How To Use Google Places For Your Business

There is no questioning the fact that the evolution of the internet has revolutionized the business marketing industry. The marketing and branding strategies and platforms that were highly effective just a decade ago are virtually obsolete. Businesses are now developing marketing strategies that are web heavy in focus. One of the platforms that many businesses, especially small businesses are using is Google Places.

More about Google Places in a moment, but first let’s take a brief moment to examine why it’s so important to place such a great emphasis on creating an internet presence. Over 97 percent of consumers that are searching for a particular service or business do so online. Over 73 percent of online activity is directly associated with local content. This means that when it comes to local exposure, having an internet presence is apropos to any effective marketing campaign.

The aforementioned statistics have massive implications, especially for small and fledgling businesses. Creating an online presence with a tool such as Google Places creates the potential for organic traffic as well as paid search traffic. This creates the opportunity for increased phone calls, business and service inquiries and revenue.

What is Google Places? Google Places is an online business registry that can be compared to Yelp. Google provides a platform to list your business so that it does well in local searches. So, when someone is looking for a service that you offer, the chance of you doing well in that search increases based on certain variables. This is a free service with the option of upgrading to the premium account if you so choose.

With Google being the largest and most powerful entity on the internet right now (Not to mention, the largest and most used search engine), there are added benefits to using their Google Places listing. Google uses unique and powerful algorithms to sync their service so that all of their services perform well. In other words, whether you are using a Google website platform, Google Plus, or Google Places, Google gives special attention to these platforms because it’s a part of their service base.

Using a specific integration process, Google Places ranks entries in variable ways depending on the type of search being done. On the basic Google Places account there are 7 basic entries that can impact placement during a search. Your business will rank or place in a related search based on the keywords used in the search and their relation to your entries for your business.

How is this different from a normal search? First of all, a normal search will include all related businesses within the parameters of the search, where as Google places focuses on locality. In many instances, your entry will be listed next to a Google Map showing your business location.

Google Places provides a platform in which small businesses can level the playing field in a very competitive market. Because Google does such a great job in integrating its services, it will be easy to enhance your web presence as you move forward.

Louis Rossmann is a straight shooting tech guy who specializes in repair and LCD replacement. Contact him through his Rossmann Group website.

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Marty Huggins

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Administrator and Chief Editor for TLB. Loves to talk. Super freak about publishing. Loves watching obscure movies, good cook and overall gentle fellow. Reach him if you want to write an article for TLB. Email him on marty@thelocalbrand.com