Google Local Marketing | Google Local Map Optimization
Google Maps is a web-based application, developed and maintained by Google that yields detailed information regarding geographical locations situated throughout the world. Google Maps can be easily embedded on a third-party website utilizing the Google Maps API. Getting your business listed on Google Maps gives local customers detailed navigational information directing to the location of your business.
Google Maps is the go-to application for any customer due to its ease of use, and functions provided. It is common knowledge that in order to have a successful business, customers should have access to the location of your business.
In this age of information it is only natural for these customers to use the online medium to find out locations of local businesses. This is where a Google local map listing comes in handy.
Top 3 reasons to go for Google Local Map Listings
1. Increased visibility
The vast majority of customers use Google to search up on local business. This is a great tool to be used for local search engine optimizing. Considering that Google is offering a free application such as Google Maps to get your business listed is a godsend, carving you a direct path between your business and potential customers. Adding your local business to Google Maps enables you to stand apart from competitors.
2. Free online presence
As you soon as you get your business listed on Google Maps, whenever a local google user checks local maps, the geographical position of your business will be displayed and your presence known to this user. These users may have logged in to Google Maps for street addresses and now your business will serve as landmarks, bringing in new customers.
3. Google Places
Getting your business listed on Google Maps helps you to get listed on Google Places for Business as well. It is another service on offer by Google which is aimed at promotion of small to medium sized businesses.
Google Local Map listings for mobile web is the future of urban navigation
The advent and penetration of mobile devices have brought about a widespread shift in the use of cyberspace. More and more prospects, or customers are utilising their handheld mobile devices to access the internet. These users are known to be stringent about their specific requirements when compared to traditional desktop computer users. A prime use of these mobile devices is navigation.
Google, in 2007, released their second version of Google Maps for Mobile. This is an application, originally introduced in 2005, that can be run on any handheld mobile device which has Java capability. It is a Java-based application with many of the web-based Google Map’s applications built into it.
The location service on this application has been designed in such a way that it can work with or without a GPS receiver. It has features enabling usage of GPS information provided by the mobile device to determine nearest wireless networks or cell sites. This is accomplished by the application by accessing a database that has listings of wireless networks and cell sites, and then proceeds to triangulate different signal strengths. The available locations of wireless service are then listed in a pre-formatted order of technology and strength of signal.
How does Google Local Map Listing work?
Google Maps is an application built using JavaScript, similar to many other products that Google has pioneered, asserting their dominance at the top of an immensely competitive information technology sector globally. As a user moves the mouse in order to drag the map, grid squares of information in visual format is downloaded from a server while being inserted upon the page dynamically.
If that user had searched for a particular business, separate results are downloaded for inserting upon the map. This is displayed in the side panel also. In this way, the page being viewed need not be reloaded to amalgamate business listings into the already loaded map grid images. Location of the business is represented by a red pin above the already downloaded image of the map.
Future of Google Maps
Google Map application is already being used to get driving, biking and public transport navigational support. If this is available in your area, the drop-down list located below location and destination fields provide these options. You are able to create custom maps showing your business, to be shared among members belonging to a community in order to make it really easy for them to find the your location and make it fun as well.
Recent innovations in the form of Google Maps for Mobile will give location information even without GPS. This functionality is also available on laptops and tablet computers. Android phones have been built with new voice support functionality where the user only has to hit the microphone button on Google’s search widget and give voice commands to retrieve location information, for e.g ‘Navigate to [name of location, city, state]’
In view of these recent developments, it is getting extremely vital to get your business registered on Google local map listings. The world wide web is closing in on the global population via traditional connections as well as newly implemented mobile web connectivity and it is essential to have your business included in Google local map listings to stay one step ahead of competition at all times.
Your business also needs to be optimized when it comes to online local marketing. GetYourSiteRank uses tools such as Google local map optimization to help your target customer base find your business when they need what you are offering. Promote your Valentine chocolates or Christmas decorations in your ecommerce store before the holidays.