Type the name of a service into Google’s search query box along with your city or state and tell me what you see…
A simple search for “Italian restaurants los angeles” revealed these results…
What do you notice?
The first page is full of Google places results because the search query was specific to location.
According to comScore, only one year ago, local search activity accounted for 13% of core web searches. Core web searches exceeded 18.5 billion in Jan. 2011. In addition, total mobile subscribers accessing local content topped out at nearly 80 million.
If you run a business at a physical location, even if it is at your house while in your pajamas, you can acquire a listing in Google Places. With Google maps as a prominent staple on every Android and iPhone mobile device, Google Places is a “must have” strategy for businesses seeking to access more customers in their surrounding areas.
Here are some tips to extracting every last ounce of potential out of your Google Places profile:
Complete Profile
Google will ask you for your basic company details as seen in the below image:
In addition to these fields, fill out all remaining entries…
- Service Area and Location Settings
- Hours of Operations
- Payment Options
- Photos – You can upload up to 10 images
- Videos – video testimonials work well
- Additional details
Many businesses do not bother to fill out all the fields since many are optional. Take your business one step further than your competition and utilize every square inch of your profile to showcase your company. I have also seen businesses display photos of newspaper reviews or award certificates in addition to photos of their establishments.
Branding
If you are a veteran of internet marketing, you may have heard the word “consistency” as it relates to branding. Consistency on the web equates to brand messaging and identity across all of your web real estate (website, social profiles, etc.). Your Google Places profile should follow suit.
- Use similar images – Pull images from your social profiles and your website and add them to your Google Places profile
- Use the same contact information
- Offer links to your social media profiles / website.
- Use similar messaging, i.e. taglines, slogans, etc.
Keywords
Access your analytics to find what keywords your customers are using to find you and input them in your Google Places profile content. Add relevant keywords to your description and title where appropriate without overstuffing.
Reviews
If you look at the image posted at the beginning of this article, you will notice that the top spots have garnered a good amount of reviews. User generated content can be helpful not only to boost your profile, but also to add keywords to your profile content, some of which you may discover for the first time.
If you need some reviews, contact clients/customers who were pleased with your services and ask them for a short review. Provide them the link so it is not a hassle. You can also simply send them your profile and ask for their opinion.
If you own a physical storefront, encourage customers to upload photos at your store or write reviews if they are happy with the service. Offer incentives for photo uploads or for rating your store.
The Bottom Line
Fill out your profile with enough information that satisfies a potential customer. If they need to visit your site to get their questions answered, your profile may not be complete. Utilize every field to speak to your customers’ needs and define what problems you solve in the marketplace.
Jenna Scaglione is a content writer, internet marketer, and a lover of family, friends and life. Jenna enjoys learning, growing and discovering the newest and latest trends on the internet. Known as "Lady Content", she lives in sunny Socal where she helps her clients around the world increase brand awareness on the internet through content writing and social media.
