Are you wondering whether you should choose Google Places or not? Well, here is the detailed guide about Google Place (Google Maps) from the perspective of Local Search Results.
You can directly jump to any part of the article which you like most from below,
- What is Google Places?
- Features of Google Places
- Is Google Places Necessary for Local SEO
- Do people still use Google Places?
- Adding your business to Google Places
- Your Business Listing Optimization
- FAQs about Google My Business
- Conclusion
What is Google Places?
Knowing about the places and businesses online was not an easy job before Google Places. Before, moving ahead I want to make one thing clear that Google Places is now changed to Google My Business- Source.
Knowing about the different businesses in your area or city is pretty much easy. Just open your Google Maps and search the business over there. You will find the results of your query. Google Places was a primary tool to add Places and Businesses to Google Search, Google Plus.
After some time Google Maps was introduced with complete and amazing features.
Features of Google Places
In Google Places/Maps, you can
- Search Businesses and Service Providers Locally
- Get Direction to a specific area
- Add your business to Maps
- Review other businesses
And, much more is waiting there for you. Google Maps has now become a full-fledged platform for both Business Owners and Service Seekers. Business owners can upload their Business Listings online and it will be accessible globally.
They can manage their business and update the details of the business as they own want. And, on the other hand, Customers can find details about a business i.e., Contact information. They can review the businesses, check updated Posts, and Offers from businesses.
Is Google Places necessary for Local SEO?
There are almost 3 billion searches done for Local Results in a month. So, securing your position in these searches is necessary for your business to have a consistent place on Search Engines.
Setting your business up in Google Maps can boost your ranking up in Local Searches. According to Google Blog, almost 76% of Local Search users visit Business Listings. So, it is a great opportunity for you from the perspective of Local SEO.
By adding your business to Google you will also get the Knowledge Panel. Google will be able to understand your business better. And, this will also increase your E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) Score in SEO.
Following are the benefits to use Google My Business for Local Search Results,
- Get Knowledge Panel for your Business Listing
- Increase E-A-T Value for your Business
- Helpful for Local SEO
- Easy managing business online
- Best platform for customers to review your business
And, there are a lot of other perks you get after your business get listed there at Google Places (Google Maps).
Do people still use Google Places?
Google Places is still there and managed by Google, only its name has been changed to Google My Business. But, still there are some people who know this platform by Google Places’ name.
All and all this platform is now shifted to Google My Businesses. And, there are a lot of businesses now registered on Google Maps. In countries like the United States, according to research, almost 49% of businesses are registered on Google Maps and have a presence there.
Although, some of these businesses have not yet been claimed by their owners.
Add your business to Google Places
Adding your business is now made easy by the use of Google My Business & Google Maps.
If you want to add your business on Google and want to manage your business in a way to enjoy all the features for Local SEO then you need to add your business from Google My Business.
Here are the steps given below to add your business to Google Maps (Google Places)
- Open Google My Business
- Sign in with your Google Account
- Add a new business listing
- Enter your Business Name
- Enter your Business Category
- Add your Business Services
- Choose whether you have a Physical Office or not
- Choose your service area
- Enter your Business area
- Enter your Contact Details (Phone Number & Website)
- At last, Verify your business listing
So, these were some super-simple steps to add your businesses to Google Maps and directly manage it from Google My Business.
Optimizing your business on Google My Business (Google Places)
The next step is to Optimize your business on Google My Business for better Local SEO. It is not rocket science to do basic optimization for your business, for advance Google My Business Optimization, and to get real results, benefits out of your business, you may contact any specialist available at Rankere by Live Chat Support.
Here below are steps to follow for basic optimization of your business listing,
- Add your business Logo and Banner
- Add a description of your business
- Add your working hours
- Provide complete Contact Details
- Add posts at least once a week
- Keep your customers updated by Offers and Discounts
- Invite your customers to leave a review
So, these are the basic steps to follow for your Business Listing Optimization. The key-point of optimization is also to keep the information updated. Keep business information updated for Special Days & Holiday.
FAQs about Google My Business
Is Google My Business and Google Places same?
Yes, now these are not two different platforms. At the start, Google introduced Google Places and later changed its name to Google My Business. Google Places is still used by some people as a name.
How to verify my business for Google Places?
After adding your business to Google Maps by Google My Business or claiming your business if it is already there, you need to verify that you own this business. You can verify your business listing by Post Mail, Phone Number, Email, Video Call, Instant Verification. It depends upon your business listing and what methods Google provides you.
Can I add more than one business?
You with your single Google Account, you can manage as many as businesses you want. The only thing is to verify every business separately.
Conclusion
You can not deny the importance of Google My Business formerly known as Google Places for your business presence online. Local SEO is a must part if you are more likely concerned about your local clients.
It is a free tool provided by Google to manage your business listings online. Add your business now if it is not already added there and if it is then optimize your business listing for better results.
Do not forget to tell us in comments, how much Google My Business seems important to you?
