How To Advertise With Google, FREE!

As a business you cannot underestimate the power of web advertising, while you all may eventually have your own website, what’s the point if no one can ever find you?

Last week a member of the high street foundation was searching Google’s business listings of Rochdale, over 25% had incorrect or outdated information, think of the potential custom you may be missing out on.

Google Places or Google+ for Business as it’s becoming, is a free service that lists your business on Google Maps and an invaluable tool when people are not searching your business by name. For example, searching “Bed and Breakfasts in Rochdale” returns  a map of the town with location markers for each B&B with their business details, images and where applicable, reviews. This can be narrowed down to you being found by postcode, so if customers are looking to stay near a certain area of the town then you’re in a much better position to attract their business.

Example of Returned Results for Bed and Breakfast in Rochdale

You can further enhance your listing with optional paid add-ons from the search engine if you so wish:

Google Adwords – Ever seen those results on a magnolia background that appear at the top of the web page when your search is returned? These are paid advertisements through Google Adwords, you credit your account with an advertising budget and each time you’re business is displayed relating to the keywords that have been searched (also known as an impression) a set amount is deducted based on your business sector and the keywords that impression was returned for, if a user clicks on your advertisement (also known as an action) then a further amount is deducted, again related to the sector and keywords. Should you choose to sign up you will be given the rates applicable for your business. New applicable businesses are entitled to a £50 adwords voucher when signing up and verifying their business with Google Places.

Google Business Photos – As we blogged last week, Google Business Photos allows your premises to be added to search, your Google+ for business listing as well as Street View as an interactive 360 degree virtual tour, as shoot by a Google Trusted Photographer. Dan Root of Business Virtual Tours being the photographer that covers north Greater Manchester, including the borough of Rochdale. They have been contracted by Google to work with local businesses, to shoot, create and embed these virtual tours and still imagery into Maps. The service is ideal for business premises where presentation is key selling point.

To get started with your free advertising with Google, then please follow this link and follow the onscreen instructions, you’ll be seeing an increase in custom in no time!