Everyone knows that the popularity of social media makes it an effective and low-cost method of marketing. Google+ may have been a relative latecomer to the social media scene, but it already boasts hundreds of millions of users. In addition to the growing popularity of Google+, one of the most compelling reasons to set up a Google+ page for your business is the way it’s integrated with other Google services. A few weeks ago, we posted an article describing Google+/YouTube integration, but Google+ is also closely tied with Google Maps, reviews, and more. By maintaining a G+ Page, you can increase the visibility of your business, and provide basic information to consumers who perform cursory Google.com searches. When users search for your business, not only will they be able to see your location on Google Maps, but they will also have one-click access to details like hours, contact numbers, and reviews.

So how do you go about creating a Google+ Local Business Page? The process is very similar to creating a normal G+ Page, although there are a few extra validation steps required. To create a Google+ Local Business Page:
Navigate to Pages in Google+. Click Create a page.

Choose Local Business or Place. Choose your country, enter a phone number, and click Locate.

Select your business or place from the results displayed.

Next, enter the name of your business, enter the URL for your website, and click Continue. The name and address of your business should appear next, along with its location on Google Maps. To verify that you are the business owner, Google will send a postcard with a PIN to your physical address. Click Yes to submit the request. You can also request a verification PIN for your page by going to Manage this page and clicking Verify your business.

Congratulations, you’ve successfully created a Google+ Local Business Page. Be sure to take some time to complete your G+ page. Add as many details as possible, such as hours, additional contact information, and other relevant information, like menus, coupons, or catalogs. Be sure to add new content and news (like sales or special offers) frequently, which will encourage consumers to follow your Page. 

In addition to increasing your online visibility, Google+ also makes it easy to gather metrics. Google+ Ripples allows you to visualize how your posts are being shared within the Google+ community, and you can use Google Analytics to view how much traffic your G+ page is driving to your website.

If you have any questions regarding the information provided in this post, please leave a comment below. If you are interested in scheduling Google Apps training for your organization, or want to learn more about Dito’s change management services, please visit the Change Management & Training section of our website.