Some are still wondering why you need Google Places Optimization. Most businesses today recognize that search engines drive much traffic to their pages, but there are many misunderstandings regarding local SEO tactics. That’s why here I will cover the eight most common reasons why a business should put up their own Google Places listing.
You want to be found in Google search
Google Places Optimization is essential to your online business success. Suppose you want to be found in search engines. It will help you get more new customers for your business. Most people find their favorite products or services by searching for Google, Yahoo, and Bing. If you are not listed in Google Places, you can’t get enough customers for your business. Millions of users use Google Search as their primary search engine. But if you’re not listed at all in Google Search, then they will never visit your site. This means that you’re losing potential customers and revenue every day.
You want to find and attract customers who are already searching for your business
Google places optimization is a search engine optimization (SEO) process that helps business owners optimize their Google Places listing. The goal of Google Places Optimization is to make your business rank higher on Google Maps and Google Search so you can attract more customers.
Trying to get your business found online can be tricky, especially when so many other businesses are clamoring for attention on the internet. When it comes to optimizing your business listing, there are several tried-and-true strategies you can use to help your company dominate search results.
Use your keywords in your description
Places Optimization can help you rank better in the organic search results. However, even if you have thousands of backlinks pointing to your site, if you don’t optimize your Google Places listing, all that hard work could go to waste.
Tailor your description to include your target keywords, and try to include the name of your business, city, and state in the report too.
Even though it’s a long-tail keyword, you can still optimize it by using relevant keywords in other places on your Places page. For example, you can use keywords in call-to-action buttons or even in the business description itself.
Make sure that your business information is well written and includes specific details. For example, instead of saying “We sell gifts,” say “We sell handmade gifts from around the world.”
Try not to have more than three lines of text on each page of your Places listing, as this may make it look unappealing to potential customers.
Ensure that your hours are listed so that consumers know when they can visit your business.
Make sure your information is up-to-date
Having new information on your Google Places Page can help attract new customers. If you change business hours, for example, make sure that it is updated on your Google Places Page and your website. Also, be sure to update any promotions or special offers that may expire so that customers know about them and can take advantage of them before they end.
Show off what makes you different from the competition
You want people to know what makes you and your business different from others in your area. If you offer a weekly promotion for students or seniors, for example, be sure that this is listed clearly on your Google Places Page and other social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter. Be sure to add a description of why this promotion is unique so people will understand why they should choose to shop with you rather than someone else in town.
Correct mistakes on your listing right away
Place optimization is the process of making sure your business listing, including photos, descriptions, and other information, is as complete and accurate as possible. You want to ensure Google knows every location your business has or will have throughout its lifespan.
If you haven’t created a Google Places account yet, do it now! It’s free and easy to create an account, and once you’re in your dashboard, you can claim your listings. This way, any time Google finds a place on the web that’s associated with your business name and location information, it’ll automatically update the information for you.
Once you’ve claimed your places page (or any other page), check back regularly to ensure everything is updated. Claiming your places page doesn’t mean you get free advertising from Google; instead, it helps them find your information and verify that it’s correct. If there are any mistakes on the page — a wrong address or phone number — make sure to fix them ASAP.
Get verified so customers can find you more easily
The first step in optimizing your local listing is to ensure that Google has verified it. You will have already submitted details about your business, but Google now has to “check” that you are who you say you are and that you do indeed own the company. This can take up to two weeks, during which time customers looking for your products or services will not be able to find you on Google. To avoid this problem, apply as soon as possible after opening your store or creating your service.
Optimize your listing with a PPC campaign
With so many businesses fighting to get their products and services in front of consumers, you need to make every effort to boost your Google Places listing. If you don’t, you could be losing out on potential customers who never see your business because it’s not listed. Here are four reasons why it’s so essential that your Google Places listing is optimized:
Visibility is critical: With so many competitors vying for a consumer’s attention, visibility is one of the biggest reasons to optimize your listing and run a PPC campaign. When consumers search on Google, they’re looking for businesses in their geographic location, and they’re expecting to find exactly what they’re looking for.
Get more leads: A good SEO campaign will help drive traffic from search engines and online directories like Google Places directly to your website—which can translate into more leads for your business.
Reach new customers: Optimizing your Google Places listing is an effective way to reach customers who might not have otherwise found you through traditional methods like print or TV ads.
Cost-effective: In addition to the potential profits you can reap from reaching a new customer base via Google Places, optimizing your listing and running PPC campaigns are both very inexpensive when compared with other forms of advertising, like print or TV ads.
Conclusion:
When you optimize your Google Places listing correctly, you ensure that people find your business and then become customers. Google is a lot more sophisticated than it used to be because even the best SEO tactics will not get the rankings that they used to. This means you need to focus on great incentives for local customers to visit your business. The best thing about this is that it’s very affordable for most small businesses, and it really can give you an edge in regards to getting new customers.
If you want your business to be a success, you need to understand how Google Places optimization can help. This article has helped you remove some of the mystery behind local SEO, and now it’s time to act upon your newfound knowledge!