Three words that solve the "need more sales calls" problem - Google My Business.

Google My Business, formerly known as Google Places, is part of Google's main search result page and is displayed when a local user performs a search for a service or business within the proximity of the area being searched (e.g. Dentist in Chicago). With millions of businesses to choose from, Google has developed a sophisticated algorithm that is trust-score based on a number of scoring factors such as proximity, reviews, and NAP (Name, Address, and Phone) accuracy. In other words, Google has developed an automated scoring system that determines the trustworthiness of a Google My Business listing. Results appear in order from most trusted to the not so trusted. Since Google Maps was first launched in 2004, Google users have become accustomed to seeing Google local listings above the organic results, which has trained the user's eye to select a Google My Business link over a web page result. For local businesses, Google My Business has become increasingly more important over traditional local SEO, where the results are out of view. Google My Business optimization is more cost efficient than other forms of local internet marketing while delivering massive returns on investment.

What does the term trust score mean and how does it work with Google My Business?

Google My Business clusters local business listings into one group and scores the accuracy of the business listing data in the cluster. In the illustration below, you will see the Google My Business results for "Attorney in Dallas TX". Aside from the two paid advertisements above, you will see that the Google My Business listings are more visible. Those Google My Business results are ranked based upon NAP accuracy, proximity to search, and reviews.

How can optimizing our Google My Business listing help?

With yellow page advertising near or at least completely gone, local businesses have become dependent on Google to help them find a local plumber or restaurant. With Wifi access pretty much wherever you go, it has become much easier to find a business on Google than to search through the pages of a local phone book or directory. Today, Google users have become accustomed to finding a local service at the top of the first page of Google's initial search result. This has empowered Google to become the 700 pound gorilla of local search.

The number of daily local searches on Google has increased dramatically and so has the interest of America's business leaders.

I am managing my own Google My Business listing. Why should I hire eGumball?

On the surface, claiming your Google My Business listing may seems like an easy task, because it is. But it is much more than that. eGumball creates and updates hundreds of business listings like SuperPages, Bing, Yahoo, and Yeldu to improve and increase your Google My Business listing trust score. With business data changing daily, you need a service that not only understands how Google scores it's business listings, but you need a service that can keep up with the tedious work that goes on behind the scenes in creating and updating local business listings. Factor in the time and expense of housing this important requirement yourself, you will see why more businesses find eGumball affordable and efficient.