Getting your business on the (Google) map

Posted by Lukevdp on January 13, 2009 under Search Engines, Small Business | Read the First Comment

This article is taken from the second issue of the monthly VDP Websites newsletter. 

If you can be found on just one map, make it this one

A lot of effort goes into search engine optimisation. As you will have seen in my 3 part series “Reach the top in local search“, it’s a long process that takes continued effort.

The same, however, can NOT be said about showing up on the Google Map.

Before I go into how it’s done, let’s see what it is.

Say that you’re a pizza shop in shepparton. A traveller comes to Shepparton and searches for “pizza shepparton” in Google. 

Firstly they are given a few search results, and then this is what they’re presented with:

If only 200 people do a search for “pizza shepparton” a month, La Porchetta (the best pizza place if you ask me!) is missing out on maybe $150 sales/month, $1800 sales/year, and of course, all the flow on business that goes with it (worth thousands more).

Now I will let you in on a little secret that not many people know. Many web designers and online marketers don’t even know this. 

Google Local is free to sign up to! Anyone can do it, and it only takes 15 minutes.

Here’s how.

1. Go to Google Local, click this link
2. Sign in with your Google account (or create one if you don’t already have one)
3. Click “Add a new listing”
4. Enter your business’ details in the form
5. Place your marker on the map
6. Validate your listing (either by phone or by mail)
7. Done!

Pretty simple, but very powerful.

I prefer to validate by phone, because it means the listing goes live instantly. Validating by mail takes 30 days.

Once you’ve created the account, you’ll notice a few features.

Firstly, you can check how many impressions and views your ad has had.

Secondly, you can edit your business details.

Thirdly, and most awesomely (is that a word?), you can add a coupon.

Let’s go back to our Pizza example. Imagine La Porchetta again. Instead of not being listed – within 30 minutes, they could setup a listing, and also a free ad that says “Use this coupon and get free delivery!”.

That is how to stand out.

Summary

There are a lot of ways of going about online marketing. 

Most of them take time or money or both.

In my opinion, Google local offers the best bang for buck.

Do you want to comment on this article? Do so below.

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