Google Business Pages Enhance Local Search

The newest innovation and Local Search enhancement is is out of the gate from Google; Google Business Pages.

This addition in the stable for Google gives businesses and professional practices another tool to increase the online visibility at little cost to you, aside from the labor to do your listings. Another tool joining a crowded field of Facebook, LinkedIn,Google + Personal profiles,not to mention the location based services like Foursquare,Yelp, and soon to the party Oink from Kevin Rose.

The location based services give you an opportunity to provide your own content and keep a sharp eye on what your customers are saying. You can respond to useful suggestions,put your answer to erroneous comments and engage your customers where they choose to play in local search.

In Google Places and Pages we have the world’s most prolific search engine with according to Comscore’s Sept 2011 ratings :

• • • Google rose to 65.3 percent (up from 64.8 percent in August).
    • Yahoo dropped to 15.5 percent (down from 16.3 percent).
    • Bing remained at 14.7 percent.
    • Ask remained at 3 percent.
    • AOL is back up to 1.5 percent (up from 1.3 percent).

With that kind of lead in market share any Google activity in search that generates a relative spot-on answer for the searcher is one that Google will rank highly in its organic listings for the ite or keyword searched upon. So if you operate a Orthdontic practice in a particular location and have a Google Page for your practice, a personal Google + Profile, a claimed Google Places listing there is a good chance you will rank close to the top of the rankings. Furthermore if you also have a Facebook Page a Linked In business profile,and entries that have been optimized for your keywords in Yelp,Foursquare,Yellow Pages and Brownbook you should have a number of links with relevant content to quench the searchers needs.

Local Search is Popular with Local Customers

When local search is done often the searcher is looking for a query like “Redmond Dentists” or ” Buffalo NY Appliance Parts” it relates to some need that they have that you may be able to meet or provide a solution to their problem. Optimizing as many of the tools that you can is just good business and very cost-effective as well. Check out this article on GMB Ranking Factors And How To Influence Local Rankings.

You may also want to link your keywords in pay per Click search on Google and Facebook based on the number of eyeballs that are out there. Local specific keywords may be cheaper in both advertising venues. But maximize your free stuff .This is what the good folks of Google put on their blog about Pages and Places.

“We want to help you make the same kinds of lasting connections with your customers online the way you can in real life. That’s why we are introducing Google+ Your Business, a collection of tools and products to help you get closer to your customers. At the heart of this is Google+ Pages, your business’s identity on Google+.

Google+ Pages: Have real conversations with the right people

To get your business on Google+, you first need to create a Google+ Page. On your page, you can post updates and news about your business, engage in conversations with your customers, send tailored messages to specific groups of people, and see how many +1’s you have across the web. Here are a few features of Google+ Pages that we think will help you build relationships:

Google+ Pages are at the heart of Google+ for Business

Hangouts

Sometimes you might want to chat with your customers face-to-face. For example, if you run a bookstore, you may want to invite an author to talk about her latest novel, or if you market a cosmetics line, beauty specialists might want to hold how-to sessions for makeup tips. Hangouts make this easy, by letting you have high-quality video chats with nine customers, with a single click. You can use Hangouts to get product feedback, help solve problems or simply get to know people better, all in real time.

Hangouts let you meet your customers, face to face

Circles

Circles allow you to group followers of your Page into smaller audiences. You can then share specific messages with specific groups. For example, you could create a Circle containing people who are your most loyal customers and offer them a special discount.

+1 button and Google+ badge: Inspire current customers to recommend new ones

Google+ Pages also help you deliver your great content to users in a way that’s easy to share with their friends. We introduced the +1 button as a way for your customers to recommend your business across the web – on Google search, in your ads, on sites across the web and on mobile devices. Now, your customers can +1 your Page, recommending your actual brand — not just an individual ad or a site — directly to their friends.”

</3> Local Search -Liking and Plus +

As the social web grows more and more local businesses are using the Like button on Facebook to gain their follower base as can be done by giving a Page a + in Plus. As consumers vote with their mouse clicks you benefit from the interest and activity you get to your page and enhance your local search value and footprint.

Just make sure that your Page looks ship shape and the information in it is consistent with your listings across the Web. For further on how to do this see our post on Universal Business Listings. You should also give the user something of value for giving you their support. This could be a discount coupon,a publication you have done or some other useful information. When you do this make sure you can capture the email of your user to deliver your item of value. Just think this way. What would you consider a valuable token if it was you searching or liking and what would motivate you, and then do a little better.

You will be able to use the Business Page and direct mail to continue to develop your relationship with this customer or prospective patient and grow your relationship.

Here is a link to the Business Page Site

“To learn more about how Google+ works for your business, check out the Google+ Your Business site. We’re just getting started and have many more features in the coming weeks and months. To keep up to date on the latest news and tips, add the Google+ Your Business page to your circles. ”

If you want to discuss your specific situation feel free to contact the Silent Seller for all your local search marketing needs by clicking on the Contact link above or by phone at +1 (226) 444-3820 or at +1 (716) 254-4907