If you run a small business locally, securing a local business listing within Google search results can significantly increase your marketing reach online.
With the emergence of smartphones, Google can pinpoint exactly where a customer is located (through GPS) when they search for information, products and services. Consider also, mobile search (using smartphones) is where the current growth is, so Google are keen to push local results where it’s practical to do so.
If you are only interested in local business, then securing a good placement within Google’s local business listings can be more important than appearing in position 1 within the search engine results (as the business listings appear first)
Interestingly enough, you can also pay to appear within Google Business Results, but not of course, within search results. As with all online / digital marketing activities, it’s worth testing the water before committing large budgets to such activity.
The good news is, a Google business listing is currently free for google account holders. This is something you can either do yourself of contact a local seo consultant (or your web developer) who can do this for you.
If you already have a listing and it’s not appearing, then it’s definitely worth speaking to a local expert to determine what can be done to address that.
Either way, Google Business Listings for now, can have a very important role in generating good quality leads, so it should be high on any local businesses list of priorities (in terms of online marketing)