.66949909 --> 00:01:54,592.66949909 So you wanna add high quality photos of your RVs, your facility, and team members. 18 00:01:54,592.66949909 --> 00:01:59,332.66949909 You want visual content that can attract potential renters. 19 00:01:59,952.66949909 --> 00:02:06,677.66949909 So, you know, when they're searching RV rental businesses near me, There could be five that show up in the area. 20 00:02:07,87.66949909 --> 00:02:11,667.66949909 You know, those pictures that they see are gonna make them wanna click on your business. 21 00:02:11,686.00283243 --> 00:02:23,326.00283243 You also wanna write a compelling and informative business description that highlights your unique selling points such as RV selection, your customer service, or any special offers. 22 00:02:23,866.00283243 --> 00:02:30,866.01283243 Basically, what sets you apart from your competition? Also, you wanna make sure that you're choosing relevant categories for your business. 23 00:02:31,406.01283243 --> 00:02:39,251.01283243 So you wanna make sure you Choose RV rental or travel trailer rental so that you come up in the correct search results. 24 00:02:39,251.01283243 --> 00:02:54,631.01283243 Once you have your Google Business listing and people are finding you, Another thing that you wanna do is make sure that you're encouraging reviews on Google Business, And that's gonna get you seen even more. 25 00:02:54,731.01283243 --> 00:02:59,871.01283243 So the more reviews you have, the better you'll show up in the search results. 26 00:03:00,436.01283243 --> 00:03:05,336.01283243 And obviously, that's gonna bring in more customer as well if they see that you're getting good reviews. 27 00:03:05,336.01283243 --> 00:03:17,216.01283243 So you wanna encourage Satisfy customers to leave positive reviews on your Google Business profile because reviews can significantly impact potential customers' decisions. 28 00:03:17,216.01283243 --> 00:03:22,676.01283243 Also respond to all reviews promptly and professionally, whether they're positive or negative. 29 00:03:23,431.00283243 --> 00:03:26,651.00283243 Engaging with customers show that you care about their feedback. 30 00:03:27,271.01283243 --> 00:03:41,161.00283243 So what I like to do is at the end of each rental I usually Text the customer and, you know, see if they've had a good time with us, Everything went well with their rental. 31 00:03:41,621.00283243 --> 00:03:52,386.00283243 And if they are happy with how things went, then I text them a link to our Google review page and ask them if they wouldn't mind leaving a review for us. 32 00:03:52,526.00283243 --> 00:03:57,30.98283243 You wanna make it as easy as possible you know, by providing them the link. 33 00:03:57,30.98283243 --> 00:04:03,205.98283243 That way, all they have to do is click on the link from the text and, you know, they can leave the review on their phone. 34 00:04:03,205.98283243 --> 00:04:04,186.00283243 Super simple. 35 00:04:04,186.00283243 --> 00:04:11,561.00283243 The next thing that is good for keeping your Google listing Optimize is to post regular updates. 36 00:04:12,291.00283243 --> 00:04:19,566.00283243 So they have a feature called Google Posts where you can share updates, promotions, and any special offers. 37 00:04:20,186.00283243 --> 00:04:24,525.98283243 And this can help capture the attention of users searching for RV rentals. 38 00:04:25,371.00283243 --> 00:04:40,466.04283243 So, you know, if you're not using that feature, think about adding that for, you know, even each month, just any Special promotions you're having or maybe new RV rental units that you have coming in or share a customer story. 39 00:04:40,466.04283243 --> 00:04:44,886.04283243 You know, you just wanna keep your post fresh and relevant to your target audience. 40 00:04:44,886.04283243 --> 00:04:50,346.06283243 Another feature that's located in Google Business is the q and a section. 41 00:04:50,916.06283243 --> 00:05:01,386.08283243 So you wanna make Sure that you're utilizing that to provide answers to common queries about your RV rental Pricing, availability, and policies. 