Best Practices for Google Places Pages 2012
The Google Places team is always making changes to show better local results. Even if your places page is established, there are several measures that companies can take to increase the likelihood that their Google Places pages are visible in search results, and are attractive and useful for visitors.
Accuracy and Consistency
The most important point about a company’s Google places page is accuracy. Companies should double check that all the available fields are filled in with accurate information in order to provide the best experience for visitors. In addition, the same information should be used on all other directory listings so that someone going to any search result about your business sees consistent information. Other directories that affect Google places include (but are not limited to):
• Yelp
• Superpages
• City Search
• Urban Spoon and OpenTable (for restaurants)
• Yellow Pages
• Angie’s List
• Express Update USA (formally infoUSA)
• Yahoo Local
• Trip Advisor
• Merchant Circle
• Dex Knows
• Insider Pages
• Localeze
• Shop City
• Judy’s Book
• Yellow Bot
• Kudzo
Appealing and Complete Information
It is also important to add eye-catching photos (add at least five of the ten available) and videos (at least one of the five available) of your business so that it stands out from the others on the search results. Make sure to choose the best category for your business and write an appealing description.
In addition, fill out all the other information, including: Business Details: Hours of Operations, Payments options, service area, parking options, Brand name carried, Professional Association and other information about your business to the best of your ability.
Offers (Coupons)
Another way to make your listing stand out is to use the Google’s offers service to give coupons to potential customers.
Encourage Reviews
Reviews raise local rankings but must be done without incentive, according to Google’s review guidelines. Ask your customers, social media fans or followers, and visitors to leave you a review. Provide them with a link to your Places page, and ask for their honest opinion. You can also ask for reviews on the following directories that also affect Google Places listings:
· superpages.com
· yahoo.com
· kudzu.com
· judysbook.com
· yellowbot.com
· opentable.com
· tripadvisor.com
· citysearch.com
· hotels.com
Promote your Places Page
Promote your local page: Add a link to your Google place page from your website, other niche directories, social sites and anywhere else you think this might be possible.
Just for Franchises:
If your company has several locations or franchise locations, you can use the bulk upload feature for Google Places. Make sure each franchise is named correctly under its incorporated name, and don’t add keywords into the name, categories, or descriptions, or your listings may be denied. Each franchise listing should have a unique email, address, location specific description, and phone number.
Questions can be posed to the Google Places support team by reporting a problem on the Places page.
Posted by Sue McCrossin
In Google Local
On April 24, 2012
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