![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/accounts\/lbc\/pin.gif\" "\\"Google")
<\/p>\nMany parts of the country are still seeing very slow business growth, and some places seem to be slipping back into the same depressed business conditions as 2008-9.\u00a0 This has led many companies to search for more efficient methods for finding new customers.\u00a0 The old ways of yellow books and newspaper ads just don’t pay off today.\u00a0 On-line resources like Craig’s List, Google, and local advertisers seem to be how most people find service providers today.<\/p>\n
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The transition from print advertising to on-line is accelerating for most businesses.\u00a0 One of the first questions we hear on this topic from our Numbers Cruncher and Flat Rate Price Book users is, “How do I get started in Internet Advertising?”\u00a0 For most businesses that are just starting the move to the web, the answer is Google.\u00a0 Since the vast majority of searches for services are done through Google, that’s still the place to be for companies transitioning from traditional print media advertising.<\/p>\n
In July we had a post highlighting the Google Tags<\/a> program that provides a low cost way to make your company stand out on the Google Local results page.\u00a0 Tags are based on the free Local <\/a>listing that Google allows you to set up.\u00a0 For service businesses both of these offerings are an easy and inexpensive way to get noticed on line.<\/p>\n Google has added a new feature to their local maps service that will benefit any business that services a local area.\u00a0 Google Service Areas will allow you to define the geographic region your business covers.\u00a0 If you run a Plumbing, Electrical, or HVAC service shop, this can be significantly more meaningful to your target customers than a business address.\u00a0 And, this can result in higher response rates to your free and paid entries in the Google search world.<\/p>\n If you list your company on Google with a service area, the map of your listing can show your service area with a click of your customer’s mouse.\u00a0 Setting up your service area in the Google Local Dashboard is easy.\u00a0 You can enter it by zip code, city, or by distance from your business address.\u00a0 And, if you do not have a retail space that your customers need to see, you can hide you business address in your listing.\u00a0 This allows your service area to speak for itself.\u00a0 Your customers will only know your defined service area, and will not select a competitor who may be physically closer.<\/p>\n Here’s a very short video showing the highlights of this free service from Google.