Why Businesses need a Google Places Account

[MaySEO]

This one is just a rant. Last week while on weekday vacation in the Florida Keys I had my phone as my main source of information. I thought that I was set. Sadly to my dismay the result that were showing up for local seafood restaurants and other items on my list of things to do were made slightly impossible due to the fact that, well, most businesses did not have a website, their mobile site was terrible or in flash, or they did not have a Google places account. If they did, it was definitely not optimized. Add that to the fact that cell reception was already terrible it really made dinner time a little frustrating.

Why oh why should all businesses have website Google places and a mobile site that works? Well here you go, the U.S. alone has a population of 311,994,135 that is carrying around 302,947,098 cell phones. That’s a lot of people with cellphones!

I can only guess that a majority of these cell phones are probably smart phones with web access. I can speak for myself and say that I do a lot of search on my cell phone and a majority of the time I have the intent to purchase whether it be a service or product. So I would highly suggest that all businesses have a website that is fully optimized and at the minimum have a Google Places Account that is fully optimized.

[SEO_AM]

People with smart phones are as technically competent as people with computers, i.e. they can barely turn them on to use Google or check their mail. People that own local small businesses are within that group that can barely operate a t.v. let alone field a website with any competency. Take a look at some of your local business websites... Ridiculous.

[MaySEO]

People with smart phones are as technically competent as people with computers, i.e. they can barely turn them on to use Google or check their mail. People that own local small businesses are within that group that can barely operate a t.v. let alone field a website with any competency. Take a look at some of your local business websites... Ridiculous.

Very true but if only they could see how important it is to be visible on the web it would be great. It's just frustrating to see how businesses focus on other types of marketing when its as easy as getting as website and Google places account. Okay well maybe that should be their only focus but it would definitely be a great start to a great marketing plan.

[Neil D]

It always amazes me the number of business that aren't on Google Places and the number who have a really lame page.

Given that it is free and it is a great way to boost traffic to a business it is a bit of a no brainer as far as I am concerned.

[Test-ok]

It's almost impossible to get someone who doesn't understand something to see how important it is to them. When it's over their hear most tend to dismiss it.
Which in turn make it difficult to sell SEO or SEM services to these types of people.
I think it's a human flaw.

[Neil D]

I agree entirely. It's just really frustrating in these difficult times when almost everyone is complaining about a downturn in business.

[In2Gr8]

This one is just a rant. Last week while on weekday vacation in the Florida Keys I had my phone as my main source of information. I thought that I was set. Sadly to my dismay the result that were showing up for local seafood restaurants and other items on my list of things to do were made slightly impossible due to the fact that, well, most businesses did not have a website, their mobile site was terrible or in flash, or they did not have a Google places account. If they did, it was definitely not optimized. Add that to the fact that cell reception was already terrible it really made dinner time a little frustrating.

Why oh why should all businesses have website Google places and a mobile site that works? Well here you go, the U.S. alone has a population of 311,994,135 that is carrying around 302,947,098 cell phones. That’s a lot of people with cellphones!

I can only guess that a majority of these cell phones are probably smart phones with web access. I can speak for myself and say that I do a lot of search on my cell phone and a majority of the time I have the intent to purchase whether it be a service or product. So I would highly suggest that all businesses have a website that is fully optimized and at the minimum have a Google Places Account that is fully optimized.

Setting mine up now!

[CizaStudios]

In North America, there's a large portion of the population that is part of the baby boomers that haven't quite embraced technology. I find those business owners are the ones that dismiss google places, facebook and other social media outlets. Whereas the younger business owners that own smart phones and know how to use them understand the importance of the internet and what it has to offer.

[abakinfotech]

Google Places is free, and you can't argue with that. It also puts your listing at the top of local searches for your business category...

[cloud9]

Can't believe my business isn't on Google Places! I'm setting it up as we speak... Do you think Google Places helps with your main website as well with the link to the businesses webpages on the Places page? And if so, in what way do it help? SERP, PR, or just a little bit more organic traffic from the link in the Places Page?

[Lb1878]

Are you asking if by creating a Google Places listing your site will jump into the organic results? Sort of...

Googles universal results often display an array of search results including Google Places listings. I've noticed recently that they even started to link a Places page to your organic result listing. I don't think that creating a Places page will boost your site if that is what you are asking. Being that Google is playing a lot with the way they display the results lately, you now have a chance to get your site on the 1st page of Google, depending on the query.

A well optimized Places page can deliver good amounts of traffic. It will not help PR (which means zero anyway when it comes to rankings) doesn't help boost your SERPs but can get your site showing up on page 1.

Being as though technology is advancing at a rapid rate and more and more people are flocking to smartphones, more searches will be conducted using "Maps" programs and therefore, you should give your business an opportunity to show up on these devices. This is how I see it at least...

[brandonbw]

To the OP, how did yelp work compared to google places when searching for food?

We have a google places account, Small Civil Engineering business, but its a pain to update. For some reason I still can't get them to change our address when we moved, even though I got verified through snail mail.

I wonder how come no one has done a good job breaking into the small business market and show business owners how important having an internet presence is. Or maybe after how badly groupon works out for some of these owners, they no longer want to go near the internet for gaining customers, even if it is a free service.

[cloud9]

Are you asking if by creating a Google Places listing your site will jump into the organic results? Sort of...

Googles universal results often display an array of search results including Google Places listings. I've noticed recently that they even started to link a Places page to your organic result listing. I don't think that creating a Places page will boost your site if that is what you are asking. Being that Google is playing a lot with the way they display the results lately, you now have a chance to get your site on the 1st page of Google, depending on the query.

A well optimized Places page can deliver good amounts of traffic. It will not help PR (which means zero anyway when it comes to rankings) doesn't help boost your SERPs but can get your site showing up on page 1.

Being as though technology is advancing at a rapid rate and more and more people are flocking to smartphones, more searches will be conducted using "Maps" programs and therefore, you should give your business an opportunity to show up on these devices. This is how I see it at least...

Appreciate your answer Lb! That was precisely what I was asking.

[wpcanvas]

Google places account give a chance to list your business at google place. You can put your address, contact info there. You can give details of your business there and by this way client can know where is you office and their franchises are exactly and can make deal too.

[Nyagoslav]

This one is just a rant. Last week while on weekday vacation in the Florida Keys I had my phone as my main source of information. I thought that I was set. Sadly to my dismay the result that were showing up for local seafood restaurants and other items on my list of things to do were made slightly impossible due to the fact that, well, most businesses did not have a website, their mobile site was terrible or in flash, or they did not have a Google places account. If they did, it was definitely not optimized. Add that to the fact that cell reception was already terrible it really made dinner time a little frustrating.

Why oh why should all businesses have website Google places and a mobile site that works? Well here you go, the U.S. alone has a population of 311,994,135 that is carrying around 302,947,098 cell phones. That’s a lot of people with cellphones!

I can only guess that a majority of these cell phones are probably smart phones with web access. I can speak for myself and say that I do a lot of search on my cell phone and a majority of the time I have the intent to purchase whether it be a service or product. So I would highly suggest that all businesses have a website that is fully optimized and at the minimum have a Google Places Account that is fully optimized.

I am not quite sure what you mean by "a fully optimized" Google Places account, but I can tell you that according to a recent study just about 45% of the mobile phone users in the US are smartphone users. For anything other than that, you are completely right - I also hope business owners will once and for all forget flash-only websites, and will start thinking more about their online presence, as more than 90% of the world population nowadays uses the Internet at least once per month