Google Gboard: How It Impacts Local SEO & Small Businesses

Google launched Gboard, an interactive keyboard for iOS allowing users to search and send information, GIFs, emojis, and more—directly from your iOS keyboard.

Gboard not only works in iMessages, but is compatible with search in any app, like Mail or YouTube. It gives users the ability to insert search results into your texts, emails, or other applications. So how will Gboard impact local SEO and small businesses? We explore this question and the possibilities below. (Official Google Gboard statement.)

Dial In Your NAP (If You Haven’t Already)

One of the primary features of Gboard is the ability to send local business information—name, address, phone numbers, etc.

For example, how many times has your friend needed the address of the restaurant you’re meeting at? This results in you leaving your message, opening a web browser, searching the address, copying the restaurant’s address, reopening your text, pasting the address, then sending it to your friend.

If you’re like us, probably a few.

With Gboard, customers can send local business information with just a couple clicks.

How This Affects Local Businesses

Better make sure your NAP (name, address, phone number) is correct on Google! Otherwise, customers could be sharing the wrong information with their friends.

How Will Gboard Impact Local Search Volume and ROI?

This is still unanswered. For now, we’ll monitor our clients’ analytics profiles for any changes in traffic sources, but Google hasn’t stated how exactly Gboard will be quantified.

For example, let’s say you’re a plumber in Charlotte, NC. Let’s assume you received 40 organic contact forms from your website last month and 60 organic phone calls (100 organic contacts total). Let’s also assume you invest $1,000 monthly in SEO and book 25 sales in the same month. If you’re average profit from one sale is $200, you generated $5,000 profit from your SEO campaign last month and a return on investment of 400%!

That’s great, but what if 5 of your booked leads came from Gboard as an original source? Say, a friend referring your service company to another friend and sending you the information via Gboard? Are those leads attributed to organic search? Referral? A direct visit?

Gboard could impact the way SEO companies report search volume and attribute leads.

We believe Gboard traffic will still be attributed to organic search, but it’s too soon to tell. We’ll update you when we learn more.

How to Use Gboard

It’s simple.

• Download the app for your iOS device
• Follow the installation instructions
• Activate the Gboard keyboard
• Turn on “Allow full access” in settings
• Start searching!

Have Questions?

Give us a call or drop us a line. We’re here to help you with your local SEO campaign every step of the way!