AllXClub

Going by just the sheer number of searches done on it every day, Google is the world’s largest search engine and is virtually synonymous with any web search. When you consider that internet access is growing by the day as the type of devices used to access the Internet moves from the traditional desktop computer to the much handier and widely used mobile phone, the influence of the internet and Google can only go up.

This is why I am convinced that any business today that ignores Google’s search engine does so to its own detriment. Furthermore, to make their search more effective for location based searches, Google provides a niche search tool known as Google Places which used to be known as Google Local or Google Maps that allows you to search for local businesses in any given location.

Because of its practical purpose, Google Places has seen rapid growth in its use. For instance, even though we have long known that shopping online opens the door for you to purchase from anywhere in the world, in the case of goods that you want to physically see before you purchase or a service industry such as a handyman or a professional such as a lawyer or a doctor, most of us prefer to identify and buy from a local business. In fact, recent projections indicate that it is only a matter of time before Google Places overtakes the standard business directory in being the preferred means to search for businesses.

What this means for a local business is that to ensure future growth you need to make sure that your business is listed in Google Places and ranks well. By ranking well your business has to be towards the top of the listings because regardless of what business you are in, chances are there are many other local business organizations in direct competition with it. Having your page rank higher gives you a better chance of being noticed and therefore getting new business. Most people only consider the first four to five search results so this is where you always want your business to be.

Ranking high in Google Places does not require working hard as much as it does being smart. So here are a couple of simple guidelines to get the most from using Google Places.

* Sign up for a Google account - Once you sign up and log in, you will see a button, ‘add new listing’. Click on this button and the system will guide you through registering your business.

* Ensure that you indicate the correct details for your address and contact. The more information you give, the more value Google will give to your listing and the higher you will rank thus making it easier to for potential clients to reach you through Google Places. To really get Google to place high value on your listing, make sure you include pictures and videos.

* Once you have entered all the relevant information, you need to choose an appropriate way for Google to verify these details. They can do this through a post card or a telephone call and this step is very important, so don’t forget it.

* Once Google has verified your details, they will list you among the local business listings in your location in Google Places and you can start benefiting from Google searcher’s attention.

Two additional things to keep in mind are that is important to list your business in the correct categories and as far as higher ranking goes, it is important to note that Google Places ranks businesses depending on their location from the perceived center of the city. When one visits Google maps and searches for a particular city, the part that the standard Google maps pointer points to first is where Google has marked out as the city center. Businesses closest to this point are ranked at the top and the farther away a business is located from this point, the lower it will be ranked.
Scott Becker is a marketing consultant who specializes in internet marketing for local businesses. Be sure to visit his blog at http://easyonlinestrategies.com

Still wondering what is the best business marketing online web? All the tips you’ll ever need about strategic marketing consultants can be found at marketing your consulting and professional services