With the rise of e business, several tricks and tactics have been tied and tested to attract a larger audience. For that purpose, being listed in Google Places is required. It helps sharing the business and store information with the prospects. A store locator plugin (Magento store locator for Magento-based ecommerce shops) can also help in making the store hunting process easier for the shoppers. It attracts not just the high site traffic, but also gives a boost to the sales volume of an e store.
How to optimize the Google Places Listing for enhanced site traffic? Here are given the ways to make the search compelling for the prospects.
Quality Guidelines: Need To Follow
Following the quality guidelines of Google is the top most thing to consider for better Google listing. You need to
- Be authorized to manage Google Places listing
- Use online and offline modes to represent your business
- Provide exact location information
Places Listing: Provide Complete Information
It has been recommended by the experts to complete the Places listing properly so that it could attract the searchers. The reason behind is Google’s intentions to provide the users with enhanced web experience. So, other than the required fields, also fill the optional ones. The difference comes in displaying the listing at Google’s end, and the search engine gives preference to the completed information. On the shopper’s end, the complete information is a big appeal. Therefore, include the following information in the Places listing:
- Website URL
- Email address
- Phone number
- Operational hours
- Payment forms (accepted ones)
- Written business description
Business Categories: Choose Properly
There are several categories mentioned in the Places listing to help the searchers find the best possible option in less possible time. The first three categories are shown initially to help the searcher decide which way to go; more categories are displayed after a user clicks on a link.
Keeping in mind these facts, it’s important to pick the categories that truly represent a business. Google’s suggestion is to pick the specific categories instead of general ones, exactly describing what the business is all about.
Business Description: Write Meaningfully
The display of Google Places listing depends greatly on the device being used by the user. The displayed business description should be persuasive for the prospects. Convey the core value of your business towards the customers and focus the resulting clicks instead of keywords.
Select the words that could speak to the customers and convince them about making a deal. That is because Google considers geography and categories, you have mentioned, to display the results against any particular query. Offer solution to the customers’ problem, when it’s related to a business.
Content: Go For Richness
A research, conducted by Meditative in 2013, revealed that the users’ eyes go from left to the right direction at the first two listings. However, for the third listing, the attention of the users switched to the pictures at the right side of the screen. These findings were for iPhone listings. Rich content plays vital role to make the listings impressive and persuasive. Include high quality images and video to communicate your business purpose effectively. Better to include coupon codes, blog posts, social media updates, or any other special offers.
Customer Reviews And Feedback: Say Welcome
Google prefers businesses to be listed at top of its Places listings that get best reviews from the customers. Get customer reviews while giving your customers a card at your brick and mortar store, do check if your website URL is mentioned over that. Get the cards printed with your web URL. Also, ask them to write a review for your business online. It will appeal to the Google for better Places listing. Placing a Places’ link on your website is also a good option to encourage the customers of writing a review.
Google +: Integrate Your Business
While being listed at Google Places, integration with Google + can help a lot. By doing that, you can
- Create customer-friendly posts
- Give customers a response to their reviews
- Make an appealing cover photo
You can create your profile with great ease by simply using the email address, linked with the Places account.
Have you tried Google Places listing to give your website traffic a real boost? If you want some other easy option for customer’s convenience, you can go for Magento Store Locator (for Magento-based ecommerce websites). It will automatically detect the location of the customer by using Magento Google Maps and will display your nearby store to make the real-time shopping easier.
If you have used this plugin at your ecommerce store, share your experience with others because sharing is all about caring.