If you can get your business listed on the first page of Google via a Google Places listing, do you still need a website?
Yes!
First, why and how to get on the first page of Google Places.
You’ll want to get on Google Places because Places’ listings show up on Google Maps. Maps shows the location of your business on a map of your local area, as well as the top seven listings (your competitors). If your potential clients search locally, getting on Google Maps and Places is imperative.
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To get there, go to Google’s Places site and register your business. Don’t stop there, though. Get customer reviews, videos and photos of your business, advertise special offers, etc.
Yet you can’t just get your business listed on Google Places and call it a day. Why?
Control.
Google Places can be deleted or even stopped by Google if it ever decides to. Your top seven listing can be bumped.
In addition, the “rules” Google uses to decide which listings get listed first can change — at any time
You want to build an optimized website you own and control. You’ll need to seriously consider Google Places, Twitter, YouTube videos, Facebook, etc. but you should start with a well-optimized, engaging website.
Twitter and Facebook could go away, as could YouTube, a Squidoo lens or even a HubPage.
The chances of your website “disappearing overnight”? Small to middling.
2) If you have no website, people don’t take you seriously. Some people will get your company name from a referral. Do you want them to search for you business and come up only with a Google Places listing?
You’re not seen as serious today unless you have a website.
Plus, prospects will want more information about your products and services. Your Google Places listing won’t give them much.
So don’t concentrate on social media and other forms of online marketing at the expense of your website. Website first, social media second.
Always.
If you’ve been putting off optimizing your site the way you know it should be done, contact GoiMarketing.com. We have several different levels of website optimization, one that’s guaranteed to meet your budget. Contact us today!
