subject: Google Local Business [print this page] Google Local Business Google Local Business
Millions of people search Google Maps every day. A free listing on Google Maps makes it easy for them to find you. Use Google Places to create your free listing. When credible customers search Maps for local information, they'll find your business: your address, hours of operation, even photos of your storefront or products. It's easy, free, and you don't need a Websiteof your own.
Google Maps:
Google Maps (for a time named Google Local) is a basic web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free (for non-commercial use), that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps Website, Google be carried Finder, Google transfer, and maps surrounded on third-party .
Google Maps is a Google service offering powerful, user-friendly mapping technology and local business information -- including business locations, contact information, and driving directions. With Google Maps, you'll enjoy the following unique features:
Incorporated business search results - Find business locations and contact information all in one location, incorporated on the map. For example, if you search for [pizza in San Jose, CA], locations of relevant listings and phone numbers show on the map. You can also view additional information like hours of operation, types of payment accepted, and reviews.
Draggable maps - Click and drag maps to view closest sections instantly (no long waits for new areas to download).
Satellite imagery - View a satellite image (or a satellite image with superimpose map data) of your preferred location that you can zoom and pan.
Earth view - Click the Earth button to view 3D descriptions and landscape from Google Earth on Maps that you can zoom, slam, and gradient.
Street View - View and navigate within street-level imagery.
Detailed directions - Enter an address and let Google Maps plot the location and driving directions for you. Plan a trip by adding multiple destinations to your route, and click and drag the route to customize it. Learn more about Google maps driving direction.
Keyboard shortcuts - Pan left, right, up and down with the arrow keys. Pan wider with the Page Up, Page Down, Home and End keys. Zoom in and out with the plus (+) and minus (-) keys.
Double-click to zoom functionality - Double left-click to zoom in, and double right-click to zoom out (Ctrl+ double-click for Mac users).
Scroll wheel zooming - Use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out of the maps.
Google Places:
The Google Places, on the other hand, allows business owners to verify their business locations and information in Google Maps search results. More people search for businesses online than anywhere else, so it's important to make sure your business listing can be easily found on Google.com and Google Maps. With Google Places, creating a great listing takes just a few minutes and doesn't cost a thing.
Your business possibly already shows up on Google, but you should still verify your record and make sure its details are correct and careful. Your improvement will start appear as soon as you verify them through Google Places. Also, you can add notifications.
Benefits:
Google continues its friendly relationship with local business by beefing up Google Local Business, now known as "Google Places". The world's largest search engine company is betting its renewed emphasis will get more local retail and service outlets to use Google when marketing their businesses.
And in some cities, Google is offering local businesses free photo shoots (by a Google photographer!) of their store interior. The photos are then uploaded to accompany the Google Places listing. If you think this goal sounds too lofty, remember Google has blanketed much of the U.S.' major cities - and their suburbs - with photographs to give its Google Maps users a 'street level' view of directions and locations.
