Google Local Business Listing: Step-By-Step Guide
Your Google Local Business Listing is possibly the single most important thing you MUST-DO to get your local business found online.
Why?
Over 10 Billion unique searches done each month…
… and that’s just in the United States!
Of those searches…
· 40% of queries have Local intent
· 5% use the city and/or state name
· 2% use informal terms, like neighborhoods
· 0.5% use zip codes
All of these searches return results from Local search engines, with Google delivering over 60% of them.
So, if you want potential customers to find you when they’re searching online…
The obvious first place you want to go and claim your online stake is your Google Local Business Listing.
IMPORTANT WARNING:
If you don’t claim your Local Business Listing, Google will attempt to pull your Local business information from a 3rd party site. The information usually is incomplete or inaccurate.
Since your Google Local Business Listing has the power to drive significant targeted traffic to your website and your business, you don’t want your listing information merged with another business. (especially a competitor’s)
Claiming your Google Local Business Listing is simple.
Here are Google’s step-by-step instructions, along with some basic tips you’ll need to know: (look for NOTE:)
1. If you already have a Google Account, sign in with your email and password. You can also use an AdWords login address and password, if you have one.
2. Click on Business Solutions on the main Google Page, then Local Business Center.
3. If you don’t have a Google Account, click Sign up for an account now, or click here to go straight to the sign-up page.
4. On the Local Business Center homepage, click Add new business.
5. Fill out the basic information about your business. This includes:
Company/Organization: This is the official/registered name of your business. NOTE: Make sure your Business Name is exactly as it appears in the physical world, such as how it’s printed in the Yellow Pages. Do not add keywords, phrases, or names of towns. Keep how your Business name is shown consistent.
Address (required): The address should look exactly the way you’d write it on a paper mailing envelope. If your business services several areas, you can create one listing under a PO Box.
Phone Number (required): Be sure to include your area code with your phone number. NOTE: Make sure your area code matches the area code for your location area.
Website: This can be a maximum of 255 characters. NOTE: Add your email address in the prior field, if you respond to email inquiries. Best to use a Business Domain email that matches your website address. Also, the more information that matches up between your website and your Google Local Business Listing the better.
Description: Tell users what makes your business special. NOTE: What do you do? Who do you do it for? Where do you do it? Be concise. Do not keyword stuff with names of cities and towns.
6. Click Next.You’ll now have the opportunity to provide the following information about your business:
Categories: Enter several categories to describe your business, to make it easier for others to find when they search Maps. Google will automatically suggest categories as you type. You can enter up to 5 categories for your business. NOTE: Make sure to select your main part of your business operation to avoid being mis-categorized. Make sure the categories you choose are accurate and describe your business properly. Here John Jantsch suggests a tweak to your Category Listings. Matthew Hunt, a local search specialist, warns about using this technique in the comments. I tend to agree with Matthew. Be careful about using geo-indicators in your Categories.
Hours of operation: Select your hours of operation using the dropdown menus. If you prefer not to specify your hours of operation, keep the radio button selected next to ‘I prefer not to specify operating hours.’
Payment options: Select the checkboxes next to the payment methods that your business accepts.
Photos: Use the photo uploader to add a photo from your computer, or specify a URL to add a photo from the web. You can add up to 10 photos to your listing. NOTE: While there’s no hard evidence that adding photos and videos helps your Local Business Listing rankings, Photos and Videos DO increase click-throughs to your website, calls to your business, and visits. Take time to include them.
Video: To add a video, upload it to YouTube and enter its URL. You can add up to 5 videos to your listing. For help with uploading your video to YouTube, read the article on how to upload in the YouTube Help Center.
Additional details: Use this section to add your own information fields to your listing. For example, parking availability,specific Brands you represent, or whether your business allows pets.
7. You can see your listing as it will appear in Maps on the right side of your screen, and new information will appear as you enter it. When it looks the way you want it to, click Submit at the bottom of the page.
8. Choose how you would like to verify your listing. Choose Phone verification and you’ll receive an automated Google Verification call asking for your PIN number immediately.Click Finish after you’ve gotten your call and verified your listing.
One final NOTE:
After a day or two, visit getlisted.org to check your Google Local Business Listing.
GetListed.org is completely free to use. It was created for Local business owners to learn more about how their business is listed online. You’ll want to Bookmark GetListed.org and check you Google Local Business Listing frequently to make sure everything remains accurate and up-to-date.
One Final Suggestion:
While you’re at getlisted.org, claim your Local Business Listings at the other sites… Bing, Yahoo, Best of the Web…
Make it easy for your prospects and customers to find your Local Business On-line.
More on Google Local Business Listings:
- Google Local Business Listings are Being Hijacked Again (searchengineguide.com)
- Understanding Local Listing Sites as Google Changes the Game (marketingvox.com)
- The Rise of Google Local Business Listings (blogstorm.co.uk)
- Optimize Your Website For Bing The Right Way (ronmedlin.com)
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Hi Walt,
I completely agree with you regarding Google local business listings. Certainly this is the first time the Internet will become a good marketing tool for the local business.
What I am most concerned about are small and local businesses having to contend with multiple websites when it comes to their local listing. What I'm really talking about are “time resources”.
Afterall, there are over 60 websites in four different categories specifically geared towards local listings. How can a local or small business have the time resources to cover this space.
