Previously known as the Google Local Business Centre, Google has changed the name of this service to Google Places. The Local Business Centre was Google’s online version of Yellow Pages type directory. It allowed businesses to list their details such as address and telephone number plus additional information such as a more detailed description of their products or services, images as well as an integrated Google Map and Streetview of their location. This was at no cost to the business, all they had to do was to open a Google Account. The same account would allow a business all the other free Google offerings such as Gmail, Analytics and, of course AdWords just to name a few.
In April Google announced that they were going to integrate the Local Business Centre with Google Places. Google Places was launched in September last year and listed restaurants, hotels and other businesses as well as non-business places such as museums, schools and parks. As business owners were allowed to update their Google Places listing it was a natural step to integrate it with the Local listing.
There will also be some additional information that businesses will be able to add to their Places listing such as a real time, Twitter like updates such as special offers. Additionally you will be able to add coupons that will appear along side the business listing. Google will also supply information as to visitors to your Places pages.
Google highlights the fact that 20% of all searches are related to location so an effect Places listing is a must for all businesses looking to increase their local presence.
Setting up and managing your Google Places listing:
There is no way to transfer the Google Places listing so make sure that you as a business owner set it up in your Google business account. Anyone setting it up on behalf of you will not be able to transfer it to your account. The best thing to do is to have a specific Google Account for the business no only for the Places listing but for all the other Google services you may use.
It is fairly straight forward; you go to the Google Places home page and click the ‘Add new business’ link and fill in your business information. The next step is a bit more trickey and that is the verification process. Verification can be done by Google sending you a PIN number by telephone, SMS or postcard at our option. The PIN number will verify the account. Once you have entered your PIN the account will be live.
For businesses with less than 10 listings you need to verify them individually. For companies with more than 10 listings there is a bulk upload option. Google puts a lot of emphasis on unique telephone numbers for each listing so any duplicates may result in a business not being listed correctly or not listed at all.