Any business can benefit from a Google Places page. Even if you don’t have a store front or don’t want to publish an address, you will want to set up this free page. There are several reasons you’ll want to invest the few minutes of your time to set one up.
1. It’s FREE! It costs you nothing to set up a Google Places page. No domain name, no hosting fee, no administrative fee… nothing. It will only cost you your time. It will take about 20 minutes up to an hour if you work really hard at coming up with some sales copy and look for some good photos or images to upload.
2. It’s easy. Anyone with an internet connection can do it. You don’t need to know any special code or have any special web knowledge. Go to www.google.com/places to get started.
3. Google has integrated Google Places into its search results. When a user searches on Google for key words or phrases along with a location identifier (city name, state, region, etc.), the results will include Web sites, directories and Google Places pages that include those key words and locations. More than 20% of searches on Google include a location identifier.
4. Another backlink. Google Places includes fields for your basic company information including your Web address. This provides another backlink to your site which is important for Search Engine Optimization.
5. No one uses the yellow pages anymore. OK, maybe a few folks over 60, but even they are learning that a Web search provides you with phone numbers and so much more.
6. You can add photos and videos. You can upload photos and videos so your potential customers will recognize your storefront when they arrive. Or show off your products here. You can upload a graphic image like your logo too. Videos are even allowed and as easy to upload as a photo.
7. It’s mobile-ready. When your potential customers are mobile and are looking for a product or service you sell, you want to show up on that list that appears on their phone or iPad. Maybe you don’t have the cash or skills to make your Web site mobile-ready yet, but the Google Places page is automatically mobile ready. Users can see your contact information, address and photos and can even dial your number with one tap.
8. Your competition probably has a Google Places page. When your potential customers look up key words, several Google Places Pages that include that key word will likely show up on the search page together. You want to be on that list, right?
9. You can offer mobile coupons. So your prospective customer has done a search and is looking through the list of Google Place pages. You can differentiate your business by offering a mobile coupon. They can use it right from their phone.
10. It’s like a FREE Web page. It’s pretty tough to think of a business that doesn’t need a Web page, but if for some reason, you don’t have one or have one in development, this is a good way to get your presence on the Web in the meantime.
What are you waiting for? Go ahead and get started.
How has your business benefited from a Google Places page?
