Google 3 Pack

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How do businesses appear in the Google 3-Pack and why do you need it?

Are you wondering why your business isn't showing up in Google's search results? You need to be in Googles three Pack! But how do you get there?

As a small business owner one of the most important things you can do for your business is to get into Google's coveted 3 pack! Business owners do not realize the power of this and how it can add thousands to their bottom line!

That’s because the companies displayed in the 3-Pack get many more phone calls and visits than companies that don’t show up in the 3-Pack .. and more calls and more visits lead to more customer engagement, more sales and more revenue.

Before we start, first you must understand that Google’s algorithm (the rules and guidelines that determine which business listings they display at any given time to any given individual) is in constant state of change. So really its not a given that the steps outlined below will get you into the 3-Pack. this is especially true if the 3-Pack is already filled with competing companies in the same town that have been working on the web presence consistently through time. this means keeping their Google business profiles accurate and up to date and consistent throughout the online world.

However, if you follow the steps below you more than likely will improve your chances of getting your business listed in the Google 3-Pack .. especially where your competitors are not actively managing their Google business listings and actively encouraging their best customers to review them online. Here are the steps to take.

Step 1: Claim and Verify Google Business Page.
But what if you don’t have one yet? Well then, the first step is to create your Google My Business listing. Here is a link directly below. Just select your business type, and then follow Google’s instructions to set up your Google Business Page.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/pages/create

If you are a local business, you should select either Storefront (if customers come to you) or Service Area if you provide services at the customer’s home or business location.

Step 2: Now it’s time to optimize Your Google Business Profile. Here’s how.
Your Google business profile has two parts: Your Google page (which is what most people will see) and your Google Maps Listing.
New Google business pages set up through the Google My Business platform are automatically linked to their Google Maps listing. However, older G Pages or G Local Profiles may not be linked to their Google maps listing.
To see if your Google Business Page & Map Listing are linked, login to your Google My Business Dashboard, click on the page you want to manage, and click on the Gear Icon at the top right side of your Google Business Page. (See illustration below).

A new page will open where you can customize the settings for your Google Business Page.

Scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and look for the Profile section. If your Google Maps listing is connected to your Google Business page, you will see the message, “This page is connected to Google Maps.”

If your Google Business page is not connected to your Google Maps Listing, you will need to go to go to Google Maps and type in your business address in the search bar. Your business name should show up at the address you have typed in.
Click on your business name and then click on the small gear icon in the lower right side of the page to access the Google Maps link. A new screen will pop up with the link to your Google Maps listing. Copy that link and go back to your Google page and paste the maps listing into the space provided at the bottom of the Google page edit screen.

After you have linked your Google Map to your Google Business Page you need to optimize them. Go to Google Map Maker, position your map pin at your front door, edit your map categories, edit your business NAP (Name, Address Phone) data, and remove or edit inaccurate information. (One word of advice…make sure that your NAP is consistent with all your online properties)

When you are happy with the accuracy and completeness of your Google Maps listing, return to your Google listing. Make sure that your Google Map categories are identical to your Google Business Profile categories, and be sure to populate the “About” section of your Google Business page with good, keyword rich content.

Make sure your website URL is linked in your Google Business Page, and that your business hours and other optional information is populated.

Google Maps Might Take a While. Be patient!

Sometimes Google may impose up to a 2-month waiting period for new Google Business listings before they begin to rank. If you have recently made significant edits or changes to your website, Google Page, or Map Listing, you might find yourself stuck in the 2-month incubation period. If you’ve followed the steps above, and you can’t get into the Map rankings, you may be in an incubation period, or you may be competing with other businesses that are jockeying for position on the Google 3-Pack.

 

Step 3: Local Directory Listings
Google’s “Pigeon Update” in July of 2014, placed increased importance on local directory listings as a factor in local search results. The best place to begin your local directory submissions process is with the top four “data aggregator” companies (Acxiom, Factual, Infogroup and Neustar Localeze). These companies disseminate business listing data to more than 300 other business directories all around the web.
Because accurate local business directory listings are an essential component of your Local SEO efforts, this task should be delegated to an experienced professional Local SEO expert. This is not the place to save money by doing it yourself. It is a time consuming process and it’s essential that your business name, address, and phone number be consistent and accurately submitted to each directory.
You should also create and manually submit your business directory information to popular business directories like Yelp, Yellowpages, Yahoo! Local, Manta, and Superpages.
Make sure that your Business Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) is consistently listed in every directory. The more Google sees your accurate NAP information, the more credible you are as an established business in Google’s eyes.

Step 4: Update and Maintain Your Google Page
Google has confirmed that the frequency, engagement, and quality of Google posts is a ranking factor for Map Listings, and can help you get in — and stay in — the 3-Pack.
You can improve your chances of getting into — and staying in — the Google 3-Pack listings by regularly posting new content and photos to your Google page.
Any content you post on your Facebook page can be shared on your Google page as well.

