Did you survive the 2009 Google Maps restructuring?

In September 2009, the Google Local Business Center (Maps) began a major overhaul that kicked more than 50 percent of all local businesses off the maps, including orthodontists, eliminating a large source of free advertising in local areas. Today, six months later, a strategic reduction in local listings is still taking place. The dust hasn’t yet settled on local business listings on the maps.

With a half billion searches occurring every month in local areas, you can’t afford not to pay attention to local business Internet marketing.

Since September, I have spent more hours than I want to count researching the aftermath for my clients. This is what I found:

• All practices lost exposure in surrounding areas on the maps.
• Most survived the cut in local towns and cities on page one maps if originally set up correctly
• Some practices lost ground with a few major new patient orthodontic keywords
• Some disappeared completely

At first, I speculated on why these practices disappeared or were bumped off in their town or city. However, over a period of months, I found a consistent pattern causing problems among current and new clients. Improper setup, duplicate verified listings, multiple Google accounts and multiple locations with centralized phone systems topped the list.

Guidelines are strict and the updated search algorithm penalizes spammers with duplicate listings, whether deliberate or not.

When taking advantage of any free services offered by the search engines, local business listings or natural page ranking, “they” are in control.

Because Google is king of the Internet with 75 percent of consumers visiting its site for information and research, you must play by its rules, which change constantly, without notice, to stay ahead of professional spammers.

Google prospers with pay-per-click advertising

Google and the other search engines are in business to make money, just as you are. Business advertising is their main source of income. By reducing the exposure of businesses on the maps, it encourages more businesses to advertise with pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, especially in metropolitan areas, as a way to obtain a page one listing. If you are already on page one of the maps and natural page ranking in your area, PPC programs are redundant.

The update was an attempt to appease current PPC customers upset with free local listings competing with their paid advertising. Statistics report that at least 70 percent of consumers will not click on a “pay per ad” when searching in local areas.

However, the maps area is one of the first areas visitors see and use as a research tool. From a business standpoint, restructuring solved multiple issues and forces more businesses to sign up for PPC advertising to gain exposure.

How was Google Maps restructured?

Google originally reduced the number of listings from 10 to seven or less in all local areas throughout the country. Over a period of a few months, in some areas, the maps listings were reduced from 10 to three or less. This was a 70 percent or more reduction (see examples).

If your practice was one of the businesses booted off the maps, can prospective new patients easily find your business or your competitors’ in the area?

Map visibility and Web site ranking play a critical role when promoting your business in today’s tech-savvy society. The Internet is the No. 1 source of information gathering by consumers looking for products and services today.

Whether friends, family or dental professionals refer new patients to you, statistics report that 74 percent of consumers research products and services online prior to making purchases or contacting businesses regarding services.

During information gathering, they also check out competitors, opening the door for other practices to grab the attention of interested new patients.

Your Web site, whether accessed off the maps, natural page ranking or through PPC, is the first contact new patients have with your practice. The first contact is no longer the new patient phone call. It is the Internet. Your local map listing is an important piece of the Internet marketing puzzle.

Local business services worth their weight in gold

The map is the first area visitors see when searching in local areas for businesses.

You have no control over your positioning on the maps, and I have found SEO not to be a major factor. Listings are based on location, correct setup, reviews and other unknown factors known only to Google.

Count your blessings if your listing is visible on “page one maps” for top orthodontic consumer keywords: orthodontist, braces, Invisalign and orthodontics. Many practices are not so lucky.

Your best strategy to be competitive in Internet marketing is to proactively stay on top of the ever-changing Internet marketing opportunities.

Whether you do it yourself, or outsource services to Internet marketing vendors, regularly test for success using major consumer keywords to determine Internet visibility in your local area.

Free video training on how to test your Web site and local business maps listing is available on www.orthopreneur.com and www.youtube.com/user/OrthodonticMarketing.

Continual monitoring of your Internet marketing presence is critical to your online marketing success today and for the future growth of your practice. Don’t be left in the dust by your online competitors. Be proactive for maximum Internet-marketing results.

About the author

Mary Kay Miller is an Internet marketing consultant specializing in local business marketing, exclusive social networking programs, search engine optimization of orthodontic Web sites and Web site setup. With more than 30 years experience in orthodontic practice management and 12 years experience in Internet marketing, Miller has developed the attitudes, skills, and knowledge necessary to guide doctors and their staff on how to market their practice in today’s tech-savvy society.

For more information, call toll-free (877) 295-5611 to schedule a free half-hour consultation to review your Internet marketing efforts or visit Miller’s blog at www.orthopreneur.com for free training.