Google Places Dos & don’ts

There are many informational websites out there about how you can optimize your Google places business listing. Here are the key components that they all mention. These are listed in the order as you would enter them in your Google Places account.

• Claim your listing it is easy to do and is very important.
• Everyone knows that the name of your business is very important by adding keywords to the name you will get higher placement, however Google has guidelines against using a fake name so make sure the name you or your marketing company are using is your exact business name. If your business (a custom paper and printing company) is called “Acme Paper” list it as that name not “Acme printing and custom paper” don’t break Google’s guidelines thinking you will get ahead. If you get caught and banned it can take months or even longer to even have a listing let alone showing up on the first page of Google.
• Make sure you use your correct business address, many companies try to tell you that they want to setup fake business address if you get caught they will not only remove that one incorrect listing they will actually remove all of the listings for your business regardless if they are the correct business information or not.
• Input your correct local phone number for the office you are creating the listing for you can add your 800 number as one of your additional phone numbers.
• Input your URL, if you don’t have a website leave this blank don’t make up a fake URL. This URL needs to go directly to your website no fake redirect URLs.
• Write a compelling description of your business write it for your customers to see don’t make it too keyword heavy.
• Create business categories that relate to your business.
• Are you a business that services clients at their home or do they come to you?
  • If they come to you leave the box with the no checked.
  • If you service your clients at their homes then please check the yes box and fill in the service area where you service your customers.
• If you don’t want to put in the hours of operations you don’t have to and you will not be penalized for doing so.
• Select the type of payments you accept; no matter what type of business you have there is an option that will work for your business.
• Add photos of your business this is simple just browse your computer for images of your business, logo’s pictures of your office, etc.. some companies think this doesn’t matter but it actually does cause you need to get your to be to 100% and without pictures it never will.
• Add related videos if you don’t have any videos and can’t create a digital video and upload it to YouTube see if there are other videos that relate to your business on YouTube.
• Additional details. Add additional details that might be helpful to consumers, and be sure to include one that says contact us and create a direct link including the http:// to your contact us page.

Additional items that will help

• Make sure that all websites that have your information are using the correct contact information exactly as it appears in your Google places account.
• Add coupons when you are running a special.
• Add a tag, this is a paid service in Google place and is well worth the money if you are showing up on page one.

Choosing a local internet marketing company

• Make sure they are following all of the rules set by Google’s guidelines.
• Make sure that you own the listing and that they will not take it away from you, you are paying for them to do work make sure you get to keep what they do.
• Most reputable internet marketing companies charge from $250 to $1500 a month if you are paying more or less look for another company.
• Stay away from IYP (internet yellow page companies) they charge you to direct people to the listing on their website.
• Find out exactly what they are going to do for you, if they say they will get you to page one find out where on the page and for what cities and keywords.

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