According to a recent article by Greg Sterling of Search Engine Land, It was announced last week that Google will no longer be running Local Listing Ads. Google Local Listing Ads first appeared this fall and ran in beta until this past week. Google will likely re-release Local Listing Ads next year - at which time Denver Small Businesses will need to take note. This could represent an excellent opportunity to promote your Denver Small Business.
As mentioned by Google on their Local Listing Ads page, over 80% of people look to Google for local information. The video on this Local Listing Ad page gives an overview of how Local Listing Ads work. Here are the highlights:
- Advertisers pay a flat monthly rate
- An ad will appear on Google and Google maps for local searches
- Detailed reporting features are provided
- Free Trial (can cancel at any time)
- Represents another way to get another link on a Google search engine results page
Obviously, the details will change somewhat before Local Listing Ads are re-released next year, but this should serve as a good primer.
How Does this Help Me Market My Denver Small Business?
If you're attempting to market your small business to Denver metro clients, it is important that your business is registered with the Google Local Business Center. This will give you a presence on Google Maps and in Google local search results for some Denver searches related to your business. This will also offer you the opportunity to advertise using Google Local Listing Ads. I'll be investigating Local Listing Ads firsthand when the service becomes available. As with any advertising tool, you'll want to make sure that you're getting a solid return on your investment before making Local Listing Ads a key part of your online advertising arsenal.