We all know that Google is a major player (if not ‘the major’ player) in search engines and that a significant contributor to a website’s success is how well it is ranked in Google’s search results. While it may be challenging to get your company name or website ranked “organically” for certain terms, there are ways other than search engine optimization (SEO) that can get you listed on page 1. For local businesses it is much easier to get it ranked for search terms that specify your geography (ie: Omaha Baby Sitter), and you can improve your chances for page-1 listings by adding your business to the Google Local Business Center. When you do this, people who search for your products or services and specify your location, may see your business listed even before the #1 organic listing result. You’ve seen it before – Google displays a map and lists up to 10 results in that area.
A Simple and Successful Case Study With the Google Local Business Center:
I recently got my Notary Public commission and wanted a quick and effective way to make potential customers aware of my presence. I built a simple website using WordPress and added the business to the Google Local Business Center. The process is simple, by the way…Google provides step by step instructions whether you’re adding a new listing or claiming an existing business listing.
Since I have two work locations, I created two different listings. My new listings were active within 24 hours, and it was shocking how quickly I started seeing results…literally within 24 hours I received a lead. I had the website up and running for a month or so before I added it to the Google business listings, and I did get a few leads in that time period through organic listings. But after creating the Google business listing, the lead volume quadrupled.
I performed vanity searches every so often to check how my listing was doing, and it was clear why I was getting more calls – when people search for ‘notary’ and specified the zip code of my location, I was the first or second local result listed. When people search ‘notary’ and enter a city name instead of the zip code, I’m listed in the top 10 Google Local results.
Here’s an additional tip that has helped me track my web leads: I created a Google Voice account and decided to use that new phone number for all notary related business. I updated my phone number on my business listings and website, and am able to track all incoming and outgoing calls using the Google Voice web and mobile interfaces.
The likelihood of appearing on the first page of results for the general term ‘notary’ is slim – unless I had a comprehensive website and probably a significant marketing budget. But, for my local business, I don’t need worldwide visibility for the term ‘notary’, I just need people in my area to find me, which is why I focus on getting ranked on Google for geographically specific terms – and this is what the Google Local Business Center helps me accomplish. If you have a local business you should give it a shot…or at least listen to what Google has to say about it:
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