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The benefits of Google My Business

Mar 19, 20242 min read

Google My Business (GMB) is a free business tool that helps businesses of all sizes to create and maintain a listing on Google. GMB helps businesses appear in people’s searches and on Google Maps, meaning your business can attract new customers and share information.

Within your Google listing, you can link to your social media profiles and your website and display any Google reviews your business has. You cannot disable Google reviews, which many see as a negative, but reviews show customers that your business is legitimate and can give them an insight into what you do. People trust what people say about a business more than what that business says about itself - a good review could influence whether a potential client parts with their money or not.

If you want to get the most out of your GMB listing, you need to make sure that you’ve given Google as many details about your business as you can. With more information, Google can better match your business to potential customers’ searches. To draw people’s eyes to your listing, you can even also images; these could be of staff serving customers within your business, infographics, menus, pictures of your office and more. According to Google, businesses that include photos within their GMB listing receive 42% more clicks for directions and 35% more clicks to their website.

One great feature of GMB is that you can include recent post updates and any special offers your business may currently be running. Promoting offers is a great way to increase your website traffic and sales.

The category your business falls under determines whether you’re eligible for GMB’s additional features, which are as follows:

Businesses that are heavily service-oriented can include a service menu and booking button
Restaurants and bars can upload their menus and add links for customers to place online orders and reservations
Small to medium-sized businesses can add a product catalogue
If you are a hotel, you can display your ‘star’ rating and list amenities available

If, after you’ve created your profile, you think you qualify for these additional features but you cannot see them as an option, you may have accidentally chosen the wrong category for your business; it’s worth double-checking your choices.

Maybe you offer free Wi-Fi or wheelchair access and want potential customers to know - you can include this, too. You may wish to mention that your business is led by women, for example.

Google My Business has a lot to offer, and it’s worth creating. Follow the link to start creating your free listing: https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/business/

Google's £32 Billion Bet on Cloud Security: What Wiz Means for the Future of Alphabet

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19 March 2025

Connor Banks

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In a landmark move, Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has announced its largest acquisition to date: a £32 billion all-cash deal to purchase Wiz, a fast-growing cloud security start-up. This strategic acquisition not only highlights the increasing importance of cybersecurity in the AI era but also signals Google’s ambition to challenge Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure in the multi-billion-pound cloud computing market.

A Strategic Play for Cybersecurity Dominance

Wiz, founded in 2020 by cybersecurity veterans, has rapidly ascended as a key player in cloud security. The company specialises in providing tools that help organisations detect and mitigate security risks across major cloud platforms—including AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Wiz’s emphasis on a multi-cloud approach has made it particularly attractive in a world where enterprises often rely on multiple cloud providers.

By acquiring Wiz, Google is making a bold statement: Security is now a top priority in its cloud strategy. This comes at a time when cybersecurity threats are escalating and businesses demand more robust protection against breaches, ransomware, and AI-driven attacks.

Why Google Needs Wiz

Despite being a tech giant, Google Cloud remains the third-largest cloud provider, trailing behind AWS and Microsoft Azure. While Google has made significant strides in AI and data analytics, it has struggled to gain an edge in cloud security—a crucial factor for enterprise clients.

Enhanced Security Portfolio: Wiz’s platform will strengthen Google Cloud’s security offerings, making it more competitive against Microsoft, which has invested heavily in security solutions.
Multi-Cloud Expansion: Unlike some past Google acquisitions that were integrated exclusively into Google’s ecosystem, Wiz will continue to support AWS and Azure, helping Google maintain a presence in rival platforms.
AI-Driven Security Solutions: With Google at the forefront of AI, Wiz’s security capabilities can be enhanced using AI-powered threat detection and automation, setting a new industry standard.

Regulatory & Competitive Challenges

However, this deal is not without challenges. Given the £32 billion price tag, Alphabet will face scrutiny from regulators in the UK, the US, and Europe, who may investigate the acquisition for potential anti-competitive concerns. Additionally, the move is expected to intensify competition with Microsoft and Amazon, both of whom have also been ramping up their cybersecurity investments.

While Wiz’s commitment to multi-cloud compatibility is a selling point, there is always the risk that competitors could respond aggressively, either by developing competing technologies or challenging the acquisition on regulatory grounds.

What This Means for the Future of Google

Alphabet’s bet on Wiz highlights a broader shift in Google’s business strategy:

Cybersecurity is no longer an afterthought—it’s a centrepiece of cloud innovation.
Google Cloud is evolving into a true enterprise powerhouse, aiming to take market share from AWS and Microsoft.
AI and security will increasingly converge, with Google leading the charge in developing AI-driven security solutions.

With the deal expected to close in 2026, all eyes will be on how Google integrates Wiz’s platform and whether this move will finally tip the balance in the cloud computing wars.

Conclusion

Google’s acquisition of Wiz is more than just a big-ticket purchase—it’s a strategic shift that underscores the growing role of security, AI, and multi-cloud infrastructure in the future of cloud computing. Whether this gamble pays off will depend on how well Google can execute its vision and convince enterprise customers that it is the safest and smartest choice for their cloud needs.