One underrated digital marketing feature for all offline stores

I recently found myself in need of a projector for some office renovations we're doing. Now, finding quality projectors in my city, Kottayam, isn't exactly a walk in the park. You see, most popular electronics stores around here tend to stock only consumer-facing devices—think TVs and home appliances. So, I did what any of us would do: I turned to Google.

I searched for what projectors were available locally, and lo and behold, Google My Business (or Google Maps, as we casually know it) came through for me. It showed that Croma had projectors in stock. But here's the kicker: the listing also included real-time updates—like "last updated 24 hours ago." This wasn’t just any static listing; Croma has synced their inventory tracking right to Google My Business.

This integration is a game changer. It’s not just about listing on a website; it’s about making sure potential customers see the most current stock right when they're searching. It gave me enough confidence to actually drive down to Croma, knowing that I wouldn’t be wasting my trip.

This is a massive missed opportunity for many, especially those with physical stores. Linking real-time stock to Google Maps isn't just smart; it's crucial. It’s a golden nugget for digital marketers to pitch and a must-do for business owners. If you're running a store and aren't doing this yet, you're definitely leaving money on the table.

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