Carson City/Storey County Educator Lindsay Chichester proudly shows the Google SWAG bag she received after being the first Chamber client to put the Carson City extension office on Google.
Savvy business owners understanding to be listed on the Google search engine is one of the first steps needed to assure being seen by potential customers. Yet many businesses don’t know how easy it is to get their business listed or update their partial listing. This knowledge void could cause a lack of sales in an era where the internet is used by 4 out of 5 people who use search engines to find anything and everything.
According to the Google Get Your Business Online team, only 37 percent of businesses have claimed a local free business listing on a search engine. Now the Carson City Chamber has become a Google Trusted Verifier — it makes obtaining a listing easier than ever and can be accomplished in less than 15 minutes right in the Chamber office. It’s the goal of the Chamber to have every member business listed on the Google map and to assist other businesses who may need some help as they join the “Let’s Put Carson City on the Map” movement.
All a business needs to be verified by the Chamber is a Gmail account, a copy of a utility bill, business license or tax id. It’s ideal to have a brief statement of your business, a photo of the inside and outside and your business hours. Gmail accounts are free and can be set up when signing up at the Chamber office. The Chamber service is free. It’s also an advantage to bring in your cell phone, iPad or laptop.
Google is the No. 1 preferred search engine world-wide with more than 1.1 billion unique monthly visitors as compared to the No. 2, Bing, at 350 million.
When searching for a listing by the name of a business, a complete listing of that business pops out in the right hand screen — almost as though it’s an ad. When listed on Google, research has found users find businesses two times more likely to be considered reputable.
Each business should check if its business is listed and if you are, you’re going to receive a message stating “Nice job, you’re on the map!” There’s a message as well indicating your listing may need to be updated. If you’re not listed, you won’t find your listing anywhere and that’s a sure sign you need to get right on it.
As the authorized Google Trusted Verifier in Carson City and the region, the Chamber staff is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays by appointment to put a business on the map. Call 775-882-1565 to schedule an appointment and learn more about how you can increase your bottom line.
