Intro to Google Places - Getting Started with Google Places

Intro to Google Places Jennie Lane @owlflurry Search Engine Marketing Team Schipul – The Web Marketing Company

20-50% - or 2+ Billion

1. Crawl: Claim your Listing2. Walk: Handle the Basics – Make sure everything is correct – Link back to your website3. Run: Be a Places Pro – Fill out all fields – Add rich media – photos & videos Photo credit: flickr.com/photos/ernestduffoo/5821154551

Step 1: Claim Your ListingPhoto credit: flickr.com/photos/90547352@N00/4169265839

Find Your Listing: google.com/places

Step 2: Verify the BasicsPhoto credit: flickr.com/photos/maryandjc/3155506458

Basics• Make sure the information is accurate – One & only one listing for your location – Address & phone number are correct• Use the exact business name• Report Issues you Can’t Fix – “Problem with this listing?” – Google Map Maker google.com/mapmaker

Categories1. Use All 5 Categories2. Use as many Google Categories as possible >> Google knows that Dentists clean teeth & Plumbers fix faucets3. For custom categories, base on profitability – Tip: Use terms that trigger a “7 pack” – Tip: Look at your competitors

Step 3: AdvancedPhoto credit: flickr.com/photos/blhphotography/488927490

Rich Media

Add StatusOpportunity to link back to your site!

Step 4: ReportingPhoto credit: flickr.com/photos/emdot/2424314

Step 5: Advanced StuffPhoto credit: flickr.com/photos/jackson252/5410881997

Encourage Reviews• Link customers to review sites• Quality over Quantity• Bad reviews are ok - Respond publicly & take it offline

LocalSEOguide.com surveyed top 20 categories in top 20 US cities and came up with this list of most popular sites: 1. Yelp• Google pulls 2. CitySearch different rating sites 3. InsiderPages 4. Yahoo Local depending on the 5. DealerRater industry 6. JudysBook 7. TripAdvisor• For insight on your 8. Edmunds industry, view 9. Zagat.com 10. OpenTable competitor pages

In SummaryPhoto credit: flickr.com/photos/harryvale/792177914/

Dos & Don’ts• DO have one and only one listing• DO make sure your name is consistent throughout• DO link back to your site• DO include frequent updates• DO use as many Google Categories as possible• DON’T forget to look at the stats!• DON’T forget to optimize your website for local searches!

Google Places is Not Enough!• Remember that you have to optimize your site for location as well – Use City/State Keywords – Location Pages for each Location – Display address and phone in text throughout• Make sure site is consistent with Google Places – Reinforce Categories – Ensure name, address, phone match

Bing Local Listings

Questions? Jennie Lane SEM Team, Schipul TheSEMBlog.comPhoto credit: flickr.com/photos/blhphotography/466297169

http://mobilecoupons4restaurants.wordpress.com	306
http://schipul.com	40
http://www.schipul.com	19
http://www.diffbot.com&_=1359513068512 HTTP	1

Intro to Google Places - Getting Started with Google Places

by SEM Team at Schipul - The Web Marketing Company

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

4 Embeds 366

Statistics

Intro to Google Places - Getting Started with Google Places Presentation Transcript