Google Local Changes to Google Places

Blog•on November 3rd, 2010•2 Comments

Google has just made some important changes to how your local listing shows in the search results.  Please read below to find out what these changes are and what you can do as a small business owner to stay on top of these changes.

Until just a few days ago, when you searched for Atlanta Pizza Delivery, Google’s organic search results would show a list of 7 or so Local companies serving in your area or the area you specified (Atlanta). From a marketing point of view, the great thing about this was that you didn’t have to be ranked high within Google’s organic rankings to still show up on the 1st page of Google results. You could just set up a free Google Local page and your information would show up.

Google PlacesNow, these local results no longer show up within the organic results. They have been pushed to the right side of the screen above the Sponsored Links. As you can see from the photo to your right, a map pops up with arrows designating different pizza delivery options.

In the center of the page, the organic results have changed as well. Although the old way of showing the local results all together has been removed, the local results still show under the organic results if that company has a Google Pages account set up. Here, users can see how many reviews you have, what your average rating is, and other quick info about your company.

Finally, on the left side of the page, the user is presented with another search option called “Places.” If the user clicks on that, only the Google Places page results show up. This is where you can still rank high for just having the Google Pages/Local page set up for your business. The key item to watch here will be to see if users actually utilize the places page within Google as opposed to sticking with the organic results.

So, what do you need to do as a small business owner in response to these changes?

Here is a list of important steps to take:

  1. If you don’t have a Google Pages/Local account set up, do it right now.  Drop every other to do item and do this now. I outlined instructions in a previous blog.
  2. Fill in every imaginable box where Google asks for information.  If they ask for images, include images.  If they ask for video, use a video that describes your product or service, or get a video made that you can add.  Most importantly, when they ask for categories to describe your business, add as many categories as you can, which as of now is 5.
  3. Start asking people to leave reviews on your page.  Testimonials are great on your website, but match the amount of testimonials you have with reviews for your services on your Google Places page.
  4. Google Places allows you to create coupons.  Come up with coupons for your product or service and change them out often.
  5. Google Places also allows you to add Google Tags to your listing.  These are paid advertisements for little tidbits about your company, product, or service.  It could be as simple as a link to your website or an announcement that you just launched a new widget.
  6. There is a Places Posting feature that is similar to a Facebook Update.  Add new information about your company, a note about a job you just completed, or any noteworthy event associated with your business, product, or service.
  7. And finally, don’t forget about your website.  This does not let you off the hook for continuing to optimize your website to show up for high rankings within organic Google searches.  Google Places is becoming more of an important accessory to your website, but not a replacement.

Here is Google’s Official Announcement.

If you have any questions, please use the comment boxes below and I will do my best to answer your inquiry.

Step 1 – Get Your Company Online

Blog•on April 1st, 2010•2 Comments

One of the first items I have most of my clients do is to submit their information to Google Local Business Center.  In doing so, Google finds out the important information about your business.  That information then shows up in the “Local Business Results” section of a Google Search Result, just like this image:

So, without having anything else online, you could hypothetically get in the top placement in Google for your local business without spending any time on Search Engine Optimization.

Here are the steps on how to do that:

  1. Go to http://www.google.com/local/add/
  2. If you already have a Google account, enter your email & password.  If not, no problem, just click ‘Sign up now >>’
  3. If you don’t have an account, the first page will be setting up your account.
  4. If you do have an account, click “Add a New Business” after you have signed in.
  5. After doing that, you will be asked specific questions about your company.
  6. Be sure to add all 5 allotted fields to Category.  Just start typing aspects of your business and Google will give you good ideas.  This is important as it will determine what search terms your business shows up for.
  7. Click next and add all additional information.
  8. Google will then ask to confirm that you who you say you are by calling your telephone or mailing a letter to your company address.  Through the call or letter, you will receive a PIN # that you will then need to type in.
  9. After that, you are done.  Google should have your listing up within 24 hours.
  10. You can then sign back in to your account to see how many times your listing has shown and how many times people have clicked on it.

The best news is that this is completely free to do.  I also recommend doing the same thing for Yahoo’s Local Business section.  The link to do that is – http://listings.local.yahoo.com/csubmit/index.php