Aug 04 2010
Claim your Google Local Listing and Show the Real You
Google Maps is becoming more and more popular among searchers looking for local Pittsburgh businesses, but are you showing your perspective customers the real you? Google will populate your business’s profile with information it finds on your website and related websites, but if you really want to present your potential customers with a full picture of your business you should claim your listing and edit your profile personally.
Getting Started
The first step is claiming your listing. You’ll have to find your listing in Google Maps, and it will have a bubble over it with some general information about your business. The top of it will look like this.
Click “More info” (circled in green).
On the next page will be a comprehensive profile for your business. At the top there will be a bar that looks like this.
Click on “Business Owner?” (circled in green).
From here you will be able to choose to claim your listing. You will have the option of receiving the confirmation PIN through the mail or by phone. Once you enter your PIN you will be able to change the information on your Google Maps profile so potential customers can see the business you want them to see.
Make It Distinctive
It is a good idea to put as much into your profile as you can. This means going beyond selecting a category and entering your business hours. Uploading pictures and giving your business some personality is a must. Also, if possible, upload some videos. They can be commercials or they can just be quick videos capturing the atmosphere of your business.
Don’t Just Set It and Forget It
Accessing your profile later will allow you to not only add more information and content, but also check statistics on how often your profile has been viewed.
One last tip, as time passes your business will change. When you’re done updating the hours on your front door don’t forget to go online and update your Google Maps profile. Nothing leaves a worse impression on users than getting information off a website and arriving to find out it is false.
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