So you got a business or a trading center and you need lots of people to know about it? Google Places must indisputably be the answer to this. Google Places is an online directory of local businesses, integrated into Google Maps, where it is free of charge to join up your business. On search results your business shall unquestionably be ranking higher if you optimize your listing properly.
You have to fill up all the information about your business in a form that shows up in your Google Places account, as this form would have numerous sections, like, Service Areas and Location Settings, payment options, videos and photos, other than a section that covers your basic information. For better results, you should carefully enter precise and the right information for each and every section.
Basic Information:
Give precise details about the name, address, phone, email address, and website if you have one. It is advisable that you engage some web designer to develop a website for you, in case you don’t have a website. You also provide a brief account of your business and the groups into which your business fits.
- Name: Write full name of your company and avoid abbreviations. Big companies like HP, KFC can write “KFC” instead of Kentucky Fried Chicken as most of the people know them with their short name. You are not KFC or HP so don’t do this.
- Address: Give the address where you actually operate from. It is very important that you tell the right address to Google and your potential customers.
- Phone: Give the phone number where you or your people are always available.
- Email: Give your official email address instead or gmail or hotmail. Your company email address ensures that you are a good company and leaves a positive effect in mind.
- Website: Mention the homepage URL of your company like http://www.pakka.com.au
Description:
Description is probably one of the most important areas of Google Places. A well written and well optimized description can make you stand out of your competitors on Google Places ranking. Try to use your primary keywords when writing your description. The keywords should be included in such a way that they look natural. One who reads it should not think that they are inserted there forcefully. Foe example, if your main keywords are “Web Design” and “Web Designers” then a good description can be something like this “PAKKA is a web design company, offering stunning visuals and seamless functionality for your website. Our talented web designers will develop an outstanding website that will catapult you ahead of your competitors”
Categories:
This is more important than it may look. Choose the exact category in which your business falls. Select categories that potential customers of your business will search for. You shall be ranked higher if you use one of Google’s categories, particularly for your first category.
Hours of Operations:
Enter the working hours of your business during the week, and specifically if you open on holidays, state that. Make sure to declare the right hours of operation here. Don’t misguide your customers.
Photos:
Try to take most recent photos of your business and upload them. Try not to make use of those photos, which are already on the web. They must attract the customer’s attention to your business. For instance, you can upload attractive photos of your products or premises etc.
Videos:
Record short videos while you are performing your business activities. You can give an idea about your premises and the way you manage there. A good thing is to upload a video where your customers are enjoying or very happy with your product or service. For example, if you run a party bus then take a short video of your customers when they are enjoying their party and take their feedback about your bus. Such a video will be enough to bring in lots of customers.
Additional Details:
Mention any other helpful information that is not conveyed in the form. If you are running a promotion, offering bulk discounts, offering off season discounts, offering free gifts, offering car parking facility, or offering anything special you should write it here.
Millions Dollars Tip:
Occasionally, when you add information or when you tidy up the existing information, your ‘Google Places’ listing can disappear. For example, you might have not uploaded some videos earlier and you want to upload them now, or it could be some photos which you want to delete and add some new ones or if you alter your description etc. In a nutshell, if you add, remove, or edit any information in your Google Places Account and you see, right after editing, that your listing has vanished, without delay undo all the amendments you made and take your listing to the same point where it was at first. This will bring your listing back. This is a million dollar tip, which only a few people know.
Verification Via PIN:
Once you are done with all these things, you have to confirm your listing by one of several means including phone or postcard. PIN verification is required by Google. This is because they want to know that the person claiming the listing is an authorized person of the company or the business owner. Google will send the PIN code to your business address of business phone number whatever you chose. Once you enter the PIN code into your Google places account and Google verifies the PIN, your listing will appear on Google.
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cameron
October 11, 2012 at 6:03 am
nice clear instruction, any picture to go with them?
Nick
October 17, 2012 at 3:38 am
This guide is amazing. I searched alot but did not find such an in depth information about setting up a Google Places page. All the info on Google about Places is spread alot that one can\’t understand all that easily. Your post is a summery of what we get from Google sources of information about Places. Thanx for such a work.
Nabeel Shaukat
November 30, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Hey Nick,
Thanx for appreciation. I will keep posting valuable content for you lovely folks.
Nabeel
Pingback: Step By Step Guide To Set Up Google Places
Sal
January 31, 2013 at 11:19 am
Thanks Nabeel, I have struggled with this in the past and eventually gave up.