Google Places has replaced Google Local as its online business listing solution. Google realized that the concept of “local” was limiting to its powerful Google Maps business search and locater tool. People no longer use the Yellow Pages print directory as they once did (if you haven’t noticed) and searching for a business or a service has moved online. Google has rapidly become a primary player in this arena.
Google Places allows business owners to create a robust business listing account and provides a full set of tools to help you manage and get the most out of your listing. The idea behind the application is, once again, to create the best possible end-user experience Google can offer its users. By providing you with the tools and instructions you need to fill out your profile, Google is in fact guiding you to provide the type of information that will best help its end-users to understand what you offer and if you are the “right” business for them. Google maintains its dominance in search by designing an online experience that empowers the end-user with information easily by soliciting good information from listing owners up front.
Keeping Google’s objectives in mind, you can benefit greatly by playing by its rules. Maintain your profile with accurate, up-to-date, and compelling information. Take advantage of all the added features that allow you to add photos, videos, custom product/service categories, service areas, parking information, and even discount coupons to encourage business. It’s what you should be doing on your main site anyway, so now you can get twice the bang for your buck!
It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with all the great features and functions the application’s listing management provides. For example, “Community Edits” allows you to do the following things:
- Recommend removal of a business on Google Maps that’s closed down
- Add a community landmark or point of interest that you think your neighbors would want to find
- Move the placemark for your address if it has been positioned a little off (more common than you’d think)
- Edit details for a local business that you notice are incorrect
- Flag a place as “inappropriate” if you think Google should check it out
You can access this feature by clicking the “My Maps” tab in Google Maps. Google’s description of this feature is as follows:
“Community edits appear in Google Maps search results. You adjust marker locations that others can view and search. However, you can also highlight locations, areas and routes, and share them with others by creating a custom map with My Maps. Points that you create on your custom map won’t appear in Google Maps search results, and you’ll be able to send a direct link to only the people you wish to share it with.”
Two things in particular stand out for me as offering you a great way to persuade someone to visit you or your facility:
- the ability to highlight custom routes to get to the location; and
- the ability to display local points-of-interest
Let’s take a look at a performing arts facility. Custom maps can be created that draw possible routes for those coming from the North, the South, the East and the West, for example. Additionally, nearby points-of-interest may include places to stay overnight, restaurants, cafes, other cultural or historical sites, natural sites, hiking trails, and even the various parking facilities around the town.
The point is to design a map experience that sells the person on the idea of coming to you (or your facility) because there is also so much else around to warrant the trip. You can then email to your targeted recipients these custom maps you have created that help you sell the notion of a visit.
Google Places allows you to present your business as more than an address. Local business marketing is one of the fastest growing and competitive areas of online marketing today. It’s not a matter of “if” your competitors will be entertaining this, it’s a matter of when.
Use the features offered by the application to present a visit to your business as an experience that shouldn’t be missed!
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