Comments on: Increase Brand Visibility with Google Local Business Center http://www.bourncreative.com/increase-brand-visibility-with-google-local-business-center Transforming Businesses into Extraordinary Brands Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:38:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Small Business Social Media Branding Tips | Bourn Creative http://www.bourncreative.com/increase-brand-visibility-with-google-local-business-center#comment-194 Small Business Social Media Branding Tips | Bourn Creative Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:08:15 +0000 http://www.bourncreative.com/?p=2719#comment-194 [...] years, is a marketing area that has been proven effective in enhancing, expanding, reinforcing, and building brand visibility.For those of you who haven’t yet dedicated the time to refining and focusing your brand [...] [...] years, is a marketing area that has been proven effective in enhancing, expanding, reinforcing, and building brand visibility.For those of you who haven’t yet dedicated the time to refining and focusing your brand [...]

]]> By: Jennifer Bourn http://www.bourncreative.com/increase-brand-visibility-with-google-local-business-center#comment-193 Jennifer Bourn Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:19:59 +0000 http://www.bourncreative.com/?p=2719#comment-193 Melih - I think when it comes to multiple websites for "local" search, there are a lot that aren't really necessary, and there are some big ones that tend to get ignored. The trick for the small business owner and entrepreneur who are doing it themselves is to do what they can manage. Focus on just a few and really get your profile dialed in ... then expand to create a few more. Thos who try to tackle every site out there that is applicable to local search will more than likely get overwhelmed and quit. GetListed is a great start for those who haven't yet created or completed their profile on the main search sites. I advise my clients to start with a few and perfect their profiles. Then, use those profiles as a guide for content etc. when creating additional profiles. Melih – I think when it comes to multiple websites for “local” search, there are a lot that aren’t really necessary, and there are some big ones that tend to get ignored. The trick for the small business owner and entrepreneur who are doing it themselves is to do what they can manage. Focus on just a few and really get your profile dialed in … then expand to create a few more. Thos who try to tackle every site out there that is applicable to local search will more than likely get overwhelmed and quit.

GetListed is a great start for those who haven’t yet created or completed their profile on the main search sites. I advise my clients to start with a few and perfect their profiles. Then, use those profiles as a guide for content etc. when creating additional profiles.

]]> By: Melih Oztalay http://www.bourncreative.com/increase-brand-visibility-with-google-local-business-center#comment-192 Melih Oztalay Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:22:48 +0000 http://www.bourncreative.com/?p=2719#comment-192 Hi Jennifer, I agree with you about Google's Local Business Listing as a marketing tool for the local business. Afterall the Internet has finally created a way to reach the local consumer through web searches and mobile searches alike. What I am most concerned about are small and local businesses having to contend with multiple websites when it comes to their local listing. What I'm really talking about are "time resources". Afterall, there are over 60 websites in four different categories specifically geared towards local listings. How can a local or small business have the time resources to cover this space. Even if you made a conscious decision to not manage all 60, there are well more than Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask. The space goes to Local.com (they went public), Yelp, Merchant Circle, and many others. Consumers will be the ones deciding which of these local listing websites they will go and post their experience through consumer reviews. This adds to the burden that no one single local listing website will do the trick. I also have an argument about "getting listed" is not the real services needed. The local business still has to claim, update and maintain their local listing at multiple local listing websites. "Getting listed" is an admirable starting point, but it will not address the long term need of the local business and their local marketing efforts. Something we recently read at KillerStartUps are companies that are offering a low cost service to update then manage these listings for companies. You can read about this at KillerStartUps here: http://www.killerstartups.com/Search/smartfindslocallisting-com-be-found-online It is a changing world and the local business will benefit. There will be some adjustment to this space needed. Good information from your post and hopefully varying opinions help give perspective. Hi Jennifer,

I agree with you about Google’s Local Business Listing as a marketing tool for the local business. Afterall the Internet has finally created a way to reach the local consumer through web searches and mobile searches alike.

What I am most concerned about are small and local businesses having to contend with multiple websites when it comes to their local listing. What I’m really talking about are “time resources”.

Afterall, there are over 60 websites in four different categories specifically geared towards local listings. How can a local or small business have the time resources to cover this space.

Even if you made a conscious decision to not manage all 60, there are well more than Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask. The space goes to Local.com (they went public), Yelp, Merchant Circle, and many others.

Consumers will be the ones deciding which of these local listing websites they will go and post their experience through consumer reviews. This adds to the burden that no one single local listing website will do the trick.

I also have an argument about “getting listed” is not the real services needed. The local business still has to claim, update and maintain their local listing at multiple local listing websites.

“Getting listed” is an admirable starting point, but it will not address the long term need of the local business and their local marketing efforts.

Something we recently read at KillerStartUps are companies that are offering a low cost service to update then manage these listings for companies. You can read about this at KillerStartUps here:

http://www.killerstartups.com/Search/smartfindslocallisting-com-be-found-online

It is a changing world and the local business will benefit. There will be some adjustment to this space needed.

Good information from your post and hopefully varying opinions help give perspective.

]]> By: Terry Allison http://www.bourncreative.com/increase-brand-visibility-with-google-local-business-center#comment-191 Terry Allison Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:32:52 +0000 http://www.bourncreative.com/?p=2719#comment-191 Hi Jennifer, I have used Google's Local Business Center for my local real estate business with some success. Strangely it seems I get more phone calls than emails which is quite alright. I plan to add another listing relative to my other business as I am targeting local businesses. Thanks again for great content. Terry Hi Jennifer,

I have used Google’s Local Business Center for my local real estate business with some success. Strangely it seems I get more phone calls than emails which is quite alright.

I plan to add another listing relative to my other business as I am targeting local businesses.

Thanks again for great content.

Terry

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