42 00:05:01,386.08283243 --> 00:05:10,521.10283243 So this could be things like do you offer delivery? And then Answer that question for your potential renters. 43 00:05:11,251.10283243 --> 00:05:21,646.12283243 You know, what are the check-in and checkout times? yOu know, really just look at any of the commonly asked questions that you get from renters and then address those up front. 44 00:05:21,646.12283243 --> 00:05:31,1.10283243 Because if they have the answers to those questions and it's what they're looking for, then They're more apt to contact your business. 45 00:05:31,1.10283243 --> 00:05:39,606.10283243 Also add attributes that make your business stand out, such as Family friendly or pet friendly that can be a really good one. 46 00:05:39,606.10283243 --> 00:05:45,821.10283243 I know that, you know, a lot of people travel with their pets And some people don't allow pets. 47 00:05:45,821.10283243 --> 00:05:56,986.10283243 So, you know, if you do offer that to your renters, make sure that you're Adding that in your listing so that it makes you stand out. 48 00:05:57,316.10283243 --> 00:06:05,841.10283243 You know, some other things could be Generators available are boondocking friendly festival friendly if you allow music festivals. 49 00:06:06,546.10283243 --> 00:06:12,966.12283243 And, you know, like I said, it'll just get you to stand out from your competition and get them to contact your business. 50 00:06:12,966.12283243 --> 00:06:20,551.12283243 Another thing that you're gonna want to keep track of is the insights that Google provides. 51 00:06:21,201.12283243 --> 00:06:30,656.12283243 so, you know, every time someone's clicking on your business, Every time they call your business from the Google listing, it tracks all that information. 52 00:06:30,796.09283243 --> 00:06:39,481.12283243 So you really wanna monitor those insights because it offers valuable information into how users find and interact with your listing. 53 00:06:39,861.12283243 --> 00:06:42,761.12283243 And you can use these insights to refine your strategy. 54 00:06:42,761.12283243 --> 00:06:49,101.12283243 So you wanna make sure you're paying attention to data on views, clicks, and calls generated from your listing. 55 00:06:49,916.12283243 --> 00:06:56,576.12283243 And along with that, usually get I don't know if it's a weekly or maybe a monthly report that they email you. 56 00:06:56,576.12283243 --> 00:07:06,801.12283243 And it kind of gives you an overview of, you know, who's seen your listing, where it came from you know, whether it was from search or maps. 57 00:07:07,421.12283243 --> 00:07:13,436.10283243 And it also gives you information about what the keywords were. 58 00:07:13,576.10283243 --> 00:07:27,11.10283243 So that can be really helpful to the information that you would want to use maybe in blog posts or articles so that, you know, you keep coming up for those keywords when they're searching for you. 59 00:07:27,11.10283243 --> 00:07:31,271.10283243 And then another thing too is you can get into Google Ads. 60 00:07:32,26.12283243 --> 00:07:41,321.08283243 So with the ads portion basically, what that'll do is put you at the top of the Google list when someone is searching for those keyword terms. 61 00:07:41,321.08283243 --> 00:07:44,301.04283243 And then that can help you get more views as well.. 62 00:07:44,301.04283243 --> 00:07:46,306.08283243 So I hope this was helpful for you. 63 00:07:46,606.08283243 --> 00:07:49,166.08283243 It's just a quick podcast this week. 64 00:07:49,166.08283243 --> 00:07:59,731.08283243 I just wanted to make sure that everyone's aware of how beneficial Google Business can be for your RV rental business and make sure that you're using it. 65 00:07:59,741.08283243 --> 00:08:15,481.24283243 You know, I really think That if you're listening to this in a car or while you're walking, you know, go back and listen to it again when you're at your desk and go through the steps And make sure that you get your listing set up so that you can get more views for the upcoming season. 66 00:08:15,861.18283243 --> 00:08:18,281.23283243 I'll talk to you guys again next week.