Knowing your (Google) Place – Your Business on Google Places
Business owners who purchased ads in the phone book remember a significant marketing investment with that advertising platform. It may seem to-good-to-be-true to learn that Google offers a better solution for FREE!
FREE!
According to Google, 97% of consumers search online for businesses. Google launched Google Places in April, 2010 to offer local businesses a FREE platform to present their business to prospective customers. Google’s mission is to provide people the best search results possible. By providing the business owner an opportunity to provide information on a Google Places profile, the business owner helps Google fulfill their mission.
How to Claim and Maximize Google Places for Your Business
Visit Google Places for Businesses. On the right, you may either:
- Login to an existing Google Account. If you use Google Analytics, you may find it helpful to use the same Google Account login.
- Create a Google Account. You do not need a @gmail.com (Google’s email) account. You may use the email address you use most often for your business. Complete the provided form.
Once you are in your Google Account, click the Add a Business link – the next window requests your business phone, to see if Google has your information. If they do, you may “claim” the business as the owner.
Basic InformationGoogle provides a form for your company’s details. You do need to provide your Street Address. However, if you do not want that information publicized, see below.
Draft a 200-character description of your business, using your top keywords. Also use the Add a Category feature to add 5 additional keywords to describe your business. They auto-populate with options, but you may type in your own.
Service Areas and Location Settings
If you would like customers to come to you, choose “No.” However, if you do not want to publicize your location (if you work in a home office, for example), Google offers options. Choose “Yes” – then click “Do not show my business address on my Maps listing.” Select the service area you are most comfortable with from the options below. Consider the search terms people may use to find you on Google or review your Google Analytics for this information. If you are an accountant in Plymouth, you should include Plymouth in your service area.
Photos/Videos/Additional Details
I read that the more photos and videos in your Google Places profile, the higher your profile in search results. While unsure if that is true – 10 photos and 5 videos offer additional opportunity to visually tell people about your business. Upload your company logo first. It is more likely to be shown next to your Google Places results in a search.
Use Additional Details to add more information about your business – including your social networking links. Drive traffic to the social media platforms you utilize to engage your customers.
Submit
Once you complete the form and click the Submit button at the bottom, Google offers to send you a PIN number via the mail to confirm the legitimacy of the business. Once your letter arrives, follow their 3-step directions to validate your Google Places profile. Check the profile periodically. As it matures, people will write reviews and reviews from other sites (Yelp, SuperPages, etc.) will be included in your score.
