Dec 7, 2009 - How is your business mapped in a potential customer's search on Google or Bing? How about when that customer searches on an iPhone or GPS device? The answer is becoming more critical every day to the success of restaurants, retail outlets and any other business that serves customers at a physical location. Business owners need to review the way their businesses are listed online, correct any omissions or errors and provide a full and properly organized profile of contact information, hours and other relevant details to the databases that feed these devices. A missing, incomplete or incorrect listing will cost you customers. Online Mapping Google Maps Google Maps dominates online mapping and local information on the Internet. Not only do map results come into play when consumers click on the maps option in a Google search, but they are now integrated into the primary Google search. For example, if a consumer searches for Asian restaurants near Westford, Mass., Google results automatically show a map of seven local Asian restaurants. The map appears above the general Web results, and the pushpin markers help consumers see what location is closest or most convenient. Microsoft Bing Maps Microsoft's new search engine, Bing, does something similar. It's designed to eliminate irrelevant Web pages and return answers as opposed to just results, so Microsoft calls it a "decision engine." It may turn up different listings and order them differently than Google does. GPS Technology Black Friday 2009 saw GPS devices as one of the most heavily advertised items, with prices dropping as low as $59. That means more consumers are relying on the devices, not only to provide directions but to identify points of interest, including gas stations, retail outlets, lodging and restaurants. People are using these global positioning systems not just to find the businesses they plan to visit but to identify and choose the businesses where they will eat, shop and buy. Increasingly, these systems are available in cell phones or built into motor vehicles.
Errors are not uncommon. For example, one database that feeds GPS units locates a gym that I know in the wrong place -- a few buildings down on the opposite side of the street. These kinds of errors can change a customer's mind about where to go. But business operators can identify and correct the problem if they are prudent about reviewing and maintaining their online profiles. A business that's where the GPS says it is will get the customers. Otherwise, they may select the next best, visible choice. The Intelligent Information Revolution The physical location is not the only data that can be distributed about businesses. Online mapping and GPS technology are moving toward "intelligent" or "structured" profile information -- consistently patterned, ordered, concise data that can be sorted, analyzed, and filtered, like cells in an Excel spreadsheet. When searching for a restaurant, consumers will view a clearly demarcated summary of the business that may include the phone number, location, hours of operation, menu, credit card policies, price range and the like. An intelligent information format will allow consumers to search not only for an Asian restaurant in Westford, Mass., but for an Asian restaurant that is still serving sushi at 11:30 pm in Westford, Mass. Structuring the information concisely and compactly can be critically important when its displayed on an iPhone or GPS unit's 3.5-inch screen. These technologies can work for your business, but remember to ensure that your profile is complete, accurate and updated. Patrick Leblanc is a business solutions project manager with Bizmappers.com, which provides GPS and map-based business promotion. Patrick@bizmappers.com 508-603-9345 |