Lately, the main focus for almost all of my clients is new business.  The questions they ask are,

• “How can I find new business?”
• “What can I do to gain more attention for my site?”
• “How do I stay ahead of my competition?”

Just about everyone is looking for more business these days.

One of the first things I ask when starting with a new client is, “Do you have a Google Local listing?”
Unfortunately, few of my clients answer, “yes”.  Most say, “What the heck is Google Local?”

No matter what business your’re in, you can take advantage of Google Local.

Why Google local?

Nearly 65% percent of internet searches done today are through Google.

Who would want to ignore something that could potentially provide 65% of your business.  Simply put, having a presence on Google will result in business.

What is Google Local?

Google Local (or Google Local Business center) is a free services offered by Google that allows you to set up a profile for your business that can be found on Google maps and in Google search.

Here is a brief 2 minute video that clearly explains Google Local:

How do I sign up for Google Local?

The very first step is to set up a Google account and then go to Google Local Business Center and fill out your profile.  You’ll also find a number of useful videos on YouTube to help you optimize your profile.  Here is a video with some good suggestions from John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing:

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