According to Google, one out of five searches are related to a user’s location, and frequently people are looking for a local business. I know we’ve looked for restaurants using a smartphone with browser and searched Google to do it. Since it’s anticipated that by the year 2020 mobile devices will be the primary way we access the web, a business should make sure they’ve claimed their Google Places (formerly Google Local) listing.
When announcing Places back in April, 2010, Google also announced several new features available on Google Places listings. One of the new features that is very easy for a business to take advantage of is the Service Area. By using this feature, a business that offers their services within a specific geography can let users see their service area on Google Maps. Your Service Area can be a travel radius, collection of ZIP codes, or city name. Google Places offers many other features to improve the users experience that businesses can use to their advantage. More on them in future posts.
