Google Local Business Listing Enhancements

These enhanced listings will identify what you would like local customers to see or do.

(above pictures shows yellow box in the map and next to view website as action items for
local consumers in enhanced listings)

Local business listings have been around for some time and based on the direction the industry is going, they this will be the next major wave on the Internet. If you’re wondering what Local Business Listings are, please take a look at some of our other blog posts on Local Business Listings. One thing we can tell you is the last thing you need is to “get listed”. If you have a phone number for your business you are already listed with the major search engines and the major websites that focus their attention on the local market.

Let’s talk more about new developments at Google regarding the local business listings. Google has made some changes to the local business listing with Google Maps by adding enhanced business listings. These enhanced listings will identify what you would like local customers to see. This may include a video, coupon, a link or anything else you find important.

Google has continually added new beta features in the last few months. They started off with local business listing adwords in the San Francisco area. That was then followed with QR Codes to a limited number of businesses nationally (100,000 to be exact). Now Google Enhanced listings are being offered in limited areas. Google will of course assess the results of these tests and then using feedback along with their measurements make decisions to implement the program to everyone.

Benefits of the enhanced listings include:

• You can easily and inexpensively highlight your listing on Google Maps and Google.com from the Local Business Center.
• Potential customers in your local area will see what you think is most important or unique about your business.
• You can track the effectiveness of your enhancement with your Local Business Center dashboard.
• You will be charged a low $25 flat monthly fee, with no bids and no keywords required.

If you’re wondering what type of information you can use to enhance your local business listing, then this may help:

• Website
• Photos
• Videos
• Coupons
• Menu
• Reservations
• Driving directions

Many of these options are already available as part of your standard listing, but they are not emphasized or highlighted in any way. Google’s enhanced listing will help to insure you promote what is most important to you to the local consumer.

Overall, this enhanced local marketing tool will continue to show up in all the same places it does today. The primary difference is what you see in the listings next to the map. You will be able to drop your enhanced listing fee with Google at anytime, which does give this service an inexpensive option to trial for a short period. Using Google’s Local Business Listing Center you can also monitor the search and click activity giving you a good idea how your enhanced listing is performing.

If you’re thinking that enhanced listings will change if you are ranked at the top of the list next to the maps or the bottom, then think again. You will still need to insure you are following all the Google policies and procedures, which a professional Internet marketing firm can help you with.

You can use local business listings as a local marketing tool to reach the local consumer and a professional service will have a progressive plan to help you manage these local listings and multiple local listing websites. This progressive plan includes setting up accounts, claiming your listing, updating your listing, and maintaining your listing. This will then be followed by consumer review management, citations, and QR codes and other technologies as they are made available to the business community.

Your time resources are limited and your expertise is with your business. This does not necessarily include the management of Internet marketing of your business. Local business listing management services are provided by SmartFinds Internet Marketing. You will find this to be of great benefit to your time resources and the low cost service may eliminate your yellow page ad costs. Let the experts of over 15 years Internet marketing experience help you use this local business marketing tool properly.