Getting listed in Google Local is maybe the most important thing a small brick and mortar store can do in terms of advertising today

So, what is Google Local? Google Local is Google’s registrar of businesses that are tied in with their Google Maps GPS navigation software. When a customer is out and looking for a pet store, the first thing they are likely to do is to pull up Google Maps on their phone and search for “pet stores near me.” They will be presented with a map filled in with dots for all of the nearby pet stores, as well as user ratings and information like operating hours and directions.

If you run a pet store and are not on that list, your business is operating at a crippling disadvantage. It is increasingly becoming nearly impossible to attract business without being searchable online. Luckily, getting listed in Google Local is easy.

To put up your listing, simply make a Google account. Then, search for the page “Get Your Free Business Listing on Google.” This will bring you to an easy to use form you can use to get started on getting listed in Google Local. The page will ask you to locate your business, and you may be surprised to find that it will usually already know quite a bit about where you operate and what you do. Google will initiate a simple process to verify that you own the business, but in the meantime, you can start editing your page.

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