Three years ago, Google and their Google My Business team started
an initiative to get small businesses across the country added onto Google
maps - and the program has taken off. In March of 2015, a new initiative was
launched that would finally allow Badged Google Partners to aid in the process.
Just yesterday, Google My Business’ “Let’s Put Our Cities on
the Map” team held a webinar to call upon Badged Google Partners in the United
States to join efforts in getting every local business listed online.
Webinar demonstrator Whitney explained that, “97% of
consumers search the web to find local goods and services, and 4 in 5 consumers
use search engines to find local information nearby; like: store address,
business hours, product availability, and directions. But then, only 37% of
businesses have actually claimed a local business listing on a search engine,
so that’s a lot of communication that is not happening because those businesses
are not making sure that information is up-to-date and accurate when all of
those consumers are searching for them online.”
The idea behind “Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map” is to be
able to reach local businesses who currently lack an online presence and need
assistance getting listed on Google My Business. In some cases, businesses may
not be aware just how dire an online presence may be; nor are they aware of its
benefits. By getting your local business
listed online, you are getting your community on the map and giving your
community the opportunity to thrive and generate more revenue. The online
presence of local businesses can help generate up to $300,000 a year in
economic growth for small communities, and up to $7 million for larger
communities. In short – if you are a
local business and you are not listed online, on Google My Business, you could
hold a small part in harming the growth of your community.
As put by Whitney, “it definitely does take a village, and
we want to make sure that every community is able to take advantage of these
opportunities by helping their local businesses get on the map and have
up-to-date information so that local consumers can find them and support them.”
Stats:
38% of consumers are more likely to visit a business that
they can find online and on Google Maps.
29% of consumers are more likely to consider purchasing from
a company who has an online presence.
- Businesses with a complete listing online are 2x
more likely to be considered reputable.
REQUIREMENTS / CRITERIA / INFO PAGES
Only for BADGED GOOGLE U.S. Partners who have $10,000 worth
of Adwords spend within a 90 day period.
Steps to Registering:
1. Complete your partner profile online via the
gybo.com/partners website, connect MCC and Adwords
2. Go through a Best Practices check by Google
3. One individual (that is Adwords certified) needs
to be connected to the account – done through google.com/partners
HUB : Gybo.com to
find your city
“Show Support” page
Where regular
residents can go to show support for local businesses -
If they find a
business that is not on the map, they can share the step-by-step instructions
with the business in order to help them get listed on Google My Business
“Business” page
Most businesses do
not know exactly how they stand on the map, or how to add their business and
edit their listing. The business page allows a business to be searched and will
let them know their status and give them advice on how they can make their
local presence / map listing stronger.
The most common
scenario is that the business is not verified on the map, so it shows up as
“Your business info is incomplete”.
“Partner” page
Only badged partners
for now, since this is the first time agencies are being offered a part in the
initiative.
You can see a list of
badged partners in your area and you can apply to be a partner as well.
BENEFITS
Once you sign up and get approved, you will receive a kit of
things to help local businesses.
- Promotional materials - Promote and host
workshops, email template, pamphlets, signage, etc.
- Presentation materials – get businesses in the
door and host workshops on why it is important to get listed on Google My
Business
- Help from Google – Google support team for
questions, aid in partnership opportunities
Promotional materials will say the city name that you
registered for, if you register for multiple cities you will receive a generic
“Let’s put our cities on the map” material kit.
3 formats of
workshops:
- Pre-recorded workshops if you do not wish to
speak, or want them to supplement a meeting you are already having
- Live, virtual workshops monthly – stream them to
businesses
- Materials if you want to present yourself
***Perhaps the
ultimate benefit to joining the initiative - access to expedited business
verification – on-spot verification form – given once approved
Get new clients in the door, through helping them and
opening them up to new opportunities.
As another Google Webinar host Gabe explains, the initiative
is a “great fit for Badged Agencies”.
“The most success was with those who collaborated with non-agency
“Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map” partners. A few examples of these types of
organizations are: small business development centers, Chambers of Commerce,
your mayors and city economic development offices, and mainstream associations.
These collaborations work because these types of organizations work with many
businesses that really don’t have digital savvy, and you have the knowledge
base and skill to help them out. So once they take that first step to getting
online, they will eventually need help growing online and that’s where you can
take the next step with them.”
*largest success with agencies partnering with Chambers of
Commerce businesses
4-step Roadmap to success with the program:
1. Sign up at Gybo.com/partners
2. See who the other partners in your community are
3. If you know of potential partners within your
community, encourage them to join the program – it’s free – an easy sell
4. Collaborate with them to host workshops, the
program will make it easy and provide you with everything
Important Q&As from the Google Webinar
*If you run across companies that say they have already been
contacted from Google – if the email address is not from @google.com they are
not from Google.
*If a town is not showing up, eventually they will be.
Register and add multiple cities so that you can still get started.
*It IS different
than getting listed on maps through a Google+ page. Google My Business is free
and takes roughly 10 minutes for local businesses to get set-up and verified.
*Franchisees with multiple locations across the country –
once you are a partner in this program you can contact a specialist to make
sure all locations are verified correctly.
*Fix location pin markers once logged in, under “location
marker incorrect”
*For service providers who are not located in their service
area: hide the home address and set a service area. Check the “I serve
customers at their location” – pop up with radius, etc. Service area rather
than storefront.
