Why Google Places Is A Great Way To Get Your Business Noticed

You know your small business exists.  You probably spend a good portion of every day running it!  The question is, how can you get people who have never been there before to notice you?

Google Places is one great way to do it.

Whether your business is on a well-travelled corner, or if you’re tucked away on a winding country lane, Google Places will inform potential customers about your location, as well as give them information about the products or services you offer.

Why Google?

While there are other search engines out there, Google is by far the most popular, as well as the most comprehensive of them all.

What Is Google Places?

Google Places is a free service offered by Google, to help business owners inform consumers about their hours of operation, products and services, special offers, and more. Your business can display photographs and videos on Google Places, and you can communicate with clientele and get important feedback that can help you improve your bottom line.

What are Google Places Tags?

Google Places offers and additional service that places special tags that look like coupons over your business.
Tags are a way to stand out to potential customers, and while they don’t improve SEO rank, they do create better perceived value.

As of January, 2011, it is free to try  Google Places Tags for 30 days, and the service costs a flat rate of $25 per month if you choose to continue using it.

Why Google Places Works So Well

According to the folks at Google, one in five internet searches are directly related to locations. Since Google places allows business owners the ability to update their offerings in real time, customers can find you and you have the opportunity to create a sense of excitement by adding special coupons just for customers who find you on Google Places.

Add Google Places for smartphone users, and you just might see your business improve by leaps and bounds.
The bottom line is, your customers and potential new clients are looking for what they want on Google, and if you are there, you are going to be noticed.

No one can pass up a great deal, so come up with a promotion, put it up on your Google Places Place Page, and watch the magic happen.

More Google Places Optimization Service Information

How Local Business Owners Can Optimize Their Google Places Business Listing

Did you know that Google Places is the easiest and fastest way to get your local business listed in the top 7 searches on any major search engine?

And all for free?

All using information that you as a business owner already has on the tip of your fingers?

You may be wondering how I can possibly make these claims. Well consider this awesome fact: anytime someone enters local search terms into Google ( that means those search terms referring to a town or city or state or zip code), it automatically triggers Google to display  Google Map listings on its first page of search results and those listing cover up to 30% of the screen.  Every other search result related to WebPages, videos and images gets pushed further down, so that makes Google Places an incredible marketing strategy for any local business.

Here is a list of the basic information you already know  and will need to help optimize your Google Places local business listing.

Correctly submitting the below information will increase your chances of high rankings.

1. Business Name

• Official registered business name, mailing address, phone number and website URL

2. Business Category

• You can choose up to 5 categories to describe your business niches

3. Hours of Operation

4. Payment Options your clients have when they buy from you

5. Photos- already on your webpage, on your camera or on your walls to be simply uploaded

6. Videos- already on your webpage or on your YouTube account, or your video recorder

But that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

This next set of information will be like feeding steroids to your business listing. It all revolves around a very simple yet often overlooked principle: your business’s unique selling proposition i.e. the things that set your business apart from your competition in very unique ways that will make a customer choose you over them.

Submit your USP details in the area called ‘Additional Details’ on the Google Places business listing page. Go through this list and the examples provided to jog your creativity:

• Pricing- Moderate, $15 buffet. $30/month

• Facilities and amenities- kid friendly, free parking, valet service

• Handicap accessibility- handicap accessible

• Areas of specialty- plastic surgery, pet grooming

• Delivery- free delivery, delivery in Bay area only

• Locations served- serving downtown LA only

• Currency- USD, Cash only, Cash and Credit

• Significant achievements – Voted Best Bank in Norfolk County

• Type of clients- 3-5yrs, over 18

• Products or services offered- commercial painting, foreclosure assistance

• Nearby landmarks or attractions of interest- 1 mile from New York Museum

• Well known clients- State legislature, Governors Mansion, Bruce Willis

• Endorsements, TV Features- As seen on NBC, featured on Oprah Winfrey Show

• Policies/Values/Ethics – equal opportunity employer

As you can see, optimizing your Google Places business listing is something you should be able to do very easily as a local business owner. Especially if you creatively describe the special attributes of your business.

Google Places Optimization Services