Now that Google has officially moved Google Places into the social arena and rebranded it as Google+ Local, there are a few things every business owner should be aware of within the new set-up. As of July 2012, the ranking factors remained the same but some of the inner workings of the Google+ Local pages have changed and you have new opportunities to interact and market your business. We’ve put together the top 4 tips for any small business owner, here they are:

Claim & Verify Your Listing – The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re claimed your listing. Google+ Local is flush with unclaimed business profiles and Google will start leaving your business behind if you don’t have a claimed listing. Google+ Local also has an option where you can verify your business listing and page. By doing this, you are increase the trust shown by Google and potential customers will see this favorably as well.

Edit Your Page –  You have an opportunity to make a great first impression, so do it! When filling out your page, make sure you use your official company name. If the company name is ‘ABC Heating, LLC’ and that name is replicated across phone and local directories, then use that name. Google will trust your company more if it continues to see streamlined information all across the web. Make sure your business information is correct including NAP (Name-Address-Phone Number), hours of operation, website and contact email address. Also include as many photos of your business or your employees in action, this will help humanize your company to potential customers. 

Increase Business Reviews – With the addition of the Zagat scale to rate businesses, Google+ Local will become a very important source of business reviews. Include the fact that only registered Google+ users can write a review and you’ve got a match made in review heaven. By only allowing reviews from Google+ members they are really trying to validate the review process with a layer of trust. This means you will need reviews! One great idea is to create a flow chart showing how to leave a review on your Google+ Local page (Tip: The first step is making sure they have a Google+ account). Also, make sure you add a page on your website for Testimonials and make sure your webmaster uses microformats and rich snippets. This will allow Google to pull these reviews right off your website!

Interact – The web is changing, and more and more people are starting to use tools to interact with their clientele. Google+ Local offers hangouts where you can video conference with potential customers. If you own an auto mechanic business, you could do a hangout on the virtues of changing your oil and filters on a regular basis. If you own a Heating and Cooling business, you could interact with folks and create buzz by doing a hangout on the optimum thermostat settings for the summer time. Other ways to interact outside of Hangouts include: adding +1 button to pages on your website, blog frequently, Circle relevant businesses on Google+, and also circle and engage with others in your town and state on Google+. Just having a presence is no longer going to work; you need to contribute to the community!

Make no mistake, most small business owners see Google+ Local as an improvement over the debacle that is Google Places. In the near term there will be growing pains but the changes Google has implemented with the review system will be the saving grace of Google’s Local platform. Let us know what you think.

Guest post was provided by Phoenix Criminal Attorney, David Cantor. The Law Offices of David Michael Cantor is an AV rated law firm in downtown Phoenix, AZ.