Put Your Business on the Map with Google Maps
Todd Webber, Bob Weins · Journal of accountancy online/Journal of accountancy · 2009
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Every firm's dream should be to have a free listing on a major search engine at the top of its first results page, allowing prospective clients to find the firm when they re searching for accounting, tax or financial planning services. Imagine if this free listing also included the firm's phone number, a description of its professional services, a map to the office and a link to its Web site (see Exhibit 1). It may sound too good to be true, but it isn't a dream. Your firm can take advantage of all this through Google Maps (officially called the Google Local Business Center.) Why should you get listed on Google Maps? Consider these numbers: Web fact no. 1. Sixty percent of your prospective clients search for products and services on the Web (Pew Internet Survey, September 2007, tinyurl.com/dko89w). Web fact no. 2. Ninety percent of these searchers won't look beyond the first page of a search result (Enquisite Search Analytics study, tinyurl.com/djhsvj). This means that if you're not on the first page of the search result, you probably won't be seen. In today's market you need to be on the Web, but you also may need to do this cheaply in a slow economy Google Maps helps you do both. This article reviews what you must do before creating a Google Maps listing, how to register with Google Maps, and how to edit your listing. You need to do two things before registering with Google Maps: * a Gmail * Purchase a phone number. (This is optional but extremely valuable.) CREATE A GMAIL ACCOUNT To create a Gmail account, go to www.gmail.com and click on Create an account. Follow the instructions. (Note: When you register for a Gmail account, the confirmation page will display a link, Show me my account. Click this link to log in to your new account.) PURCHASE A TRACKING PHONE NUMBER A phone number is a separate telephone number that forwards to your main line but tracks and optionally can record each call. Using tracking allows you to see how many calls your listing is generating. Use a tracking phone number as your main number in your Google Maps registration. The tracking number won't interfere with or require reprogramming your current phone system. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tracking cost $20 to $70 per month depending upon the depth of reporting you select. To choose a vendor, do an online search and make your selection based upon who has the easiest-to-read reports and who can provide a tracking number with the same area code and local exchange as your main line. REGISTERING WITH GOOGLE MAPS Step 1: Go to www.google.com/local/add * Log in using the information for the Gmail account you just created. * Click on the Add new business button (see Exhibit 2). Step 2: Enter your firm's profile on the basic information page * Main phone. Insert your new tracking phone number (see Exhibit 3). * Additional phone numbers. Click on Add more phone numbers to list all alternate telephone (fax, cell phone, etc.) you want prospective clients to use. * E-mail address. List the primary e-mail address where prospective clients can contact you. * Web site. Include your firm's Web address to link your Maps listing to your Web site. * Description. This text field is important because it is what your prospective clients will see when your listing appears. Focus the Description on the services you want to promote, such as higher margin services. For example: Small specialists in tax, financial services, accounting, auditing and consulting. Our clients rely upon us for financial guidance. We are committed to meeting your needs on time and at a reasonable cost. * Fix incorrect marker location. …