Making your online presence known is enormously crucial. Here’s why: every fifth search query is related to some location, so being listed on Google or Apple Maps, in a GPS application – you name it – is just as important as making sales or doing marketing to build up a business. Thankfully, different online services allow you to hop aboard quite easily, it’s not some rocket science. And once you add your business to maps, more potential customers will be able to locate you. The more customers get to see your brand under organic web listings or places, the more buzz you can generate.
In case you didn’t know Google Maps is the most popular application with almost 1 billion active monthly users. Nearly 70% of mobile owners are known for using Google Maps on a regular basis, so there’s all the more reason to get a listing ASAP.
Here’s how to do it.
There are two options: you can visit the website or download the application from App Store or Google Play. It’s great that Google My Business allows you not only to add your business’ physical location to Google Maps, but also engage users by posting new offerings if you create a free website there.
As soon as your listing is added to Google My Business, you’ll have to verify the location, and it’s not some typical SMS with a code – Google will send you a verification PIN in a postcard. And only when the address is verified, you business will be able to come live in the search and map results. Don’t worry: as a rule, these postcards take a week or two to arrive.
If your verification is done, you can add more specific details to your business listing – description of your place, photos, working hours, reviews display. Make sure that you give every technical detail of your venue to users.
Though Apple Maps gets often reviled, no one can deny the fact that it’s the ninth most popular navigation application with heaps of devoted users. For the record, voice searches account for around one billion queries monthly, and interestingly, most of them are for local requests. So, Apple Maps is another great option to attract more clients to your company.
Here’s how you can add your business to Apple Maps in a few steps.
Again, you’ll need to create an account first or sign in with your Apple ID. Go to Maps Connect and get logged in. The process is actually quite similar to what you’ve seen on Google My Business.
Right after the verification is set and done, you can select your place on the map – just move the red pin to the building where your business is located. Then you’ll be asked to give a little bit more details about your venue.
Finally, you’ll be shown the whole picture: your business location, contacts, working hours, name, phone, categories etc. Make sure everything is okay. A new listing would pop up on Apple Maps within a few weeks after you’ve done additional verification. Apple will contact you to require more info.
The world’s third search engine is one more amazing place to connect your business with the local community, and it’s going to be just as easy.
Here’s your step-by-step instructions to add the business to Bing Places.
After the details are filled in, submit them and verify your business. You’ll receive a mailer containing a code – great that it takes just a couple of days for a mailer to get around. Besides, if you want to manage multiple accounts, Bing allows to add a few more listings with businesses. Don’t forget to continue managing every listing when the verification is done.