Update: Google Local Business Centre has changed its name to Google Places

Google Maps is starting to become a niche way to get your business found, as Google is starting to push their Local Business Center Listing in search results more than ever. Go ahead and search for Guest Lodge Johannesburg for an example of  how the Local Business map listing is displayed in Google.

As you can see the map snippet shows up first in the results followed by the regular organic results. Users have always had a habit of clicking on the first information they see which is why I am going to walk you through the process of claiming your business in the  Local Business Centre (Google Maps) as well as creating your own Local Business Listing if you have not done so already.

What are the benefits of a Local Business Centre Listing:

• There is a chance that your listing will be placed in a prime spot in the Local Business Center snippet.
• When someone searches your business in Google Maps, the correct, accurate information that you provide will make sure that the visitor can contact you and not some booking agent who you don’t know.
• The LBC shows your contact telephone number in the snippet on the results page.
• Your client knows exactly where your offices are located or where your service areas and franchises are.

Check Your Local Business Center Listing

There may be a chance that your company is already in Google Maps…. How did it get there?

• Google themselves sometimes add you to Google Maps when they crawl your sites contact details.
• If you are in the travel industry, booking agents such as Trip Advisor and Sleeping Out may add your business.

This information is not always accurate which is why you need to claim your business and update your details.

This listing is an incorrect by Google Maps

Claim your Local Business Center Listing:

1. Check if you are listed: go to Google Maps and simply do a search for your business. Make sure you have pointed the map to the right country before performing the search.
2. Once you have found your listing, click on the more info link (If your listing does not appear then you will need to create a new listing at the Google Local Businer Center)
3. Look in the top right corner for one the following:
   or
4. Owner-Verified Listing: This shows that you have already verified that you are the owner of the site, if this still shows info that is wrong then you will need to re-claim your listing.
5. Business Owner?: If you see this it means your business is unclaimed and you now need to claim it. So go ahead and click on the Business Owner link.
6. Create a Local Business Centre Account: If you do not have a Google account already you will need to create one.
7. Be careful in this section.
   • If the listing you found has the wrong details but had the right telephone contact number then you want to click on Edit my Business Information.
   • If the listing had the wrong contact number, then you want to click on This isn’t my listing. This will tell Google that the verification is wrong and that you want to create a new business listing with the correct details.
8. Fill in your information:
   • Be sure that your contact number is correct as this is where Google will be contacting you.
   • Check the map location, if it is wrong then click on Fix incorrect marker location and adjust the map to where it needs to be.
   • Add photos if you can as this makes it look very professional.
   • Be sure to add a category that is in Google’s approved category list (this can be tricky so use Blumenthals LBC category search to find a category for your listing )
     
9. Push Submit and get by the telephone: Google will now call or SMS the pin to the primary contact number, have a pen and paper ready and write down the pin that Google gives you. Enter the pin into the verification field once you get it. If all goes well you will have your details updated in minutes :)

Once you have created your business listing you can go back to it and edit it by visiting the local business centre, signing in and updating your listing.

Please do this for me!

If this is all too complicated for you then contact me and I will implement the process for you at a very low rate.