If your business is one which depends on clients in the local area, it has never been more important that you optimize your local online directory listing, so you can be visible to all the local clientele. Google is the major player in this area, and if you have claimed your business listing in Google Maps and set it up accurately, your business will be found by all the local clients who are using Google Search, Google+ and Google Maps. Here are several reasons why Google Maps can be so critical to the success of your business.
It’s essential for SEO
When you claim your business on Google Maps, you’ll have to list all the information relevant to your business, including your website link. This automatically puts a link to your business on a reputable website, which will then drive a good amount of traffic to your website. Since Google focuses a great deal on local searches, the competition for local businesses in Google Maps will be restricted to your locality rather than something which might be city-wide or state-wide. This automatically puts your business at the top of the search engine rankings for your location and business category.
Opportunities
When you claim your business online, you actually open up a channel for customer feedback which can have the effect of greatly improving your business. If you’re paying attention to all the comments, critiques, and suggestions offered by your customers, you can tweak your business practices, so you can be more in line with customer expectations and desires. In addition, positive feedback can work wonders as advertisement for your business in the local area.
Attracting local clients
People don’t much use newspapers or phone books like they might have 20 years ago, and nowadays people depend more on their GPS systems and their smartphones for locating anything they need to. The very first place that most people will look for your business is online, and with Google Maps, your business can easily be located, and clients can be brought right to your doorstep.
Building trust
Even if you don’t have a website, it’s important to list your business in Google Maps because all the appropriate information relative to your business will become available to potential customers. When you claim your business website on Google Maps, you are building great trust with a very wide audience in your local area, and all these individuals will come to rely on your business because it’s been listed in Google Maps.
Brand visibility
Anyone who happens to get hungry and can’t decide what they want to eat can simply open Google Maps and type in a keyword having to do with restaurants or food service, and can easily find your restaurant business. Even better, users are presented with a full map of where your business and other businesses are located in the area, providing a visual experience which is better than conducting an online search. If your company can’t afford to have a website, this is a great way to increase your brand visibility to local customers.
Avoiding misinformation
Once you’ve claimed your business on Google Maps, it’s essential that you keep all information updated and current. For instance, if you have moved to a new location, or changed your business hours, it should be updated in your business listing. Also by claiming your business listing, it avoids the possibility of the previous business still being listed in Google Maps, which would amount to serious misinformation that could deter future customers from coming to you. By making sure you have everything correct and current in Google Maps, you’ll have a much better chance of attracting large numbers of customers.
