There is a whole lot to love in the Google Local platform. For starters, you can advertise your business directly in Google searches  at no cost for your core services. On top of that, your Google Local profile will appear almost every time your brand name is searched. Spruced up with pictures of a job well done and decked out with happy customer reviews, your Google Local profile can add a valuable edge to your digital lead generation effort.

First, here are the 3 key scenarios where you will need your Google Local profile to shine.

1) Branded searches – folks looking for your brand name, like customers who just saw you at a home show and are debating whether or not they really want to sit for your sales appointment. 5-star reviews can persuade them to meet your sales team!

2) Searches with “Near Me” in them – folks love to work with neighborhood companies. Google knows this, and inserts your Google Local listing into searches when you’re near a customer searching for your service!

3) Searches with your town in them – searches like “replacement windows Chicago” are tremendous lead-generation opportunities. To get the most mileage out of these high value searches, make sure you have an attractive Google Local profile popping up in them!

Here are 3-quick steps to turn your Google Local profile into a lead-generation machine!

1) Claim it! Make sure you claim a Google Local profile for each of your locations. A location is anywhere you do business, like a showroom, an office, or a warehouse.

2) Snap pictures! Add pictures to your profile – any customer can do this as well, so make sure you slot in a handful of high quality photos to keep the profile looking professional and positive.

3) Ask for reviews! This page gets a TON of exposure, but in a competitive space. To win the most visitors and sales leads, make sure you have more reviews and more positive reviews than your local competitors!

So, there you have it! At little to no cost to your company, you have a source of high-quality sales leads who call you after having seen your reviews, photos of your work, and who know that you are local – in short, a recipe for booked sales! If you’re interested in expanding your reputation beyond Google Local, check out our Top Review Sites Guide, which is packed with great venues for you to broadcast your online reviews!