If you’re a business that targets your local audience as potential customers for your products or services, the first basic step to growing your visibility is improving your website’s local visibility in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). This is where local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes into play. One of the most simple and effective strategies to increase the reach of your website is to use Google’s website listing service ‘Google Places’. Google Places is a free website listing service which aims to create a detailed database of places all over the globe. It was launched in September 2009 to replace the now defunct Google Local Business Centre. Google specifically describes this service as “a webpage for every place in the world, organising all the relevant information about it.”
What is the impact of Google Places to Local SEO?
Google has released undeniable data about how people consume local information online.
These facts show you just how important local SEO is for your business growth, and website’s ranking, and to keep you on top of the competition, using Google Places can actually boost your websites ranking, therefore giving your business more visibility in the local area. Businesses listed in Google Places are prioritized by Google Search and are displayed at the very top of search engine result pages. For example, if you have a Website Development business in Purley, every time a person searches for “Website Development Purley” or ” Digital marketing agency in croydon” Google prioritises the listings of businesses on that locality, displaying all possible places and establishments that closely matched the query. If you’re unsure as to why SEO is key for your business’ growth, feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to explain further.
The Advantage of Google Places for Small Businesses
Employing the use of Google Places is very much recommended for start-ups and small businesses. Even those companies who don’t have websites yet can register and get free online exposure. Google Places only needs to verify your business details through a validation process which would enable your business listing to go live online.