I guess most of you have heard about Google+ by now. What you might not have heard about is that Google+ have passed 1 billion users. Only in June there was about 500 million registered users and suddenly kaboom, another 500 million or so.
What happened? Well, people are talking about Youtube comments and how they are linked to the Google+ universe but to a large extent YOUR business happened. Part one of Are You on Google Plus.. will be a quick introduction and then we'll dive into the commercial aspect of local search also address some issues with specific problems in Norway and maps (not all ‘grisgrente strøk’* show up in Google).
Google have fairly silently created Google+ Local ‘Places for business’ for basically everything that creeps, crawls, walks or flies. Or at least all businesses with a physical location, in the whole world. In Norway alone we conservatively estimate number of added businesses to at least 150.000. So why is this important to you as a business owner?
As you know, Google powers a lot of the searches on the Internet. I mean, a lot.
It is also common consensus that in 2015 over of 50% of all searches will be done from a mobile phone and they will be contextual, by contextual I mean dependent on where and when you search and what you are likely to be looking for. It will also be conversational, it feels foolish to talk to your phone right now but just wait a year. And, if Google says it will happen it will, or rather, if not by itself, Google will make it happen, that much we know.
And, you are on Google+ whether you like it or not. It’s up to you to take ownership of that information. Google will reward you for it. When people search on mobile Google+ listings will be the first information shown to users, especially if you are close by. But there are other reasons:
Above is an example of a fitness studio in Stockholm. They are part of a big chain with a very friendly brand. Their message is that fitness is for everyone. Here we have four problems as I see it:
- I don’t think they normally communicate super ripped 8-pack stomachs in their marketing, if you are not in control of your imagery Google will pick whatever it finds.
- There are 7 reviews that have gone unanswered, when you've claimed your page you have the possibility to answer and make things good again. Me personally I’d rather hear what people say behind my back rather than not.
- They are defined as a Gym rather than a Fitness Facility, it might not mean the world to you but in their trade a gym is signalling 110 kg bulls rather than your average Joe.
- Is the rest of the information correct, opening hours, facilities, special offers (yes you can do that), upcoming events (yes you can do that as well).
They are in control of their images, can post video, answer reviews etc. No big deal you might think, well, this is how a search is presented in Google:
Hopefully you are now starting to see the big picture. The thing on the right is pulled directly from their Places for Business page. And if I was in Vinstra and Googled ‘Things to do’ in Google Now I bet quite a lot they will end up Top Dog. And this doesn’t have to cost you a penny.
However, it also gives you the opportunity to go Ultra Local in your advertising; ‘2 for 1 dinner offer to people on mobile within 1 km of my place of business between the hours of 16:00 and 19:00 monday - thursday.’
So, go claim your Places for business now, or, ask someone to help you with it today. You can thank me later.
I repeat, I conservatively estimate that about 150.000 businesses in Norway alone now have pages on Google+. And do go horse riding at Sulseter, they are a great bunch.
P.S. And of course you've taken care of your listing on TomTom, 1881.no, gulesider.no, Facebook Local, Yelp, Tripadvisor, 4square, Mapquest, Guide Michelin, Anbefalt.no, Apple Maps, Nokia Maps, Finn.no, Vibb.no, 180.no, Visitnorway.com?
* Grisgrente strøk = Middle of nowhere
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