What is Google Maps?

Google Maps is a free service from the number one search engine ‘Google’ that provides not only mapping technology but also information about local businesses and their location/contact details/driving directions etc.

How it works

Google allows you to create a free business listing in its Local Business Centre. You can add in your business name, website, address, contact details, opening hours and a short description about your services. You can also choose 5 categories which best describe your business i.e. healthcare.

Once complete, you need to verify your details which can be done by phone, SMS or postcard. We recommend taking advantage of the SMS service which will send a text message to your mobile phone containing a unique PIN. When you receive the message (which usually happens within a minute), you type it in and your business details are verified.

To create your listing you’ll need a Google Account (which is free to set up) and then you can add yourself to Google’s Local Business Centre. Click here to start setting up your account.

Why use it?

There are many advantages to using this service not least because millions of people are searching for services and products on the internet so you should make it as easy as possible for them to find yours via Google search and Google Maps.

Once you’ve been added, you can:

- Update your non-address details as often as you like.

- If you have more than one practice, you can list all your locations from one account.

- Google Maps provides an accurate map and driving directions to ensure your prospective clients can find you. They also have the option to view the map in street detail or via satellite image.

- Increase exposure of your practice for free.

Your listing will usually appear within 24 hours (if not quicker – we’ve seen results appear within minutes once verified). When you do finally appear, you’ll find the listing at the top of the page on Google for the service and location of your business as well as appearing in the Google Maps section itself. To explain, read this case study to see the benefits.

Pros and Cons of Google Maps

It would be easy to think that creating a listing with Google’s Local Business Centre is all you need to do for a high ranking on the search engine results page. Yes, there are advantages but relying purely on this listing can be a mistake that, in the long-term, will no longer pay dividends.

Pros

- Free
- Easy to set up
- If your website appears on the results page within the map, as an organic result and as a sponsored link then you are providing excellent blanket branding of your business

Cons

- Hardly any traffic comes from the maps as people tend to bypass the maps as a big unattractive block of links
- Doesn’t say enough about the person, service or company
- Public tend to drop straight down to organic or over to sponsored link
- No control over position or slot and could disappear tomorrow
- When you go into the Google Map page it can be confusing
- Part of marketing mix but not cornerstone of overall marketing strategy. More of a gimmick than a proven traffic generator

Case Study

A Psychotherapist who advertises with GoToSee added a listing to Google’s Local Business Centre for their service of ‘Psychotherapy’ in the location of ‘Cockfosters’. When typing the search terms ‘psychotherapy cockfosters’ (which would be a typical search query that your potential clients would use) into Google, this result page appears:

Results page explained (in red above)

1. This is a typical search term used by a potential client to find a service in a specific location.

2. This is a sponsored link for GoToSee (N.B. This is not a feature of Google Maps. This is an advantage of listing your therapy practice with GoToSee).

3. This is a link to the business as provided by Google Maps and Google’s Local Business Listing.

4. This is a marker identifying where the business is located.

5. This search result is from the therapist’s listing on GoToSee. (N.B. Again, this is another advantage of listing with GoToSee. Note that the result is number one on the page.)

Your listing in Google Maps

If you were to click on the link as highlighted by red No.3 in the picture above you would be directed to Google Maps. Here, you’ll be provided with an overview of the business listing. Click on the link that says ‘View Larger Map’ and this page will appear:

As you can see, the Google Maps listing highlights the location of the business on a map (which can be viewed in a number of ways), a description of the business plus contact details. This is the information that you provided Google’s Local Business Centre. On this page, your potential clients also have the option to get directions to your location.

Notice the link we’ve highlighted in red in the picture above – this is a link to the therapist’s listing on GoToSee (again, this is an advantage of listing your practice on our site and not a benefit of Google Maps. You can however have your own website details should you have one).

In Summary

Hopefully we’ve given you food for thought about how to market your therapy business effectively using Google Maps. While there are many advantages, it is not a comprehensive way of marketing and shouldn’t be relied upon on its own.

One of the disadvantages is that a long list of business links as shown in the first picture of our case study (red No.3) has no information and people will often ignore this link. Better to combine your Google Maps listing with a directory listing on GoToSee (case study picture 1 – red No.2 & No.5) for a powerful way of attracting clients to your business.

Give it a try

Why not try the case study that we’ve provided you with to see it action. Go to www.google.co.uk and type ‘psychotherapy cockfosters’ into the search box then follow the business link to Google Maps. There, you can view the larger map and try out all the Google Map options.

And don’t forget, combine your Google Local Business Centre listing with a therapist listing here on GoToSee.

Click here to find out more about our services or

If you want to find out more about our services and packages on the phone then give our marketing team a call on 0208 446 2224.

About The Author GoToSee offer a unique blend of experience in both the fields of alternative medicine/complementary therapy and internet marketing. Our internet marketing experts have years of experience of driving targeted traffic to websites using a mix of search engine skills, public relations and online and offline marketing.