Quick Question About Google Places Unverified Listing

If you're trying to get new leads/customers by approaching those local businesses who have a GPL that's 'unverified', how would you respond to a business owner who says this:

"Why should I use your service to verify my Google Places Listing, when that listing has been in the #1 position in that 7-box for over a year and has been 'unverified' all this time?"

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions/opinions on this one!


H2oBoy

uh thats a hard one..........why would you go after someone in the first spot? my only suggestion if you really want that guy, is explain that you can update information that will entice users to be more likely to contact the business - post business hours, website, photos, etc.

Yea I probably wouldn't target businesses already in the #1 spot.

It will take a fair effort to entice someone already in #1 to pay money to stay there.

or you can create your own listing and pass him up then offer to sell that spot to him

Thanks for the replies folks!

I was simply targeting those GPL's (Google Place Listings) that were NOT verified...and there are a few in my area that aren't for various keywords...
but they're still in the #1 spot!

Guess I'll just focus on those that are in the 2nd and below positions and tell them I can get them into the #1 spot...OVER THEIR COMPETITION..and see if that moves anyone into action!

As a side note, is it highly impossible then for a NON VERIFIED #1 entry to NOT be dropped and/or removed?

Thanks!

H2oBoy

iclosem said:

or you can create your own listing and pass him up then offer to sell that spot to him

Click to expand...

I LIKE THAT!

Thanks for the suggestion!

Haha that suggestion is pretty good. Heard it used alot with local business websites so why couldn't it work for places listings as well!

This sounds like a theoretical problem... not one you have actually encountered.

I explain to them that they're at risk of losing their page 1 ranking if they don't claim and optimize their place page listing. But I go further and tell them that the listing isn't all that's important, they also need a website that will effectively rank for other long tail terms and help collect leads + generate calls/people walking in the door.

I've gotten "Oh, we'll claim it ourselves.. I'll tell my web guy, thanks" but only a couple times (very rare response). Typically it leads to "oh, why would we do that?" - and I explain the benefits - "ah, so how do we do that? Can you do it for us?"

Canuck said:

This sounds like a theoretical problem... not one you have actually encountered.

Click to expand...

You're right...I've not yet encountered that response, but if I thought of it, why wouldn't a business owner? And should I have been asked that question, I wouldn't have known how to answer it without a few 'umm'...'umm'...

...I explain to them that they're at risk of losing their page 1 ranking if they don't claim and optimize their place page listing...

Click to expand...

But is that little blurb really being honest, or are you using it as a little white lie to plant a 'seed' in the business owners head that they could lose something of 'importance' to their business?

Actually...now that I think about it, they could lose that listing by another 'competitor' in their market hiring "US" to get their own business listing ranked in that 7 box, especially if the top few are NOT verified!

Phuck..maybe my analytical ass is just over-thinking this...

...But I go further and tell them that the listing isn't all that's important, they also need a website that will effectively rank for other long tail terms and help collect leads + generate calls/people walking in the door. I've gotten "Oh, we'll claim it ourselves.. I'll tell my web guy, thanks" but only a couple times (very rare response). Typically it leads to "oh, why would we do that?" - and I explain the benefits - "ah, so how do we do that? Can you do it for us?"

Click to expand...

I'll have to remember these points the next time I talk to a business owner!

Thanks for the response! Much appreciate it!