Harness Google Places for Local Targeting
As Google continues to beef up its online product offerings – Google+, Google Places, and now a hotel-specific search, review and referral system being rolled out – opportunities for small businesses to use cost-efficient local advertising and highly tailored, location specific search engine marketing are better than ever. And in many cases, these advanced SEM techniques will be offering potential customers a valued service just by delivering information.
Some sources suggest that of the roughly two million Google searches conducted every minute, over 400,000 include local keywords. That means 20 percent of searches are already attempting to target local businesses. So those that effectively craft their ads and SEM campaigns to tap into Google places and this huge targeted mass of searches stand to gain exposure to a potential customer group with a far higher likelihood of conversion. This location-specific search targeting is generally a huge boon for small businesses because searchers that use location-based search terms are usually more motivated to become customers, and because it tends to be less expensive to conduct an SEO or PPC campaign that focuses on these less competitive keyword phrases. Google places increases the impact of that advantage.
Listing a business with Google places is free. If you own a business with a local store front, it should be listed on Google places. Combined with the fact that paid advertisements made through Google Places will generally be placed higher than other local localized websites, this makes Google places a very powerful tool if harnessed correctly and used optimally. That’s where SEM experts’ services come into play. The business listing can be optimized to return the listing on searches with the highest probability of conversion, which itself must be determined. Is it more important to show up on searches for a nearby landmark or place of entertainment, or to have a strong ranking with more general local keywords such as the zip code? Furthermore, the SEO of the actual website that the listing and potential Google Places ad link to affects how high those components are ranked.
And because Google Places is essentially a ranking system designed to compete with Yelp, getting good ratings and linkbacks from customers will improve the likelihood that searchers will see the listing. This means that when conducted in concert with a social media campaign, as well as an SEO or perhaps PPC campaign, Google Places optimization can have a significant impact not just on website traffic but foot traffic as well.
Ryan Michael Farrell is a search engine optimization professional and marketing and technology blogger who enjoys a good hike, a glass of fine wine, 80′s punk rock music and search engine marketing
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21 Responses to “Harness Google Places for Local Targeting”
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Thanks for this simple explanation – good length and nice and simple to pass to clients and contacts.
Also, first post I’ve read today with no typos and spelling errors!
There is no excuse not to make use of the additional plug in on your blog is you use a blogger platform – it couldn’t be easier to get more geographic targeting.
Thanks Sha…I used to be a copywriter. So I take a great deal of pride in my use of proper punctuation and grammar.
Gourmet hampers…I have a sneaking suspicion that you are a spam robot…prove me wrong by commenting back
I just wanted to mention that not just the keywords that include location marker have local intent. Actually almost ALL mobile searches have local intent practically. Especially the ones connected to services/products search.
Just my two cents.
Greetings,
Nyagoslav
You are right, Google will rock this days. they introduce many projects in this year. and expected more in 2012.
they are also purchased Motorola.
Agree with Ryan!
Thanks for these things.
Google places makes a drastic difference to business, so any business, who by using the place name in their key terms, would be a fool not to utilise it.
This is a better idea to advertise your business by listing it to Google Places.
Listing a business with Google places is free. If you own a business with a local store front, it should be listed on Google places.
What a nice blog post you have here, it’s simple but brilliant..This word of yours will spread around…
Hi, very nice information bout geo-location targeting. Thanks for that and Just supposed I’d let you know that your website is displaying weird in my K-melleon browser. Looks gr8 from what I can see though.
The business listing can be optimized to return the listing on searches with the highest probability of conversion, which itself must be determined.
the listing and potential Google Places ad link to affects how high those components are ranked.
The opportunities for small businesses to use cost-efficient local advertising and highly tailored, location specific search engine marketing are better than ever.
the fact that paid advertisements made through Google Places will generally be placed higher than other local localized websites
I just wanted to mention that not just the keywords that include location marker have local intent. Actually almost ALL mobile searches have local intent practically. Especially the ones connected to services/products search
Toronto Movers
the SEO of the actual website that the listing and potential Google Places ad link to affects how high those components are ranked.
the listing on searches with the highest probability of conversion, which itself must be determined.
those that effectively craft their ads and SEM campaigns to tap into Google places and this huge targeted mass of searches stand to gain exposure to a potential customer group with a far higher likelihood of conversion.
More business listing can be optimized to return the listing on searches with the highest probability of conversion, which itself must be determined.