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Why do you need a listing with Google Places? Once we’ve verified your listing, we
can enhance the Place page for your business by adding photos, videos, coupons, and even real-time updates like weekly specials
all on your Place page. Verifying your listing gives you the opportunity to share more information with your prospects and
build your on-line business.
How does it work?
Each business listing on Google is a giant 'cluster' of information that is expanded
in a few different places: Yellow Pages, for example, as well as other third-party providers guaranteeing you more exposure
on the Internet. We can add other information to your listing too — such
as a description of your business, for example, as well as photos, reviews, or information about hours.
Here are a few things to keep in mind: - Google offers you this listing for free
- Your business listing must have a mailing address
this is the physical address where mail can be sent to your business. If you work
from home or you are a mobile-only business you can specify service areas and choose to hide your physical address later on - There shouldn't be more than one listing per physical
location
even if you're a doctor who is a cardiologist and a chiropractor or a service that covers multiple towns,
you shouldn't have two listings. Instead, use the description of your business or categories to explain the different services
your business offers.
It's always a good idea to create an Google Places account using an email address
that you don't mind sharing with others or passing along, in case you wish to transfer ownership of your listings. |
Quality Guidelines
Google Places brings users and their local businesses
together, both online and in the real world. To best serve our end users (and your potential customers), we've come up with
a list of guidelines for your Google Places account and listings. | | Your Google Places Account | Ownership: Only business owners or authorized
representatives may verify their business listings on Google Places.
Account Email
Address: Use a shared business email account, if multiple users will be updating your business listing. If possible,
use an email account under your business domain. For example, if your business website is www.google.com, a matching email
address would be you@google.com. | | Your
Business Listing | Business Name: Represent your business exactly as it appears in the offline world. - Do not include marketing taglines in your business name.
- Do not include phone numbers or URLs in the business name field, unless they are
part of your business name.
- Do not attempt
to manipulate search results by adding extraneous keywords or a description of your business in the business name field.
- Some businesses may be located within a mall or a container store, which is a
store that contains another business. If your business is within a container store or mall, and you'd like to include this
information in your listing, specify the container store in parentheses in the business name field. For example, Starbucks
(inside Safeway).
Business Location: Use a precise, accurate address to describe your business location. - Do not create listings at locations where the business does not physically exist. P.O.
Boxes are not considered accurate physical locations. Listings submitted with P.O. Box addresses will be removed.
- Use the precise address for the business in place of broad city names or cross-streets.
- Do not create more than one listing for each
business location, either in a single account or multiple accounts.
- Businesses that operate in a service area, as opposed to a single location, should not create a listing for
every city they service. Businesses that operate in a service area should create one listing for the central office or location
and designate service areas. Businesses with multiple specializations, such as law firms and doctors, should not create multiple
listings to cover all of their specialties. You may create one listing per practitioner, and one listing for the office.
- Do not include information in address lines that does not pertain your business’s
physical location (e.g. URLs, keywords).
Website & Phone: Provide a phone number that connects to your individual business location as
directly as possible, and provide one website that represents your individual business location. - Use a local phone number instead of a call center number whenever possible.
- Do not provide phone numbers or URLs that redirect or “refer” users
to landing pages or phone numbers other than those of the actual business.
Categories: Provide at least one category from the suggestions provided in the form as you
type. Aim for categories that are specific, but brief. - Categories should say what your business is (e.g. Hospital), not on what it does (e.g. Vaccinations)
or things it sells (e.g. Sony products or printer paper). This information can be added in your description
or as custom attributes.
- Categories should
not contain location-based information (for example, Dog Walker Los Angeles is not permitted).
- Only one category is permitted per entry field. Do not “stuff” entry
fields with multiple categories.
Custom Attributes & Description: Use the description and custom attribute fields to include additional information
about your listing.
| | Other Items of
Note | Ineligible Business Models - Only businesses
that make in-person contact with customers qualify for a Google Places listing.
- Businesses that are under construction or that have not yet opened to the public
are not eligible for a listing on Google Places.
- Rental or for sale properties, such as vacation homes or vacant apartments, are not eligible for a listing
on Google Places. Create a listing for the central office that processes the sales or leasing offices, rather than the individual
rental or sale properties.
- You cannot
create Places listings for stores which you do not own, but which stock your products. Instead, consider asking the store
owner to update their own Places listing with a custom attribute specifying brands or products they stock, including yours.
While this data may not appear on the Place page, this information continues to help our system understand more about your
business and ensure your organic listings appears and ranks appropriately on Google and Google Maps when potential customers
perform searches related to your business.
Disclaimer: Google reserves the right to suspend access
to Google Places or other Google Services to individuals or businesses that violate these guidelines, and may work with law
enforcement in the event that the violation is unlawful.
Benefits: Reach millions of Google users,
quickly and for freeMore people search for
businesses online than anywhere else, so it's important to make sure your business listing can be easily found on Google.com and Google Maps. With Google Places, creating a great listing takes just a few minutes and
doesn’t cost a thing.
Premium options, all for free Make your
listing really shine with photos and videos; custom categories like your service area, brands you sell and how to find parking;
and coupons to encourage customers to make a first-time or repeat purchase. |
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