Last Updated on December 1, 2019 by Christopher G Mendla
If you have a business, you should be sure that you have a listing in google places. Business owners can create update their listings for free.
This is a no brainer for storefronts and other brick and mortar businesses. Home based businesses need to exercise some caution. My company, CGM Systems, Inc is a home based business. I created a google places listing but listed “No Walk Ins, By Appointment only”. Our township has an ordinance that prohibits me from having customers visit my home business . I do not want them visiting anyway. (Note that the people who buy houses and make them rehab houses for addicts are allowed to use a house to run a multi million dollar business. However, I can’t have a client stop by to drop off or pick up a computer.. go figure).
The process to claim your google places listing is pretty straightforward
- Make sure you have a google account
- Go to http://www.google.com/places/
- choose “CLAIM YOUR BUSINESS”
- I haven’t been through these for a while. Login using your google gmail account and fill out whatever you can.
- Google will send you a postal mail letter with your pin
- Use your pin to activate your listing.
You can see our listing by searching for “Computers” in the general area of my home. Click here to see our listing
Some Guidelines
- Think about which google account you will use. You should only have one google account.
- Consider the implications before posting a home based business. Implications include: privacy, safety, local business and home codes, competitors etc. (ie. It might not be wise to list a home based firearms or pharmaceutics business due to the possibility of attracting thieves. )
- Consider adding photos of videos if they apply to your business
- LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE – it is simply amazing how many google places listings fail to have a link back to their website.
This is becoming more important as an ever increasing number of people are using google on their desktops and phones for their searches.