A few days ago I was talking with a local small business owner who told me she was paying an “SEO professional” $250 per month to ensure her business was listed on Google Maps. WHAT?!?!?

I sorta threw up in my mouth. Why? Because it takes literally 5 minutes to set up a business listing in Google maps and it doesn’t need monthly management to ensure it stays listed. I’ve uploaded an easy to use guide on Slideshare showing how to list your business. I promise it’s painless and easy.

It also got me thinking about a few additional reasons why it is more important than ever for businesses to be listed on Google maps. Here’s a few of those thoughts.

Local Biz Results Show Up Before Other Search Results

Go search any local business – restaurant, coffee or flower shop – and chances are the map results will show up before the other organic results. It’s old news that consumers eyeballs are focused more on the top search results. Check out Eyetools EyeTracking study if you haven’t already.

If your business isn’t listed on Maps, you are missing some major eyeballs that are actively searching for you.

Smartphones, Mobile Browsers & Google Maps

In the US, there are 3 smartphone operating systems that dominate the market, Blackberry’s RIM, Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android. Two of those, iPhone and Android, use Google Maps as their default map application. If your business is listed on Google maps, then it will be listed in these apps when consumers are searching for businesses or locating those around them.

Beyond the maps application, Google recently launched “Near me know” for location-based search results within the mobile browser on iPhone and Andriod phones. This means consumers can opt-in to receive localized results based on where they are standing and what they are searching for.

Additionally, Google now allows businesses to add coupons to their listing(s) right within the local business center dashboard. Business can create coupons by location, personalize them with images, set expiration dates so they don’t have to worry about managing them and create mobile-optimized versions for consumers to show right at point of purchase on their mobile phones.

More than ever, it’s important for businesses to be taking advantage of every tool available to them and NOT getting taken advantage of by shady “SEO professionals”. Do yourself and/or your clients a favor and make sure you/they are listed within the Google Local Business Center, fix inaccurate information and test some coupon offers to drive traffic from their listing.

What do you think? Is being listed in Google local more important than ever? If so, why?

Related posts:

1. Google Wave: Game Changer? Not quite yet. Opportunities for businesses? Yes.