So you have a brand new company…Now what?
How is the world supposed to find you if they’ve never heard of you? You could go the traditional way of making flyers, taking out ads in the local newspaper or making sure you have a listing in the Yellow Pages. These are all good and fine if you have time to wait for the next version of the phone book to arrive or you want to mass advertise to people who may not want to purchase your products or services. What if you could have your business displayed to your potential customers when they are actually looking for similar products and services in your local area? Sound good? That’s where Google Places For Business comes in.
Think of Google Places for Business as Google’s version of the Yellow Pages…..except it’s free. Once an account has been created or you have claimed an existing account, you have the ability to have your business show up on the first page of Google when people are searching for your products or services. Here is a screen shot of a typical search for “Dentist in Toronto”
If you have a brick and mortar business you can have your company listed in Google Places for free. Don’t get me wrong there are a few steps you have to take to ensure you show up in the top seven results but claiming your spot should be the top of your to do list. To claim your Google Places page, click here.
Completeness
So, moving forward, I am going to assume you have taken the steps to claim your page. Now comes the part where we have to optimize your Google Places Page…It begins by making sure every possible field field is filled out and completed including:
- Phone Number – Not a Toll Free Number
- Email address
- Website
- Description
- Categories
Keywords
Like all internet marketing, you’re going to want to make sure you include your primary keywords (“Dentist in Toronto”) in your description but not in your categories or name unless the keyword is part of the business name.
Service
Reviews
One of the best ways for your listing to stand out as wells as be shown at the top of the list is to have a number of reviews (we are going to hope for positive ones). We know for a fact that the more positive reviews you have on your listing, the greater the likelihood that you will show up higher in the results. The question is, how do I get good reviews. Here are a few ideas:
- Give your customers a postcard when completing the sale that directs people to the places page
- Ask your Facebook and Twitter fans to rate your business on Google Places.
- Don’t be afraid to simply ask for it, especially with the customers with whom you have the best rapport.
Off Site Factors
Doing the above should be enough to get you started. If you have any problems or questions simply send me an email or call me anytime.
Scott
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