The Beginner’s Guide To Google Places

Google Places is one of the best ways to get exposure in your local market. When a person does a search on Google with a location - certain businesses will show up.

For example, searching “Boston, MA Pizza” will look like this:

The listing will show each business in a list and on the map. The listing can show anything from reviews, pricing, hours, location, URL, descriptions, photos, videos, offers, directions and more.

I hope you can see why Google Places is crucial for your business. This is especially true with Crossfit Boxes because you are trying to get members locally and Google Places is an excellent way to do that.

Here is the 4-step process to setting up your Google Places Page:

Step 1: Go To Google Places and Sign Up

Go to https://www.google.com/business/placesforbusiness/

Click on the blue button that says “Get started for free”. If you don’t already have an account with Google, you will need to sign up for one.

Sign up here: https://accounts.google.com/SignUp

Step 2: Add Your Listing

The next step is to add your listing. Click the button that says “Add a listing” and then search for your business.

Your page should then look something like this:

If your business shows up, then click on it. If it doesn't show up, then click on the box that says “No, these are not my businesses” and fill out the form for your business..

Step 3: Verify Your Listing

You will need to verify your listing if it already isn't verified under your account. You can either verify by phone or by postcard. If you verify by phone, Google will call your business’s phone number and give you a PIN number to enter. You can also verify by postcard, but be aware that it can take 1-2 weeks for the postcard to arrive.

Here's what the verify screen will look like:

Step 4: Fill Out Your Listing

Once you’ve verified your listing you are now ready to fill out your listing. You should make sure all the information is accurate including your:

• Business name
• Address
• Contact Info
• Category
• Store Hours
• Photos
• Description

You can also create Google Ad Words, create offers, see your reviews and check your insights.

DO NOT use fake reviews. If you write fake reviews for your business, Google will know and they will penalize you. Besides, if you are a business with integrity you wouldn't use fake reviews anyway.

Properly filling out your Google Places listing can greatly help your search ranking as well as give potential customers an idea of what your business is all about. You’ll want to make sure the information stays updated and you can even respond to reviews.

Good luck with your listing and I hope this post was helpful.

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