Archive for June, 2012

14 Jun 2012

New Google Plus Local – What Local Businesses Should Know

Google Plus Local

It is now pretty obvious that a Google Places listing is critical to a strong web presence.  What you may not know is that Google completely changed the face of Google Places.  As a matter of fact, it is no longer Google Places.  It is now Google Plus Local – a drastic overhaul of the previous Google Places platform.  It’s only natural for businesses to stress over sudden changes that force a very swift response (and an even faster learning curve).  But the good news is that Google Plus Local has the power to completely revolutionize the way you interact with customers via Google Places.  You might be surprised to find that the more you learn about Google Plus Local, the more excited you are to use it, and this is your perfect starting point for learning more.  Here is what local businesses should know about the new Google Plus Local:

Social Networking – the Plus in Google Plus Local

Google Plus Local is a major upgrade from the previous yellow-pages concept of Google Places.  In order to claim your Google Plus Local page, you must first create a Google Plus account.  This means you are automatically linked in to the entire Google Plus social network – a vast community of businesses, customers, and potential customers that you can interact with in a variety of ways, from posts to private messages.

The New Review Format

One of the primary focuses of Google Plus Local is customer reviews; however, Google Plus Local reviews are more advanced than what you might be used to.  Fortunately for you, they also come with some great advantages.  Customers who leave reviews on your page must be logged in to their Google Plus accounts; this means there are no more anonymous reviews, which in turn means you are less likely to receive malicious or spam reviews.  You can also communicate with reviewers directly.

User Ratings

Additionally, reviewers will have the opportunity to rate your business more thoroughly and accurately, using the new Zagat scale (as opposed to the previous 5-star scale).  The Zagat scale asks that customers rate your business from 0 to 3, in a number of categories related to your business, in order to calculate an overall rating of 0 to 30.  This system is much more telling for potential customers, and much more revealing for businesses looking to improve.

What happens to your Google Places listing?

Google makes the process of switching over to Google Plus fast and simple, by allowing you to transfer your Google Places listing information over to your Google Plus Local account.

Take advantage of everything Google Plus has to offer your business by enlisting the help of competent professionals like us.  Just call, email, or leave a message.

The post New Google Plus Local – What Local Businesses Should Know appeared first on Ken Ivey.

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13 Jun 2012

How the New Google+ Local Changes will Affect your Business

New Google+ Local Page

Google has finally announced and implemented its highly anticipated switch from Google Places to Google+ Local and the implications for what this means for your business has dire consequences.  It is vital that you understand the changes and begin to take advantage of Google+ Local to boost your business before your competition does so.  Luckily, I have a few innovative strategies for you lined up here in this article.

Google Places to Google+ Local

Chances are if you’re reading this, you already have a Google Places Page for your business (if you don’t, you really need to go set one up right now).  What this switch has done is basically place a “Local” tab on the left hand side of user’s browsers which allows them to click and instantly see any restaurants and businesses in their immediate area.  Further, these pages are ranked in order of review scores with a special weight given to your friends and family’s ratings.

Now, with just one listing, your business will be found across Google searches, maps, mobile apps and Google+.  Plus, your customers can now review your establishment and recommend it much easier.

And this is such a vital switch because studies show that on average, 50% of all searches for businesses and restaurants are coming from mobile phones.  That means that you could potentially be missing out on half of your customers if you aren’t taking advantage of Google Plus Local.  And with the trend only continuing towards more and more people having tablets and androids, the percentages of mobile app searches are only going to rise in the next few years.

But perhaps the biggest feature here is that these Local pages will be indexed .  This means that users will be able to find them on regular Google searches as well, so your chances of being found greatly increase…if you are getting customer ratings that is.

So What Should You Do? 

As mentioned, get a Google+ Business Page if you don’t already have one.  Then, take advantage of the new page building features that Google is allowing with Local.

  • Post more pictures
  • Manage your profile with the new streamlined look and keep it lively
  • Host “hangouts” at a restaurant to boost attendance
  • Post more updates for increased interaction to stay fresh in customer’s minds
  • MOST IMPORTANTLY: GET REVIEWS

This last point is so vital because your business will now be found by digital word of mouth.  The more people are talking good about you, the better off your business will be.  Seems simple right?  But the implications are much greater: because of the indexing, your ratings will be out there for all to see for all time with the click of a button.

So, we’d suggest finding a unique and fun way to have your customers rate your business on Google+.  One place we’ve seen have great success offers a free drink on the top of every hour when people take out their phones and rate the restaurant; you can imagine what great ratings this garners!  Or perhaps a small discount for family members or friends who have rated your business.  Simply come in with your app showing that Local has recommended your business and receive 5% off.

The post How the New Google+ Local Changes will Affect your Business appeared first on Ken Ivey.

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