We talk often at the Dealer Ignition blog about just how important it is to be presenting the strongest local online presence one can present. There are many elements to cementing the Internet presence of a retailer or a brand that is represented by a local retailer. E-mail campaigns, search engine optimization, proper banner advertising and well executed paid search campaigns are the foundational pieces. Each one of these elements are incredibly important in ensuring that a local retailer is found online.

Another increasingly important aspect of the local side of search marketing is the Google Place page. If you don’t know what that you should check out this video that Google has put together to explain it.

Formerly known as the Local Business Center (it was just renamed officially Google Places on April 19th) this is one of the most important elements of any local search marketing effort yet precious few SMB’s (small and medium businesses) even know that it exists. It is important for sure but also be aware that there are limitations as Dealer Ignition’s CEO, Steven Wagner, points out in a post from March of this year.

While we are not going to claim true expertise in these listings there are opportunities to attend webinars from Google to talk about various aspects of this Internet marketing option. Keep in mind too that as mobile becomes more prominent these listings could impact in store traffic and will play with your overall online marketing efforts very well.

So be sure to pay attention to your Google place page. In a press release from Google announcing their renaming of the Local Business Center they give some interesting stats that are important to see and digest if you are not yet convinced of the power of the local Internet.

• More than 4 million business listings on Google claimed by business owners (using the Local Business Center, now Google Places)
• Nearly 2 million listings have been claimed in the United States
• 20% of searches on Google are related to location
• There are 50 million Place Pages
• Place Pages are viewed millions of times each day
• We have mailed out Favorite Places window decals to around 200,000 businesses around the United States

For those doing the math the 20% of searches number represents about 3 billion local search queries in March alone. Are you interested now?

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