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Google has an array of free applications at the disposal of website owners, and one which is ideal for businesses operating within a local area is Google Maps. This allows you to be able to have a ‘maps’ listing on Google, which shows the location of your business and even allows people to review your business.
However, one of the best advantages of being listed in Google Maps is that your website could potentially be shown at the top of the search results within the maps listings, which are often shown before the organic results. You can click here to see an example.
So how do you get listed on Google Maps? Log onto the Google Maps website and click on ‘put your business on Google Maps’. You’ll need to set up a Google account if you haven’t got one already and then log into Google maps and complete various questions about your business. Ensure your description is well written and contains keywords relating to the products/services you offer in your location. Before your listing goes live, you’ll need to await a confirmation code from Google, which usually arrives in the post so that they know you are where you say you are. Once you log in and verify the account with the code, your listing will be live.
There are a lot of free Google applications which small businesses need to make the most of and I’ll be covering more of these in future blog posts.
About Sam
Sam McArthur is an internet marketing consultant with 12 years in the industry. She helps professional service businesses with their internet marketing strategy, helping them to see significant results from their online marketing activities, particularly within the search engines. She also consults on the latest internet tools, technology and best practice techniques.
