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| Is Your Business Listed on Google Places? |
It is funny how you happen across important marketing news on the Internet. For the past year or so, I have tried to follow YELP in the news and I have talked about the importance of side streets when it comes to marketing you and your business. The reason I have followed YELP in the news is that recently two class action suits were initiated against YELP. But imagine my surprise when I “GOOGLED” YELP in the news and I discovered this headline: “Google couldn’t buy Yelp—So It’s Going to War Instead”. What I learned is that Google’s Local Business Center is now called Google Places. I encourage you to read about Google Local Business Center becoming Google Places.
I have written about Google Local Business Center before and some of the frustrations I have encountered when trying to help our clients. According to Google’s Google Maps, Earth, and Local VP John Hanke, “One out of five searches on Google are related to location, and we want to make sure that businesses are able to be found and put their best foot forward.”
There is a lot of chatter or tweeting about this change, but what I find remarkable is that it does not seem that GOOGLE took the time to notify current business owners of these changes. I am speaking of those business owners who have previously claimed their Google Local Business Center listings. Google has their email addresses. Certainly they could have done this. Did you get notified? We didn’t.
Here is what I have decided to do going forward, and I have urged my other team members to do the same: Read about Google Places and SUBSCRIBE TO THE OFFICIAL GOOGLE BLOG. Don’t be left in the dust while everyone else is exploring new PLACES!
Watch Google’s Training Video
And you can learn more here: