Google Local Places: Tags
I’ve been asked this question more than once this month.
Google is the Internet’s 800 pound gorilla when it comes to advertising, but that doesn’t mean that it has exploited all of the areas for growth potential. A significant one: small, local businesses. Until now. Introducing Google Local Business (i.e. Place pages) TAGS.
What are Google Tags?
Google Tags allows you to call out specific features of your business by highlighting your listing with a yellow marker, which will appear next to your business listing on Google, Google Maps, and even on mobile phones. Tags do not affect the rank of search results; they simply add more information when a particular user is searching.
Oh BTW, Tags = Keywords 
Why introduce Tags?
There are millions of small businesses in the United States alone. While many small businesses use AdWords, or have given it a spin, even more are NOT using it. Keywords, Cost per click, PPC – these can be scary words to a small business owner. Tags and flat fee advertising on the other hand are more palatable. And while Google could sign up a million of them at $25/month and still not do much for its bottom line, if Google can successfully graduate small business customers from offerings like Tags to AdWords, its may just find its second wind when it comes to revenue growth.
Who can participate?
In order to take advantage of the 30-day free trial, all you need is a PIN-verified business listing in your Google Places account and a valid credit card. A credit card is required in the sign-up process, but you will not be billed unless you decide to keep running tags after the 30-day offer or $25 of credit has been used.
What is the promotion?
The Google Tags 30-day free trial is available to new tags customers and is limited to one tag per account. This promotion is a $25 credit that is applied to your account. There are different ways to obtain the $25:
- run one tag for one month
- activate multiple tags for multiple business listings : your $25 will be spread between the tag
So, should you participate?
Unlike Google’s cash cow, AdWords, customers participating in the Google Tags program aren’t charged per click. Instead, Google charges Tags customers a monthly flat fee of $25. That, in theory, makes pitching Tags to the mom and pop business down the street a more straightforward process for me and a more appealing online advertising solution for them.
Many small business owners find paid search challenging to set-up and manage, and if not done properly, campaigns can be very costly and ineffective. While tags help to alleviate this issue they still do not offer the exposure that a properly targeted and managed AdWords campaign can deliver.
Our recommendation is to add tags to the online marketing mix if your physical location is the heart and soul of your business. Include a great new customer special and coupon. Keep your hours, business description, photos and news section up to date and watch your customer base grow.
Tags are a good development and ‘Local’ will continue to grow online, partly because of this. Expect much more from Google in this area.
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