Google Places: The Place to Be

What’s the first rule of real estate? Location, location, location. Google recently stated that one out of every five searches is related to location. That’s 2.6 billion local searches on a monthly basis and that is increasing steadily at 50% a year. Yeah, that’s a lot of zeroes in a month, which is why you need to claim your space on Google Places, now.

Having a good listing can increase your ranking on Google’s index, which only boosts your ability to commune more potential clients. Posting real time updates on events, sales or new products is possible Google Places. If that’s not worth it, I couldn’t tell you what would be.

Claiming Your Space

If you don’t have a Google account, you’ll need to create one. But that’s more great news because it’s free. Here are 7 ways to ensure you find success on Google Places.

1.  Consistency. Be consistent in how you list phone numbers and addresses. When Google crawls the web, searching references, it reads “700 Gunn Club Road” differently than “700 Gunn Club Rd.” and phone numbers are no different, when Google reads “(610) 555-5000” it interprets it differently than “(610)555 5000” or even “610 555 5000”.

2.  Use a Local Number. Local phone numbers are the best for primary numbers. List any toll free number you may have as an alternate contact. This will help your ranking and visibility.

3.  Consistency. Yes, I said it again. Be consistent as to how you list your company name. If your company is “Bob’s Plumbing”, list it as such. If you list it as “Bob’s Plumbing” in one directory and “Bob’s Plumbing LLC” in another, you’re likely to have issues being found.

4.  Fully List Your URL. It seems as an oversight but believe it or not, this mistake can cost you a lot of potential clients losing faith in your company because they couldn’t find your website. If your website is www.ourwebsite.com//123, be sure to list it exactly.

5.  Post Reviews. Happy consumers always talk. When they share positive feedback you, be sure to share that future clients, you’ll see an increase in traffic as well as increased revenue. Encourage your clients to write reviews about your service too, they’ll be happy to do so.

6.  Get Citations. Getting listed in directories like the Yellow Pages, Citysearch or your Chamber of Commerce listing will increase your ranking in the Google Places community. If you can get listed in any type of directory that will provide you a citation, you will readily boost the odds of climbing to a top listing.

7.  Post Video and Photos.  If you have video ads or company photos, this is another great place to upload them. Google loves photos and video, so do your potential clients.

These are only a few of the many things you can do to create a top ranking spot on Google Places. If you’d like a professional to get you there, contact us any inquiries, we’d love to discuss your possibilities.

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