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Local Search Advertising
Google Enhanced Listings: A Simple Way to Enhance Local Business Listings
Google recently launched a test for a new advertising system targeted to small local business owners as part of its continuing effort to expand their advertising base and boost revenue. Many local businesses are already advertising with Google through its Adwords paid search program, but Google has not been able to penetrate deeper into this market due to the relative complexity of its AdWords system. With their new Enhanced Listings program Google hopes to lure local business owners, who are aware of the benefits of online advertising, but do not have the time to learn about and manage the Adwords advertising system, into paid local search advertising.
Local Business Center Listings
Enhanced Listings allow business owners to highlight specific unique aspects of their Google Local Business Center listing, for instance a coupon or store overview video, when their local business listing come up in the search results at Google Maps or in the main Web results at Google.com.
In order to participate in the Enhanced Listings program businesses first need to set up or "claim" their Local Business Center account. These accounts are free and once claimed, they allow businesses to control, improve and expand the default information that already exists in these listings. Although Google is actively crawling and indexing information about local businesses from the Web and add those to Google local search results, with a content-rich and verified Local Business Center listing, businesses have the ability to provide accurate information to Google directly, rather than relying on Google crawling the Web to provide descriptions and other information about their business.
Google Maps and "7 Box"
Once a Local Business Center listing has been established, businesses should be able to find their business listing on Google Maps within their geographic location when they perform a search on their business name or a prominent related business keyword. Their business listings could also appear in what is referred to as the "7 Box" area near the top of Google’s main Web search results when Web users perform a search query from Google.com’s main search box. Many businesses, however, may still need some organic search engine optimization (SEO) work to have their business listing prominently ranked in the local organic search results.
Extended Local Business Center Listing
Businesses also have the opportunity to add additional information about their business to the Local Business Center listing, which shows up when someone clicks on the "more info" button next to the marker on Google Maps. Business owners can add information to different categories, including store/business hours, payment information, photos, videos, even menus for restaurants. To highlight a coupon, video or restaurant menu in the Enhanced Listings (more on this later) requires that this item is available in the Local Business Center listing. Once businesses have taken the time to improve and expand the information on their basic Local Business Center listing, they can start taking advantage of the Enhanced Listings.
Enhanced Listings
With Enhanced Listings, businesses can choose to highlight the additional information they have added to their Local Business Center listing. Within the Google Maps listings or the 7 Box area in the main Web results, they can include a yellow icon and an additional line marked as "Sponsored." This will be accompanied by a message pertaining to information highlighted in the Local Business Center listing. For example, if a business wants to show off a photograph of the business, the highlighted area will say "View photos," or if they choose to direct users to their web site, the highlighted text will read "View web site." Clicking the yellow icon or link will take the user to that content. Businesses can choose one of the following content categories as Enhanced Listings: photos, videos, web site, coupons, directions, restaurant menu and reservations.
Google has also responded to the frustration of many small business owners with the complexity of Google AdWords by making the Enhanced Listings pricing model very simple. Google charges a flat $25 a month for an Enhanced Listing. Businesses simply have to provide Google with a valid major credit card, and they will charge them once at the end of the month. They will be able to change which category they feature at any time without any additional cost. Enhanced Listings are also much easier to manage - there are no keywords to bid on, ads to write and test and their ROI can be tracked easily from the Local Business Center dashboard. It’s important to note that paying for an Enhanced Listing will not affect the ranking position of the local business listing in the search results at Google Maps or within the 7 Box.
While Enhanced Listings are currently only available in certain areas of the US, as part of a limited trial, business owners can expect this new feature to roll out to every business nationwide fairly soon. As the year progresses we are sure to see more new paid advertising features from Google for local businesses as they are looking for new ways to expand the ranks of its advertisers.
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Presentation
Thursday, May 6, 2010 - 8:45 am
Clark University, Small Business Development Center
Worcester, MA
"Social Media, Search and Digital Media
Optimization"
Presenter: Louise Rijk
Click here for more info.
Past Presentations
128 Business Expo 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009 - 12:00 noon
Westin-Waltham Hotel
Waltham, Massachusetts
"Twitter and Blogging for Business"
Presenter: Louise Rijk
Click here to play the video
Middlesex Savings Bank Business Success Seminars
Thursday, June 18, 2009 - 7:30AM
Crowne Plaza Hotel,
1360 Worcester Street, (Rt 9), Natick, MA
"Using Internet Marketing to Build Your Business"
Presenter: Louise Rijk
Click here to play the video
Clark University
Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 8:45-12 noon
Grace Conference Room
Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts
“Search and Digital Asset Optimization”
Presenter: Louise Rijk
Click here to play the video.
WebmasterWorld PubCon 2008
Las Vegas
“Integrating Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) into the Advertising Mix”
Presenter: Louise Rijk, Vice President of Marketing and Sales
Click here to play the presentation
128 Business Expo 2008
The Westin Waltham-Boston Hotel
“Using Social Media to Connect with Prospects and Customers”
Presenter: Louise Rijk, Vice-President of Marketing and Sales
Click here to play the video.
495/MetroWest Business Expo
Sheraton Framingham Hotel
Pre-Expo Keynote Presentation
“A Strategic Approach to Integrated Marketing”
Presenter: Louise Rijk, Vice-President of Marketing and Sales
Click here to play the video.
Bentley College, 2008 - Waltham, MA
“Planning and Integrating a Targeted Internet Marketing Campaign”
Click here to play the video.
WebmasterWorld Pubcon 2007 - Las Vegas, NV
“Planning and Integrating a Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) Campaign”
Click here to play the video.
BizAction 2007 - Washington DC
"Email, Social Media and Search in the Overall Marketing Mix"
Click here to play the audio.
128 Business Expo 2007
"Blogging and Podcasting For Business"
Click here to play the video.
495/Metrowest Business Expo
Pre-Expo Keynote
"The Rise of the Internet as a Mass Advertising Medium"
Click here to play the video.
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If you would like more information on Internet Marketing, Consulting, Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Marketing and Email Marketing, please
click here.
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Copyright © 1996-2010. Advanced Media Productions, Inc.
Advanced Media Productions, Inc.
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Tel: 508-647-5151 Fax: 508-647-5150
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