Improve Your Funeral Home's Local Visibility with Google Business Profile: 5 Simple Actionable Steps
- Debbie Avens
- Apr 2
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
In today's digital age, in the moment when a family needs the services of a local funeral director they are more likely than not to turn to Google. While word-of-mouth referrals remain hugely valuable to funeral directors, the digital landscape has fundamentally altered how families discover and choose a funeral home when they need one.
Effective funeral home marketing is no longer optional; it's essential for visibility and trust. Today, we'll focus on your Google Business Profile, and five quick-win local SEO strategies that can significantly boost your online presence, helping you to attract new clients and grow a successful business.
Optimise Your Google Business Profile (GBP): Your Digital Front Door
Imagine your Google Business Profile (GBP) as the digital equivalent of your funeral home's front door. It's often the first point of contact for families searching for services in their area. Ensuring your GBP is fully optimised is crucial for local SEO success.
When someone searches for "funeral homes near me" or "funeral directors in [your town]," Google prioritises displaying a "local map pack" with the top 3-4 relevant businesses. These listings are pulled directly from Google Business Profiles. If you don't have a profile, or it's not optimised, you're unlikely to appear here, missing out on a huge chunk of potential clients.
We know of one local business that was 40% down on year-on-year sales when their Google Business Profile was switched off following the death of one of the business partners who held ownership of the GBP.
Your Google Business Profile acts as a mini website within Google’s search results displaying your business name, address, phone number, website link, hours of operation, customer reviews, photos, FAQ’s and business updates.
This allows people to quickly assess your business and decide if they want to learn more, all without ever visiting your website. This demonstrates just how important this channel is for attracting potential clients.
5 Simple Actionable Steps to Optimise Your Funeral Home’s GBP
Consistency is key. Begin by confirming your business name, address, and phone number are accurate and are consistently shown across all online platforms (this also includes other directories).
So if your address is “1 High Street, Southampton”, don’t use “1 High St., Southampton.” on your website and “1 High Street, S’ton” on your GBP, and then another variation on another local directory.
Inconsistencies can confuse search engines and deter potential clients.
Showcase your business with photos. Next, add to your profile with high-quality photos that showcase your facilities and create a welcoming digital environment. Don’t just rely on the external photo of your building that Google has added, show the faces of your team of professional people who will help and support potential clients, and show photos of the inside of your funeral home, so people can see how warm and welcoming it is.
Update business hours. Regularly update your business hours, especially during holidays, and add detailed service descriptions. This attention to detail signals to both search engines and families that you are a reliable and professional funeral home.
Add FAQ’s and Business Update Posts. You can also add FAQ’s to answer questions that you commonly hear from clients, and regularly add posts that share news and updates about your business. Regularly posting new FAQ’s and Posts signals to Google that you are actively managing your GBP listing, which can positively impact your SEO, resulting in increased visibility as well as enhanced customer engagement.
Focus on online reviews, building trust through testimonials. In the funeral industry, trust is paramount. Families are entrusting you with the care of their loved ones, and online reviews play a significant role in building that trust. Encourage families to share their experiences of your service on your Google Business Profile and other relevant platforms. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, is equally important. Make sure you acknowledge positive feedback. And address any concerns professionally and empathetically, liaising with the family offline to address any individual concerns. This demonstrates that you value your clients and are committed to providing exceptional service. Positive reviews not only enhance your online reputation but also improve your local SEO ranking. And you can also use positive reviews across your marketing, on your website and in advertising.
Get Great Results with Avens Marketing Google Business Profile Management
At Avens Marketing, we help funeral businesses manage and optimise their Google Business Profiles. With one of our clients that has 3 funeral homes, we saw these amazing results in just the second month of managing their GBP’s.
Comprehensive Funeral Marketing Services with Avens Marketing
While these quick wins are effective, a holistic funeral marketing services approach goes beyond basic SEO. Avens Marketing understands the unique challenges and sensitivities of the funeral industry. We offer tailored strategies that encompass digital marketing, community engagement, brand building and improved customer experience.
Our expertise in funeral home marketing enables us to craft compelling content, manage social media with empathy, and develop comprehensive marketing plans that resonate with your target audience. We understand that effective marketing in this industry is about more than just visibility; it's about building meaningful connections and providing support during difficult times.
Avens Marketing can help you to enhance your funeral business’s online presence, build recognition and trust within your community, and ultimately, better serving families in need.
Get in touch to find out more about how Avens Marketing can support your funeral business.
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