Monday, December 20, 2010

Google Maps has replaced the Yellow Pages

Google Local Maps is where prospects will find your business. The Yellow Pages used to be the standard in local business advertising. This is not the case anymore.

People often find themselves traveling in a new city or in a part of town that they don't know well. With Smart Phones, GPS, and iPads, today's consumer wants to know where you are, NOW. This means that they have access to and are probably using Google local maps on a daily basis. When is the last time you traveled, pulled over to a phone booth and read their local Yellow Pages to find the Thai food you're craving? That is where the local feature of Google Maps comes into play.

Google Maps is a game changer. The ability to instantly see your current location on the map is only the beginning. The search feature is an amazingly powerful tool for whatever your target market is seeking. Today's consumer wants precision and they want to know right away where they are going. There is no more guessing as to where something is or hoping you stumble across it as you walk or drive along.

It's essential to be "findable" on Google and Google Maps. If you're not there, you run the serious risk of not surviving. Today's information superhighway is akin to the Interstate systems that replaced small two lane highways years ago. When the larger road bypassed a small town, many of the businesses in the small town did not survive. The Yellow Pages has become the two lane highway.

Not appearing on Google Maps will mean that you don't exist to many customers. Their sole source of information may very well be Google Maps and you need to be there if you expect to attract their hard-earned dollars.

If you want more sales and to grow your business locally, be sure to visit our Miami SEO site. We offer Miami Search Engine Optimization services that will keep you competitive and earn you new customers.