Today i show you How to List your Business in Google Places
First – What is Google Places?
Google Places is a free service provided by Google to help connect local businesses with their local communities (customers). Placement in Google Places takes no more than ten minutes and doing so will list your business in search results and Google Maps when local users search for keywords related to your business within your area. Getting listed in Google Places is a great asset for building your local search engine optimization; this article will share a step-by-step guide for getting listed through this service.
Step 1: Sign up for a Google Places Account
Getting listed in Google Places requires you to sign up for a Google account. Google accounts are free and only take a few moments to get together. Add in your basic account details and confirm the account before you get started.
Step 2: Search for Existing Listings
Upon signing up for Google Places, you will be given the option to search for an existing listing for your business in the area. Fill in the forms to list your country and business phone number, click next and either confirm or continue on to fill in your business information.
Step 3: Fill in your Basic Information
Add the basic information about your business which includes:
• Country
• Company Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• Website
• Description
• Category
To improve our local search engine optimization with Google Places, fill in the description field with a keyword rich description of your business that lists the products or services you offer. Add a category that perfectly fits your business to ensure that it will show up for the keywords that are relevant to your business.
Step 4: Fill in Services Area and Location Settings
If your business offers some form of on-site delivery or service than select the ‘yes’ option to add in details of where your business operates within the local area otherwise select ‘no’ if you are a brick-and-mortar type store where customers come to you.
Step 5: Set the Hours of Operation
Add the hours of operations of your business; do not lie in order to have people contact you, be honest with your listing. If you are an online business than you could technically set your time to always available (but do you really want people calling in the middle of the night?) otherwise set ‘I prefer not to specify my operating hours’.
Step 6: Select Payment Options
Check off the payment selection boxes for the types of payments you can process at your business.
Tip: In the event that you do not have a wide variety of payment processing options, you could consider signing up for online accounts such as Paypal to handle these different payment options.
Step 7: Add a Photo to your Listing
Optimize your listing by adding the maximum 10 quantity of pictures for your business. Recommended photos may include the store-front, products you offer and the employees of your business. Try to fill in as many pictures as you can that represents and personalizes your business.
Step 8: Add a Video (optional but highly recommended)
A video can help make your business listing stand out but it is optional so you need not add one if you don’t have a video for your business. However, if you choose to add a video you can easily create on using inexpensive HD video cameras and free video editing tools otherwise hire a freelance video producer within your area. Just upload the video to Youtube and enter the URL. Don’t have a video yet? Then you MUST read this article:
How to take advantage of Internet Video Marketing for Small Businesses
Step 9: Add Additional Details about your Business
Add any additional information that applies to your business such as if you offer handicap parking, brands of products you offer, monthly events and more. Use this opportunity to include keyword rich activities which people may be interested within your area such as ‘Local Workshop’ and more.
Step 10: Submit and Apply for a Pin
After you have completed your basic listing, you will confirm your address so Google can send a pin number via post card to your house which confirms your listing in Google Places. Time for deliver on the pin code takes 1 – 2 weeks. Once the pin has arrived, log into your Google Places account and add the pin; you are done!
Conclusion
Congratulations. You are one step closer to being found in your local area using local search engine optimization techniques and Google Places. The entire process of adding your business in Google Places takes less than ten minutes with the exception of waiting for your pin to confirm the listing. While you wait, prepare your business and work on other local SEO elements for your business so it can efficiently rank on search results.
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To your success
Dennis Koray
Skype: denniskoray
email: info@denniskoray.com
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