Google has released a new tool to allow you to connect with you Google
Map listings, improve them and help bring you more business.
Last
year I told everyone how to make sure you were listed on Google, Yahoo
& MSN's local business listings. If you haven't already done this
and verified your account, read the article here: http://www.homeinspectorpro.com/Search-Engine-Optimization-For-Home-Inspectors/Google-Yahoo-&-MSN-Business-Listings.html to get yourself listed first.
Google now allows all of us to get statistics based on these listings! Go to http://www.google.com/lbc
and log in with your Google username and password. If you don't have
one, you need to claim your site by following the article above and
create an account at the same time.
Now for the fun stuff, once you're logged in.
The first thing you see is a graph of the last month showing Impressions and Actions.
Impressions
are how many times your site was shown in the Google Map area in.
You're given the overall count for the month (for a comparison our site
was shown 1837 times in the last 30 days). This is an important number
as it lets you know how active your area is for the searches you're
targeting and how often you're showing up.
Actions are how many
times somebody actually clicked on something to do with your map
listing. This could be them clicking on the link to your website, a
link to more information about your company or driving directions to
your site. I don't know who it is that wants to come visit me be 35
people got directions to drive to our office in the last 30 days, 40
clicked to see our website and 14 wanted more information on our
business. This makes sense as we have had quite a few calls in the
lately for people asking for a home inspector. I guess they don't
realize the business name says software. I just give the names of some
of our local users.
For you, actions are very important. They
show the conversion rate of the number of times your site is showing in
the maps versus the number of clicks. I would expect your Actions
numbers to be much higher than mine (people don't look for software in
rancho cucamonga, ca but they are looking for home inspectors in your
cities).
There are several changes you can make to your Google
maps listing. Make a few changes, watch your Actions and Impressions
for the next month, then make changes again to try and improve them.
Google
also displays the keywords that your listing is appearing for. This is
important and I'd like to hear what words your sites are being listed
for. This is a great way to finally find out if Google Maps is properly
locking into search terms for home inspectors. Most of the terms our
site came up on the maps for had to do with home inspections or house
rentals (remember they have to be searching the local area for your
site to even appear in the maps).
Along the top you can also
click on Coupons and add a coupon. Even if it's a $20 off coupon, or a
coupon just for seniors and military personnel, it's an extra reason
for people to click on your Google Map listing.
On the top right Your Business Info
is listed as Google knows it. For me , it showed my information was 82%
complete. Since I filled everything out in the past , they must have
added more. I'm assuming most of you will be in the same boat. Click
the Edit button to complete your profile.
Add a photo to your
info of yourself and your business info. This will help you connect and
differentiate yourself from your potential client.
If you've
added video testimonials to your site like Ben suggested recently, you
probably uploaded them via YouTube. Add your YouTube video to your
listing to really draw people in.
Make sure to list your business hours. The fact you inspect on a Saturday or Sunday might be the deciding factor to someone.
Make sure to pick the categories closest to home inspections (more than likely real estate).
Watch the video here for more information: http://maps.google.com/support/bin/static.py?hl=en&page=guide.cs&guide=21029
So, lets hear it! How many times has your listing been shown, been clicked on, and what phrases are your sites appearing for?