8 Ways Your Local Business Can Benefit From Google+ Local

Do you want to reach more local customers for your business? 

Does your local community know that your local business exists? Is your local business on Google+ Local, a newly created online business directory?

In this article we will discuss what Google Plus Local is, how it can benefit your business, and why it should not be overlooked. Are your spending thousand of dollars in the yellow pages and local newspapers?  We will show you how to save thousands and what replaced it.

Are You Looking For An Effective Way To Promote Your Business?

Google+ Local could be the ideal solution for your local business. Imagine living in a suburb called Woodbury, MN and you are having a pizza party and need to order pizza. You simply pull out your smart phone or go to your computer. Go to Google.com and search by typing in "pizza in Woodbury, MN".  A list of pizza restaurants will be displayed on the left side.  There will be 7 businesses to choose from. The selection with the red pinpoint balloons are known as "Google+ Local ". There you can select pictures, videos of a business, find a social media Zagot score, and business reviews which are all connected to Google Plus. You can get a feel for which businesses you like without ever having to physically visit any of the businesses. 

What if a pizza restaurant was your business and it was on the top of the Google Plus Local list? This could mean that your local pizza business could even beat corporate giants like Pizza Hut. If customers needed beer to go with their pizza, they could find that on Google also. Can you see how a local liquor store or bar would benefit from being listed at the top of the list with a Google map? If customers needed party supplies, they could again go to Google and type in “party supplies in Woodbury, MN". What if a person needed a carpet cleaner in Woodbury, MN several days before their pizza party?  Again they would just type this niche into Google with the location (carpet cleaning in Woodbury, MN).  Can you see how local business owners need to have their business be listed on the top of Google's list?  Don’t get left behind!

What is Google Plus Local?

Did you know that Google places got ditched and was replaced with Google+ Local? This was back in May 2012. Google+ Local combines Google's search engine informational indexes, social networking, Google maps, local search, and business directory features all in one place. You can search for information about many local businesses such as; restaurants, doctors, dentists, gyms, hotels, gas stations, resorts, local stores, clubs, distributors, groomers, plumbing services, insurance companies, pharmacies, realtors, churches, carpet cleaners, dry cleaners, private schools, daycares, and more. Go ahead and try it now on your computer or smart phone.  Businesses that take advantage of Google Plus Local are getting an effective FREE advertising platform.

Could Your Business Be On There Already?

Is your local business on Google+ Local already? If not, how will your community know you exist? Don't underestimate the potential of the Google's search engines to reach new potential customers in your community!  People are out there searching for your business niche right now - today.  The question is, "Are they finding you or your competitor instead?"

If your local business already had a Google Places Page then Google will have turned it into a Google+ Local Page for you. If you have started a Google+ Business Page, keep using it!  Both Google + Business Page and Google + Local Page will eventually merge together in the future. Your Google+ Local Page listing will be working for you, even when you are sleeping.  If your business is not on there yet, now would be a good time to set it up!

Where Else Are People Searching To Find You?

If you answered smart phones you are correct. More and more people everyday are using their smart phones to access the Internet. What does this mean for your business? People are searching with keywords in your niche and it is important that they are going to find your business and not your competitors. This is why it is important that you have a Google+ Local Page with a high page rank. Google+ Local is the new online Yellow Pages of this digital era and is considered the new technological online marketing gold rush! Most people have a computer, a smart phone or an Ipad. The out dated paper telephone books are now mostly used as booster chairs for toddlers.  It is FREE to sign-up and there is no monthly contract fees like you will find with Yellow Pages. By applying the right online marketing techniques, you can untap the new goldmine of targeted visitor traffic.

How Does Google Rate Businesses?

Reviews - There is more weight given on reviews by customers who are connected to Google+.  A customer reviewer's picture is posted with each review and a permanent record is kept. The more positive customer's reviews you have combined with proper SEO, the higher up the list on local searches your business will climb.

Scoring - The scoring is based on Zagat's 30 points system.

26-30 Extraordinary to perfection

21-25 Very good to excellent

16-20 Good to very good

11-15 Fair to good

0-10 Poor to fair

How Can Your Business Benefit from Google Plus Local?

# 1.  SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - By optimizing your listing correctly, the higher your listing will rank in all the search engines.

The top 7 ranking businesses get a Google map free to pinpoint exactly where their business is located. Higher ranking also increases your chances for your website to be indexed when there is a keyword search.  

# 2.  Branding - Strengthen your brand by consistently adding your logo, pictures, and videos with unique and customized content for your niche.  Customers will start to recognize your business as the leading authority company of your niche.  Potential customers will start to know, like, and trust you without ever having to physically visit you. This will convert them quickly into customers.

# 3.  Target Local Prospects – Google's search engines can reach your local target market and deliver targeted traffic to your website or store front location FREE.  Just create targeted content that speaks directly and describes the needs of your target market (focusing on locations such as suburbs, subdivisions, city zip codes, age, gender, occupations, events, etc.) for your Google + Local listing.

# 4.  Free Advertising Platform - Get involved without investing your precious budgeted advertising dollars and advertise your company's products or services FREE. You can now compete with larger businesses and chains in Google's search engines.

# 5.  Social Media - Google's already established social network is a great place to reach your potential and established customers. As people use the Google Plus share tab, plus tab, or post comments on Google Plus they will create links and send traffic to your business website.

# 6.  Hangouts - Have FREE live video meetings while branding yourself and your business as the leader in your industry.

# 7.  Proper Details - Entering the correct details into Google Plus Local Page will increase your visibility.  It is vital to your business to select the right professional marketing team to do this properly and not take this on as a "do-it-yourself" project.  

# 8.  Reviews - Only people who are on Google Plus can give reviews on Google Plus Local and it will require them to give their true name and post their picture icon right beside their review.  This will stop your competitors from posting fictitious negative reviews.

Local businesses that embrace Google+ Local will have an upper marketing hand since searches are done by Google.  What have you noticed about Google+ Local? 

Hope you enjoyed this post!  If this sounds like something you need, want to know more about, or if you have any questions on how to take advantage of online marketing, contact us today, St. Paul Marketing Team, at 651-731-0768 or email us at info@StPaulMarketingTeam.com. 

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