Customers in need of particular service are referring to Google Maps to find the company closest to their preferred location.  Now local businesses have an option to show their presence in internet through the Google Map page.  Here the physical location of the business can be marked on the map of the city.  Registering for a free listing of Google Map service will ensure the customers anywhere in the world will be able to find the business in that particular location.  It is also possible to provide the driving direction to the business as a guide to people not acquainted with the location.

By registering in this service of Google, it will help in the business being promoted for local people in the area with respect to common keyword phrase search by the users (potential customers).  When the local business is listed in Google map, it infers that the local business is competing to be among the top businesses in the organic search results for that location.  Most suitable way to get listed in this service is by keeping the details and description short and crisp.

A few features in Google Map which defines the local businesses are given below:

• Description

This is an important feature of the whole listing.  Within 200 word limit, it is a challenge for sellers to describe themselves to the potential customers.  With target being the service seekers (people who search), it becomes very important to include the search keywords within this field.

 

• Operating time

The time when the businesses happen and the outlet is open will be a feature the seekers search for to match with their convenient time.  Hence, it becomes important to include this in the listing.

 

• Recommendation from Google

The behavior of potential customers to depend on positive and promising reviews about the businesses operating in the location drives Google to recommend the most suitable ones.  Here Google compiles reviews and ratings from different sources and give their analysis about the business in terms of rating for each source on the page.  The search results are displayed based on preferred location of the seeker.  The businesses are displayed based on combination of location preference, ratings and reviews.  Usually the businesses close to the preferred location are given more importance and surrounding businesses of the same category are displayed further with respect to proximity from the preferred location.

 

• Business Name

The name of the business is what seekers will refer to while finding the physical outlet.  It is always better to enter the same name as the physical outlet.  In case of the business being present inside a container store like a mall, then this can be included within a parenthesis, for example Starbucks (inside Safeway).

 

• Operating/Functioning location

Here the physical address of the business will have to be entered.  It is always better to create one listing for one address.  When there are multiple outlets for a service company, then one listing will have to be created for head/central office and designate the other service areas.  It is easier to fine tune the searches for seekers’ need when a multi specialized business is listed separately for each specialization.  Until and unless the business is referred with URLs, it is better not to include the business URL in this feature.

 

• Website and Contact information

When seekers would like to interact with people within the located business in that area, they prefer to get a phone number.  Hence, here mostly the phone number for that particular physical location will have to be entered.  It is better to avoid giving call center, centralized numbers to gain the seekers attention.  The website URL can also be given for seekers to check the business online portal.  This has a higher chance of matching with the right seeker.

 

• Categories

Here the category must be provided in generic terms to portray the business type, for example: Hospital.  Also the goods/services can also be included, for example: Sony products or printer paper.  Only one category per entry can be entered in the list.  Any location based entries cannot be added.

 

 

This article was written by Charitha Masgode, Analyst working with DART.