Google Local

Framar

WOW Framer
Joined
Jul 24, 2001
Posts
26,420
Loc
Buffalo, New York, USA/Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
I just had an interesting experience. I began to enter my business info at the new beta version of Google Local Business Service.

You can enter your hours, accepted payment methods, your website address, email address and a 200 character description of your business. So far, so good.

However, when I had to "Choose a Category" - there was none that even remotely fit! So I have submitted the following to Google for their consideration: Retail - Art Supplies, Services - Picture Framing, and Services - Photo Restoration.

I'm sure y'all can come up with additional categories that will help poor Google help us! Google must be "art impaired." LOL!

Anyone else try to sign up for this???
 
Framar,

You may note that the Google Local is still in a Beta mode. In fact, there has been a bit of discussion on the Search Engine Optimization boards about the inconsistencies with Google Local. :D

I'm not sure about our category not being present, as Picture Frames - Art Galleries Dealers & Consultants is what popped up when I looked for picture frames. Of interest, is that Google local pulls up a map with all listings for a community, then "associates" a url listing for that business. If you have a website, that should come up. If you don't it will pick one where the business is listed...

Google Local - Buffalo NY


It also pulls up other web listings. I see that Brian Art Galleries has 48 listings! Fair exposure for not having their own site.

John
 
Identical experience and results as framar when entering business information. No Picture Framing related categories from which to choose from the pull-down.

BUT, same results as John when using google-local to search. The categories seem to be available to the "searching" party, but not available to the "listing" party
 
Hmmmmmmm.....

I also want to mention that Google has a rather unique method (in my limited experience, anyhow) to the choosing of a user name for listing one's services - it's your email address!!! Isn't that simple?!? Of course you still have to come up with a password! Since each email address is unique to each individual - wouldn't that solve at least HALF of the "user name/password" problem?
 
Just checked the local search feature - at least they got my website right!!! I appear to be one of the very few frame shops in my area WITH a website of my very own!

I wonder how they arrange the listings ... obviously not by alphabet or even by "listings."

Hmmmmmmmmm.....
 
Originally posted by Framar:
...I wonder how they arrange the listings ... obviously not by alphabet or even by "listings."
I believe that you'll find the listing by the distance from the center of the town listed in the search...or thereabouts. ;)

John
 
John, I thought that distance might be their criterion but it appears it ain't necessarily so. The listings seem to "jump around" within a 50 mile radius of Buffalo in a rather willy-nilly fashion. And by the tail end of the 19 pages listed, the word "frame" disappears entireely from the search and is reduced simply to "picture" which reduces the whole exersize to a big laugh.

Maybe I should wait until they come out of the Beta phase.....
 
Mar, it depends greatly wether you sent them chocolat or fruit cake for Xmas...

They are in California, so FC is a given..... :D
 
Back
Top