Google adds new FREE features to its Local Business Center

Stefanie Berliant

Media Coordinator

Google has updated their Local Business Listings to include a very basic analytics feature as well as a coupon feature.  Both features are very easy to set up (less than 10 min) and are a free advertising platform for the masses.

The analytics feature includes data on the number of times the listing appeared in a search result, the number of times users clicked through to the business’ website or requested driving directions to the business, which queries led users to the business listing, and Zip codes where driving directions come from.  The other free feature is adding coupons to a business listing.  This is another avenue to promote a product or service by coordinating offline advertising with online. 

These added bonuses are great tools for small businesses as well as big businesses.  It’s a smart way to gather research about your audience and plan marketing campaigns around this data to effectively and efficiently promote a business and generate new leads. The only con I can foresee with this tool is the fact that there might be more red needles on the map pointing to unrelated locations.  But that’s a small price to pay for free adverstising.