Why should you claim your business listing on Facebook Places, Google Places, Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp, or a number of other social media outposts?
Chances are high for business owners to already have a presence on these sites. Often these outposts are generated by users or using directories.
There may already be reviews of your business on these sites, and while you can’t control how users interact here – you can monitor your engagement and create special offers. In addition, you may find higher search rankings for your business. This is especially true when claiming and completing your Google Places profile.
Get started by claiming your business on:
- Facebook Places
- Google Places
- Foursquare
- Gowalla
- Yelp
A great advantage with Google Places is for local business owners that service a particular region rather than having a physical store front can still participate. Other geo-location social media services, such as the earlier ones mentioned, require a physical address to “check in”. However, if your business office is not where business is conducted (such as housekeeping services), Google Places is service to focus on.
Now what?
Once you’ve claimed your business listings, the next step is knowing what to do on these services. Ideally, you’ll learn which visitors are checking in and review your business. You’ll need to review your visitors at least once per week. Engage with them where appropriate – such as responding when visitors publish their check-in to Twitter or on your Facebook Places page.
How to promote your business listings:
Claiming your accounts is the first step in this process. Interacting with existing visitors is second. Finally, you want others to discover your profiles. You can do a variety of things, such as:
- Put a “Like us on Facebook” message or other services on your print materials
- Hang a sign on the door with links to the services
- Create an account on Snappd.it, use a QR code to list all your accounts
- Talk to your in-person customers and share your appreciation if they’d review you
All elements of geo-location check-in services are a part of mobile marketing. Visitors are pulling out their mobile phones to check in at your business. Know what existing visitors are doing, create incentive for them to continue sharing, and engage them even after they leave your store.
