Introduction to Google Maps & Google’s Local Business Center
I may have rambled a little long in the video above 
, but the point I was trying to make is that a very large percentage of all searches have a local intent, so much so, Google is displaying a (7-Box) Google Maps listing in the organic SERP’s (search engine results pages) on many searched broad keyword terms.
When people are searching and add a local modifier to the searched term (like a city or postal/zip code), then the searcher has 100% local intent. Google knows this and then serves up the 7-Box Google Maps listing at the top of the organic search results page (above the traditional 10 website listings).
If you have a local business this is really important to know. If there hundreds and often thousands of searches every month for your businesses services where people also add in the local modifier to their searched term then you want to make sure you are actively participating in your Google Maps listing.
Look at some these other important stats/facts:
- 66% of North Americans use online search to locate local businesses
- 82% of local searchers follow up via a in-store visit, phone call, or purchase
- 80% of all retail transactions happen within a 15 miles of people’s homes
- 32% of people with smart phones conducted a local search
These are people who are looking for EXACTLY what it is you do and Google Maps is the first thing they see in a organic search engine results page. All you need to do is get your business information in front of this traffic and you will have a steady stream of new clients and customers.
Not actively managing your Google Maps listing is like flushing money down the drain. The Google Maps listings are totally free and you do not require a website to be listed. Getting a listing is free and easy, but it does not guarantee that your business will show up in the 7-Box Google Listing displaying in the organic SERP’s. Even though claiming your listing is a good start, its not enough in today’s market place to really secure a position within the 7-Box which receives the majority of the traffic for local searches. We will get into later on in this Google Maps Course how to increase your chances at securing that preferred rankings within the so desired 7-Box.
First things first, if you have not claimed your listing then you do so. Your chances of ranking well with the 7-Box are virtually none existent if you don’t claim your listing. If there is no listing of your business yet then simply create one.
Click on the following link to learn how to claim and set-up your Google Maps Listing within the Google Local Business Center.
BTW, let us know if you have any questions so far in the comment section below. If you add your question we will answer it.
NOTE: If you are like most small business owners, you may want to leave this type of stuff to the pros and we would be more than happy to manage your Google Maps Listing, please visit our local search marketing services page for more details.
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Currently, this service is available to any advertiser who targets locations in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
Is there one domain one address only?
Thanks~
Yes you can only add one business per location. You can have same domain and multiple Google Map listings. Think Franchises and other big corporate businesses. They may all use one url for all their listings.
To confirm,
I have a domain with 10 different business in different locations, so it can place 10 Google Map Listings, is it right?
@TzongYih Yes, you can have a listing for each location you have. I suggest also make sure you have a unique local phone number for each location too because I have seen sometimes listings with the same business name and same phone number get merged. Your scenario is similar to what a franchise would do.
Thanks.
If I do like that, would not be penalty by google?