Step 5: Seek and Monitor Citations in Other Websites.
When other websites mention your business name in its entirety, this is known as a “citation. Google assigns “points” for each citation it finds for your business. The more points you acquire, the more prominent you become in Google search results.

Step 6: Get some reviews!!
If you look at the local 3-pack you’ll notice that the highest business listed usually has some reviews. If the most number of reviews is say 2…then you need more than that!

Step 7: Consider Hiring an Expert to Do It For You
It all seems overwhelming, doesn't it? Not to mention time consuming. You are supposed to be running your business aren't you? Perhaps you should hire a professional marketing company to do the heavy lifting. There are so many steps to getting your business listed properly in Google and other business directories to expand your company’s digital footprint and maximize the likelihood that your customers will find you online, call you, visit you and buy from you. You need to do it right. If you are looking for expert help, we're here for you!

What is Google My Business?

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Google My Business is Google's platform for creating, managing, and monitoring organization listings. It is a good first step for businesses that are simply getting started on the web; but it has likewise become the primary, one-stop-shop dashboard for businesses that formerly utilized Google+ Local and Google Places for Organizations.

If your business claimed and validated your listing on a previous older Google platform, the details should have been immediately upgraded to Google My Business.
Nevertheless, it's still a smart idea to check to make sure that all the information moved over correctly. If not, fix any inaccuracies or duplicates as quickly as possible.

Among the major advantages of the service is that businesses will no longer have to upgrade their info several times throughout different Google locations.

Google My Business will help you connect with more local consumers, whether they're looking for you on organic search, Maps, or Google+. It is a quick method to assist your service show up throughout the board; eventually offering you more exposure and exposure.

Google My Business is a complimentary service created to get more businesses under the one Google umbrella. Its tools and features make it very hassle-free for business to handle their Google-related online properties in a single unified place.

By verifying and editing your business information, you can help customers find you while telling them all about your business.

With Google My Business, you can:

  • Manage your business listings for Google , Maps, and Search
  • Upload images and videos of your business and services
  • Engage and share content with followers on Google .
  • Screen and respond to customer reviews from across the web.
  • Start and keep AdWords Express projects.
  • Access Insights reports and analytics for Google and YouTube.

Google My Business can supply insight into how consumers are finding your company, what they click, and other features that offer you powerful information that can be used to grow your business.

Companies can access the Google My Business platform on their home computer or through an iOS or Android app from a mobile phone. Before, Google+ Local and Google Places were not compatible with mobile devices, so this is a major improvement– making handling your local listing a lot more practical. Especially since mobile search is surpassing desktops quickly.

If you don't have the time to sign-up or keep your profile on Google My Business up to date, seek the help of an experienced expert that can ensure your listing is completely finished, claimed, and optimized.

It is a widely accepted fact that most consumers today are going online to search for local services and products; so this is one of the most reliable ways to put your brand name right in front of these active leads.

Video Marketing for Small Business

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Video marketing for small business offers a great solution when it comes to promoting you business.
Times are tough these days. Especially for the small business owner. It is hard to compete with the big dogs. Video marketing helps build your brand as customers get to see and trust you. They will become a much more loyal following who eagerly await your next video message

The internet has leveled the playing field and can be the small local business owners best friend. Video marketing for the small business can get the message out affordably and straight to the point with a lot of flair. It is important for the little guy to keep in touch with all of the new innovations in business marketing strategies. And then incorporate them into their internet web site marketing strategy. A smart viral marketing campaign can make any small business successful.

Online Video marketing is becoming more common as more small business owners begin to realize that it's the wave of the future. We seem to have reached a turning point. the internet is rapidly changing. Where once the written word was king…now video seems to be replacing all of that.

Video marketing is vital for small business. so that they get more leads and sales from the internet.

With video marketing you are able to reach a much larger audience. video marketing can be a bit overwhelming for a small business also. there is actually a whole lot more involved thatn just throwing a video up on Youtube. It has to be optimized properlty for search so that it can easily be found. With the right training and information or the services of a good local SEO company, getting a video to rank is like taking candy from a baby. Business owners have no idea just how easy it is to get their videos to rank on the front page of search if they know what they are doing.

Video marketing for small businesses is truly the best most affordable solution.

It's much cheaper to make a Absolutely, one of the best small business ideas to increase website traffic is video marketing. Video marketing does not cost much money because do-it-yourself videos can be created with cell phones or low-budget video cameras or even Google hangouts.

Video allows the creator to communicate their message on multiple levels…visually, through the spoken word, music and visual text. If done properly it will engage and inspire the audience.