Even if you made a conscious decision to not manage all 60, there are well more than Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask. The space goes to Local.com (they went public), Yelp, Merchant Circle, and many others.
Consumers will be the ones deciding which of these local listing websites they will go and post their experience through consumer reviews. This adds to the burden that no one single local listing website will do the trick.
I do have an argument with your comment about “getting listed”. Getting listed is not the real services needed. The local business still has to claim, update and maintain their local listing at multiple local listing websites.
“Getting listed” is an admirable starting point, but it will not address the long term need of the local business and their local marketing efforts. Afterall most businesses are already listed.
Something we recently read at KillerStartUps are companies that are offering a low cost service to update then manage these listings for companies. You can read about this at KillerStartUps here:
http://www.killerstartups.com/Search/smartfinds...
It is a changing world and the local business will benefit. There will be some adjustment to this space needed.
Good information from your post and hopefully varying opinions help give perspective.
[...] more: Google Local Business Listing Guide | Walt Goshert Share and [...]
[...] Google Local Business Listing: Step-By-Step Guide – 15 February 2010 – 0 comments [...]
@SmartFinds Thanks for adding your comment.
I agree, getlisted is not the be all and end all. My intent here is to urge businesses to claim their Google Listing. Citations gained from listings at the other Search Engines and Directories is another subject of an upcoming post.
Also, curious where is your data that most businesses have claimed their Google Local business Listing?
I couldn't put my finger on the bookmark, but seems I heard somewhere that only 30-40% of U.S. local businesses have actually claimed their business at Google. I know here in my neck of the woods in Lancaster County, and even into suburban Philly, after talking to thousands of local business owners in a survey last quarter, the 30% level would be high.
Took a spin to your site. Does your Listing service include uploads of pictures and videos? What is the process and depth of keyword research? Any testimonials or Case Studies of results? If your service delivers value, I'll profile it here for my readers.
Thanks again for your insights.
Hi Walt,
Thanks for your feedback.
My comment was about most businesses being “listed”. I checked my writing and I didn't say that most businesses were claimed. That is exactly where the problem lies and I fear that the local business is both un-aware of local business listings let alone bothering to claim it.
They are going to run into potential hijackings and that will generate it's own problems. I did write an article about Local business Listing hijackings, but I don't want to put the URL here and “hijack” your visitors. I'd be happy to post it if you would like.
To answer your second question, yes, our Local Business Listing Management Service does include claiming, updating, and ongoing management/monitoring. The updating process includes everything including photos, videos, coupons. Our service is also a progression of services based on the evolution of this industry segment over the next three years that will heavily move towards mobile marketing.
We do have webinars to help educate the local business about local listings and how this marketing tool can help them. Please feel free to reach out to me for further discussion.
Thank you for returning and setting me straight, and correcting me on a very key point.
There is a huge difference between being “listed” with a search engine or directory site vs. “Claiming” your business listing. You are exactly right. Many businesses believe since they're already “listed” why do they have to bother spending time, let alone spending money, “Claiming” their business.
Your article concerning Local Business Listing Hijackings is why it's critical to “Claim” your business. Here's the link:
<a href:”http://www.smartfindsmarketing.com/blog/2010/01/07/local-business-listing-hijackings/”
Will Google remain the 800lb. Gorilla? Tough to say, but currently they are. So, for most Local Businesses who have done nothing, it seems the logical starting point.
Smart businesses will not stop with their Google Claim. They will either invest their time to claim their listings on the 60 + local sites, or choose to hire a firm such as yours to complete and manage this process for them.
I greatly appreciate your input and value you've added here.
[...] Google Local business citations validate that a business is part of a local community. For example, a citation from Acxiom, who lists only Business Land Phone lines, and the Local Chamber of Commerce, confirms that a business is who they claim to be on their Google Local Business Listing. [...]
[...] Register- Open a Busines Account on Online Review sites: Yelp, CitySearch, and without question, Claim Your Google Local Business Listing. Make sure you monitor and listen to reviews of your business. (and maybe even keep an eye on what [...]
Walt-
I agree, smart business will go beyond just claiming their profile and take advantage of the three primary ranking factors regarding their local listing: 1) Information, 2) Corroboration, and 3) Consumer Input. There is also a fourth ranking factor, and that is 4) Location, but for obvious reasons this is more difficult to “optimize”. And I do not recommend any attempts to game the system in this regard. I recently did a fairly thorough yet simplified presentation on this topic and publicly posted my slides on SlideShare: http://bit.ly/c3uq5C
Also, here is a blog from SearchEngineGuide I recently authored on the topic: http://bit.ly/9Ca5hd
^ Not trying to push links, but these are highly pertinent to your post.
Bottom line: If a business wants to rank high in SERPs and maintain that position (specifically on Google Maps), the key is in creating robust content and manually distributing this enhanced content across a broad network of search engines, relevant IYP’s, as well as geo and niche directories. Why? Because A) consumers are a fragmented audience, and B) this “corroboration” strengthens that business’s “certificate of trust” in the eyes of The Big G.
I’m currently working on taking a crack at how specific social functions such as Foursquare’s “check in”, Twitter’s Places and soon to roll-out Facebook location-based sharing will, combined with the new Caffeine algo, affect the broader scheme of Local SEO.
Hope some of this helps!
Dave Cosper´s last blog ..Going Beyond NAP: Building a Better Business Profile
Good information from your post and hopefully varying opinions help give perspective.