Power of Google maps - "Gold" for local businesses

[Danny Turner]

I had a dog groomer visit me a few months back - business was quite and she wanted to attract new clients
she had a website page hosted as a sub directory on the designers site
and an add on gumtrees (bit basic - but she liked it - might I say dog of a site - chuckle)
I registered a name, copied that page (duplicate content??) and added a few local suburb names
"servicing ....." on the front page and added a contact page with a google map on it
loaded it up - only seo -added alt tags to images & meta tags "... dog grooming ..."
Submitted the site to google maps (created a business acc. for her) with minimal information - address, website, ph no
thats it.

She emailed me this week

"Hi Danny,

I just had to write and tell you what a difference there has been to my pet grooming business since you created my website and put it into all the right places.
Wow! Leading up to Xmas I was so overwhelmed with new clients I had to turn people away in droves. I ended up with a waiting list a mile long, and people were coming from all over Sydney to avail themselves of my services... before the website I was really only getting local clients.

You have really turned my business around, THANKYOU.!

Robyn Larymore
Canine Design Pet Grooming

you can see the site here
Canine Design Pet Grooming
it shows at the top of the page for
dog grooming (some of the suburbs on home page) &
no 2 for dog grooming Sydney
not highly competitive - Results 1 - 10 of about 235,000 for dog grooming sydney
Results 1 - 10 of about 13,400 for dog grooming ryde
but for a small business a dramatic difference
mmmmmm food for thought
Danny

[DPryde]

Danny Turner you might be the person I've been looking for. Like Robyn, I too just started my own business and I've been struggling with google map api and making it perform to my specifications. I'm not a programmer, but I did design my site with out any prior knowledge. I've looked all over and I going crazy trying to figure out the code.
My goal
My business is small but in the future I want to sell my goods at different retail locations.
What I'd like to have in my website is the list of retail locations
ex:
Big Daddy's
1000 Sidney St
St. Louis MO 63104
"get directions"
and when a person clicks on get directions it will allow them to input their address.
I'd also like to embed a google map with markers (with all the locations) to float right.
I could set up the table for the locations and place the map but the google code for what I'm looking for is killing me.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[TashaR]

I have also used google maps for my offline business to fantastic effect - I am getting 2 or 3 new clients per day from my free wordpress blog (I know - shameful, but I haven't ever gotten around to getting my "proper" site done...and the free one is working so well!!) and google maps.

Gold indeed!!

Tasha

[Steve Taylor]

Danny, that link just take me to the website, not the google page.

-Steve

[Michael Mayo]

Hi Danny,

I Agree although I teach to use Google Business Directory which provides
the G Map to Small Businesses.

Many have asked me how to get a better rating in G Map and as Google
has said there really isn't any other way than to be the most relevant
result in the search results.(eg, Location, Location, Location & Revelence,
Revelence, Relevence...;-)

To become the most relevant it the G Map results requires being in the
right business in the right place at the right time so to speak!

Have a Great Day/Night!
Michael

[Danny Turner]

Originally Posted by Steve Taylor

Danny, that link just take me to the website, not the google page.

-Steve

Hi Steve - I added the site link to demonstrate just how simple the site is
the google map results will only come up if you are in sydney Aus. - tho to get an idea of how it works just search for "any service" "your suburd"
Hope this helps

[Danny Turner]

Originally Posted by DPryde

"get directions"
and when a person clicks on get directions it will allow them to input their address.
I'd also like to embed a google map with markers (with all the locations) to float right.
I could set up the table for the locations and place the map but the google code for what I'm looking for is killing me.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Hi
to add your business listings go here
https://www.google.com/accounts/Serv...hl=en-US&gl=US

I am unsure how you would get a map with only multiple sites for your business - I would have a map for each site as otherwise may be confusing - KISS
I didnt bother with api codes to get a map on my site
just googled the street address
clicked on the map
at the top right hand corner there is a link button
click on that
take the code and drop it onto your web page (has height and width within code)
I played with custom sizes without luck - often had my address off map when smaller
it will show a get to here from here link when published
Hope this helps
Danny

[Jay Moreno]

actually i have been using this for a very long time now and taken it to the next level with some amazing results! Like michael this is the first thing i teach my students