Google Plus can help position your company at a local level

The end of the telephone book

How do you raise awareness of your company in the local market when telephone books do not exist anymore? Small and medium size businesses do not always have the means to invest in local advertising in newspapers or radio to get better visibility with potential clients in their region. Advertising in traditional media is expensive and less and less efficient since the advent of the web.

Referencing optimization of your website

The first communication investment for any company is without a doubt a professional website. To get good visibility at the local level, the company should prominently display its address on its website but also optimize its website on search engines (SEO). Geotargeting of a company on the web allows it to be found right away by Internet users searching more precisely for convenient, local products and services.

Mobile devices breakthrough

Mobile devices, using geotargeting, can be useful in 6 general categories: tourist guides, travel assistance, social networks, useful services, games, and urgent help. They can be an alternative to the yellow pages, but their efficiency is debatable as a local business directory.

What is Google Enterprise

Known originally as Google Maps Enterprise or Google Local, the Google local business directory, which is displayed in Google Maps search results, was integrated into Google Plus social networks platform in 2012. You cannot underestimate the importance of being on Google Plus to increase your web visibility in your local market.

Information displayed on a Google Enterprise page :

• Company logo
• Cover image
• Contact information (telephone, address, email, website)
• Products or services offered
• Business hours
• Company description
• Consumer reviews
• Posts on Google Plus
• Photos and videos (linked to your YouTube channel)
• Collections (posts group per subject)

Benefits of a Google Enterprise page:

• Promote your content on your YouTube videos (with the possibility of linking your YouTube channel to Google Plus) and be active on a new social platform
• Geotarget your company on smartphones (Google offers custom search results from the geographic position of the user)
• Optimize your referencing on search engines in particular on Google (#1 search engine in the world with 90% of all web requests)
• Web posted for free and displayed in the first search results based on very competitive keywords
• Generate quality traffic toward your website
• Standout from your local competition and be found by prospects before your competitors
• Increase the number of local calls by clicking on a call direct link to your phone number (available on smartphones)

Google Plus ensures a local referencing

Even though this social media platform is not very popular in Quebec (versus Facebook who is still #1), your company should seriously consider creating a page. A recent American study has shown that Google favors Google specialized search services such as Google Enterprise which displays companies close to your geographic location (geotargeting) when answering a web request.

Amauta Marketing can assist you with its Web Solutions for Small and Medium size Businesses service. Have a look at this video to know more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zGzBknOaY