In our digital-first world, businesses must decide how to spend their marketing dollars wisely. GMB vs. traditional advertising can be the difference between profit and loss for local businesses. Although conventional advertising still exists to some degree, i.e., print media, radio, and television, local SEO, driven via platforms like GMB or Google My Business, is a much cheaper alternative. So, Digital Traffic, the top Shopify Development Services provider in Surrey, is here to tell you why GMB and Local SEO are better alternatives than traditional advertising regarding business reach, cost-effectiveness, and outcomes.

Understanding GMB and Local SEO

What is Google My Business? Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool offered by Google to build and manage an online presence on Google Search and Google Maps. GMB allows businesses to share the most critical information, such as their location, opening hours, contact information, customer reviews, etc.

What is Local SEO? Local SEO refers to a business’s processes for improving its online presence and attracting more customers from local searches. These strategies involve optimizing GMB profiles, targeting local keywords, and creating citations on local directories.

Traditional Advertising: The Old Standard

Newspaper ads, radio spots, billboards, and other traditional advertising have been a pillar of marketing strategies for decades. These methods are effective but have serious disadvantages:

High Costs: Buying a TV ad or prime billboard space can cost thousands of dollars.

Limited Targeting: Traditional advertising broadcasts a message to many people, many of whom aren’t desirable for your business.

Inability to Measure: The direct impact of conventional advertising efforts is difficult to measure.

Diminishing Reach: Fewer people are turning to the old media platforms.

The Case for GMB and Local SEO

Local SEO (based upon an adequately optimized GMB profile) provides an up-to-date replacement for classical advertising. Here’s why it costs you less:

Free to Use: Establishing and keeping a GMB profile is free. In contrast to conventional ads, which can come with substantial placement costs, GMB allows businesses to display their information with no initial investment required.

Targeted Reach: GMB and local SEO allow businesses to reach users searching for their offerings. For instance, if you are a business specifically searching for Shopify development services near me, you are already in the consideration phase, meaning such a query has a higher conversion rate.

Enhanced Visibility: An optimally set up GMB brings your business to the Local Pack of Google Search. This places your local business at the top of search results, making you more visible to potential customers.

Customer Engagement: GMB allows businesses to communicate with their customers via reviews, questions, and updates. That level of engagement activates trust in the people who might purchase from you and creates loyalty that is tough to come by in standard advertising.

Actionable Insights: GMB provides useful information based on customers’ searches for your business, the steps they took, and which posts were the most popular. With these insights, you can further optimize your strategy for maximum impact.

Comparing Costs: GMB vs. Traditional Advertising

Traditional Advertising Costs

TV Commercials: $1K – $5K per 30-second spot (no production costs included)

Billboards: 1,500 to 10,000 per month.

Print Ads: $500 to $5,000 per placement.

GMB and Local SEO Costs

GMB Profile Setup: Free.

Ongoing SEO: $200 to $1,000 a month (if outsourced to a professional SEO agency)

Local SEO Tools: $50 — $300 per month

In fact, even with professional management, the costs of Local SEO and GMB optimization are lower than the cost of standard advertising, making them affordable options for small and medium-sized businesses.

Why GMB is Essential for Local Businesses

Reputation Solves Trust Issues. It serves as social proof—a reason for potential customers to choose your business over someone else’s. According to a BrightLocal survey, 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations .

Mobile-Friendly Searches: GMB makes your business easy to find for people on the go (most searches have been done on mobile devices).

Other Google Services Integration: GMB works with Google Maps and other Google tools to improve your online presence.

Local Pack Dominance: Being in the Local Pack can greatly amplify your visibility and trust. According to a Moz study, 44% of users click on a business from the Local Pack when doing a local search.

Tips for Maximizing GMB and Local SEO

Fill out Your GMB Profile: Include every detail, such as the address, phone number, working hours, etc.

Include Quality Photos: Pictures are one of the first things prospective customers see when looking at your profile.

Request Reviews: When your customers have a positive experience, request some reviews, then ensure you respond to them.

Adjust Regular Updates: Share news, promotions, and events and engage your audience.

Include Local Keywords: Incorporate location-related keywords into your content to improve your ranking for local search inquiries.

Monitor Analytics: Track performance and learn about areas of improvement through GMB insights.

Conclusion

If we consider cost-effectiveness, targeted reach, and measurable results, Local SEO gives the edge to GMB in the battle of GMB vs. traditional advertising. For businesses operating in Surrey, GMB and Local SEO are no longer optional; they are essential to exposing themselves in the crowded market.

Digital Traffic optimizes GMB profiles and mobilizes impactful Local SEO strategies for relevant businesses. So, if you wish to take your business one step ahead, contact us now, and we will take care of the rest.