When it comes to digital marketing, the question we always get is: where do I start? In a sea of ever-changing technology, there is one digital marketing tool that no independent insurance agency should go without, and that's Google My Business. There is no greater (or simpler) tool to get your brand in front of your local audience and give your agency instant credibility with consumers.
One essential digital marketing tool
You'll be hard-pressed to find a new client who didn't check the internet before reaching out to your agency. Avoiding digital marketing is just not an option; you need a digital presence to succeed. However, as a new business owner, you have a lot on your plate and digital marketing can be hard and confusing to navigate. Many digital marketing tools are dependent on you having a website, consistent content creation, ad campaigns, etc. While all of these things can help grow your business, they will take a little time to implement. Google My Business requires very little time and effort to set up, and the effects are instantaneous. This is why GMB is the best place to start building your digital brand profile. 
When you have a Google My Business (GMB) profile, your business is going to pop up whenever a person in your area is searching for an insurance agency or in need of insurance. Digital marketing is all about meeting the demands of prospective clients, and the simplest, most effective way to meet their needs is to be available. GMB makes your business accessible and available whenever someone is searching for insurance.
Here are four reasons why Google My Business is the best digital marketing tool for independent agents.
1. Put your agency on the map
GMB will put your business front and center if a person in your area is searching for an insurance agency, and GMB profiles will always get top billing on a Google search. Most other digital marketing is a fight to show up on the first page of a Google search. Regardless of the quality of your digital marketing, building up to the first-page mention on Google takes time; you have to build up momentum. GMB doesn't care if you are an established agency or just starting out. If someone in your area is searching for an insurance agency, Google will find your GMB and present it to the searcher and prospective new client, along with all the relevant information they need to get in contact.
2. No need for your own website
All the relevant information a prospect may need - store hours, contact information, services, customer reviews, etc. is available on your GMB profile. In the past, a website would build credibility with consumers. however, having a GMB profile and showing up on Google maps will give your agency the same level of credibility as a personal website and boost consumer confidence.
As you grow, GMB is easy to update, keeping consumers up to date and informed about your agency and your services.
3. Reach local consumers
GMB is a bit like an agency-client dating app that matches your GMB profile with prospective clients who are nearby.
The main focus of any marketing efforts is going to be aimed at reaching a local audience. The majority of prospective clients will do research about insurance online, and then reach out in the final stages to talk to a local independent insurance agency to help them make the best and final decisions about their insurance needs. GMB will show your profile to the right clients who are in your area and looking for assistance.
4. It's free!
You know what they say, the best things in life (and digital marketing) are free.
Staring an independent agency isn't easy. At AAI, we provide guidance, support, and training to independent agents to hit the ground running and succeed. Contact AAI to become a part of the fastest-growing insurance brokerage in the US.