A Step By Step Guide To Optimising Google Places (video)

Top 20 Tips For Using Google Places To Boost Your Organic SEO In Local Search

My last post explained the basics for setting up your Google places account. The following tips demonstrate how to get the most out of Google places in order to boost your local search presence:

1. Every business has its place on Google, BUT you must CLAIM your business place! Start by following the steps in my previous post.
2. When you are asked to enter your email address use your business email, preferably one that is based on your business domain name for example, sales@HubSiteBuilder.com
3. Use your local telephone number as the primary number, and your 1800 or 1300 number as a secondary number
4. In the description field provide helpful information that tells searchers what your business is really about
5. When filling in the categories section you must use at least one Google approved category, and you can enter up to four more categories. This is a good opportunity to use your keywords in a meaningful way.
6. At this stage in the process you can claim your listing if Google has returned information that does in fact relate to your business, if not you can add a new listing. You will be given both those options.
7. Service areas – if your business serves customers at their location you can choose to enter all the areas you service.
8. Hide address – you would choose this option to hide your physical address if your business is home-based or mobile.
9. Hours of operation – this section is fully customizable, including spitting your hours of operation in a single day… for example if you own a restaurant that is closed between meals.
10. Payment options – be specific!
11. Photos and videos are a great way to showcase your products and services. You can add up to 10 images, either from your computer or by using the URL of an image hosted on the web. You can add up to five videos by providing the link to the video. Please note that the video must be hosted on YouTube.
12. Additional details – take advantage of this section to provide as much useful information to prospective customers as possible. Include information about parking options, special offerings, menus, reservations, and any industry awards or special recognition that your business has earned.
13. Verify your listing – your Google places listing is not live until you enter your PIN, which you receive instantly via an automated phone message, or in one to three weeks via a postcard in the regular mail. If you choose to receive your PIN by phone you must be standing by, ready to record your PIN which will be repeated twice only before the call is automatically terminated. Enter your PIN and your verification is complete!
14. Coupons – take advantage of the opportunity to add fully customizable coupons. You also have the choice of adding images and to be able to show coupons on mobile phones ( highly recommended).
15. Account page – you can read visit this page at any time as the account owner to update your business information.
16. Edit – use this section to update photos, videos etc.
17. Delete – click on this option only if you close your business!
18. After verification – your Google Places listing will show up on Google Maps, searchers will see your coupons, and you will have access to valuable analytic data including how many people saw your listing and what actions they took as a result.
19. Reviews – reviews are written by Google maps users. Ranking of reviews is automatic and cannot be changed. However a review can be changed by the original poster. Perhaps you could invite your happy customers to write a review on your products or services?
20. Report incorrect information – Google pulls in information from all over the Internet to your Google places listing. If you see incorrect information on your listing or someone else’s please report it to Google via the Report A Problem link.

Your Next Step In Getting Your Business Found Online In Local Search

Go to www.Google.com/places and just do it!

Do you have more tips to add to this collection? Share your wisdom in the comments box below

To Your Powerful Online Presence,

Karyn Clarke
www.HubSiteBuilder.com

Google Places – adds organic seo to your website (video) and helps boost your local search results

Why you want to claim your FREE business listing in Google Places to boost your organic seo

1. It’s free!
2. You can use it to take ownership of your business’s online presence by boosting your organic seo
3. You, as the business owner who is listing your business, are the best person to provide details and information about your business.
4. Google provides free statistics and insights on your listing activity – basically it’s free market research

How to claim your FREE listing in Google Places

1. Go to www.Google.com/places
2. Click on “Add New Business”
3. Fill out all the fields in the form, making sure you represent your business accurately
4. Make sure that you use your keywords in your categories listing

Next Post: A step by step video on how to optimise Your Google Places Listing for maximum attraction of visitors

Previous Organic SEO Technology Tips:

1. Introduction to Organic SEO Technology
2. SEO Technology Tip #1
3. SEO Technology Tip #2

Stimulate Organic SEO With THE Most Social of Media – Video

Video – part of the most effective marketing channel for small business owners in history

If you’re anything like I am, an ordinary business owner with (in my case) a very ordinary appearance, then you may have been avoiding putting yourself in front of a camera to make videos for your site. If that’s true for you, then I’m here to tell you in no uncertain terms – get over it! You’re missing the marketing boat!

How video boosts your online presence with organic SEO

The startling fact is that a properly keyword optimized video has a 53 times greater chance of showing up on the first page of Google search results than the same content in a regular blog post or web page! At the time of writing this article, YouTube is second in search engine usage only to Google, and as Google owns YouTube, don’t you think they use similar ranking criteria?

When your visitors can see your face and body language, in addition to hearing your voice, they begin to feel like they know you, and that feeling is the start of developing trust and rapport. Research reveals that we buy from people we feel we know, like and trust, so if you want your your blog readers to eventually become customers, then you want to help them get to know you.

3 tips for making videos

• You don’t need a fancy camera! I use my Canon Ixus 80IS digital camera that takes short videos and a very inexpensive tripod. You could also use a Flip video camera. Do NOT use a high definition camera as it will take up too much bandwidth on your website. You just need to check (in your camera handbook, or at your local camera retailer) that your camera records video at 30 frames per second.

• Plan what you will say and show on your video. Start your plan with what you want your viewer to do or learn by the end of the video, then work backwards from that to create an outline of your script that will flow naturally from start to finish.
• Batch process the scripting and shooting of your videos. What that means is, make several videos in the one session. This has many advantages – good time management by setting up your equipment once, building your confidence as you proceed through the session, and generating a sense of flow and continuity in your scripts, which your viewers will appreciate.

HubSite Builder’s top 5 tips for easy video hosting and distribution to your tribe

How capable is your website of mobilizing social media to boost your online presence via video?

Scripting and shooting your video is one challenge, how to leverage your videos for organic seo is another, and the best website software will have integrated technology to purge the pain from the next step in the process – hosting and sharing your videos with your tribe.

HubSite Builder’s top 5 video sharing tips:

1. Host your videos on your own site so you maintain control over distribution and viewing. Keyword optimize your title and description, and place a link to your site close to the front of your description.
2. Boost your online presence by submitting your videos to multiple video sharing sites with set and forget software.
3. Save time, energy and money with built in software, that with just 3 simple clicks, will upload the video you have created in any standard video file format and convert it into universal flash for you.
4. Customize your video with your own brand, further developing your business website’s online presence. To achieve this you want to customize your video player, add your branded watermark, and choose your own preview image.
5. Get your viewers to take the action YOU want them to take when they finish viewing your video, by redirecting them to the page you want them to visit next – the next video in a series, an optin form, or a sales page – you want to have the power to choose.

So, how capable is your website of mobilizing social media to boost your online presence via video?

If you want a website that can boost your business’s online presence and profits by leveraging integrated, organic seo technology to help you connect with your tribe and potential customers, submit a ticket at our HubSite Builder Support Desk telling us what you want and how to contact you.

Here’s To Your Powerful Online Presence,
Karyn Clarke

PS

What are your top 5 tips for video making and sharing for a business owner who wants to use video for organic seo? Share your wisdom and experience in the comments box below.