Use Google Maps to Build Your Business

Three easy steps to help local customers find you

How do you get listed on search engines without spending a lot of moneyall It's a question I receive from small business owners on a frequent basis.

In the buzz of the web world, many local businesses are amiss when it comes to competing with larger national company's placement on local business directories and on Google's local maps.

Use Google Maps to Build Your Business[/caption]

There are cost effective ways SWFL small business owners can utilize the internet to expand their business exposure and increase sales through "local search engine optimization". The internet is a big place and local SEO is just a more targeted approach to reaching your potential customers within a specific geographical location.

Potential customers searching for a local business in Google, for instance, will be able to find you located as one of the lucky 7 listed next to the regional map. Also known as the 7-pack, these are the businesses you may notice just to the right of the Google map when displaying the search results. Typically it includes a hyperlink to your website, contact phone number, and your address.

So how do you get "lucky"?

First step: Add your business to free business listings.

Begin with the largest search engines which include Google LBC, Yahoo local, MSN /Bing, and the Superpages. It's imperative that you complete as much of the information as possible in each of the directories. You can list your address, hours of business, logos and even pictures of your building or company vehicles. The more information you submit the more the search engines view you as a legitimate business, all of which aids in increasing your ranking.

One key to remember is to keep the information consistent across all directories.

By adding your businesses on the local business listing you create a low-cost to no-cost action that potentially can reach an unlimited number of people. And you can't beat the return on your investment of time spent increasing your exposure.

Second Step: Optimize your website to match your directory listing.

Choose certain keywords for your directory listing that describe your business and make certain those keywords are indexed on your site. The business directories will do their homework with the category you have chosen in the listing and verify your business website to make sure it is relevant.

Since the business directories already have established categories, the more specific you get with the keywords indexed on your site the increased chances you will have of being listed higher on the search engine results due to less competition for the more detailed searches.

As an added benefit, if a person searches the internet for "dentists" without a location, it will automatically default to the area businesses. This gives you, the local small business owner the ability to compete with the larger companies on the first page of Google.

Third Step: Add your information to as many directories as possible.

After you make certain you are listed on the larger directories take the time to continue listing on the smaller directories as well. There are hundreds of different options. The more you list the greater the chances of a higher ranking.

By: Betty Walker The "Wise Web Lady"

Site Maps For Google

If you want to improve your search engine rankings and increase the number of pages indexed on your website, you really need to start developing engine site maps. Unlike a standard site map made for human visitors, a search engine site map is an text file (usually xml or .txt) which passes information to the search engine crawlers when they come to visit your site. In doing so you help the engine to know which pages are more important, which pages should be indexed and how often, and just as important, which pages should not be indexed and/or crawled. This will contribute to much better results being shown to potential visitors who find your website via Google. And in some cases this can enhance actual page rankings too, by directing Google to the "correct page" thus reducing the issue of duplicate content.

[caption id="attachment_407" align="alignright" width="280"] Site Maps For Google[/caption]

How to start all - First off you should visit Google's own documentation on sitemaps. To help get you right to the important stuff I've listed some of the articles you should read.

Creating your SiteMap - Now, for a small website with only ten pages you may be willing to hand code your site map using the rules provided by Google (see Google documentation). But once you get in to dozens of pages or hundreds or more.... well then, that's just not going to happen. So what can you do? There are plenty of sites out there ready to take your money to produce your sitemap for you.... Don't Do It! They will simply be using one of the many free sitemap generators out there which will automatically do the job for you. Usually I like to give you readers a choice,,,, let you decide which option is best for a particular solution. In this case I'm not.

I've tried tons of these sitemap applications and I'm convinced that GSiteCrawler (look it up in Google) is so much better that I cannot condone the use of another. It does everything quickly and easily. It even uploads your files to your server right through the application. AND IT'S 100% FREE, though the kind author of this program does accept donations if you're feeling generous, and after using his product I think you'll want to toss him a gratuity. This program will do much more for you than just producing a Google site map. It also produces site maps for Yahoo, exports HTML url lists, creates RSS feeds and ROR files, and much more. So to sum it up... rather than explaining all the different methods you might use to develop a sitemap, I'm just going to say "Use the GSiteCrawler". 

Submitting Your SiteMap - The best way to go about this step is to sign up for Google Webmaster Tools. This is a service provided by Google which will help a webmaster to monitor Google's activities on their website. Tons of great information is provided like crawl rates, missing urls, page rankings, blocked urls, bot instructions, url removals, and much much more. For the purposes of this post the most important feature is the ability to submit your site map to Google. To do this you will apply for a sitemap verification code for you particular url. Google will then ask you to place that code either as a tag within your home page or as a "dummy" page on your main directory. Once you do that and your site is verified by Google then you're sitemap will be actively searched by GoogleBot each time it comes to visit your site. 

Maintenance - Once you've created and submitted your first sitemap you don't need to do much to maintain it. Just make sure that whenever you delete or add pages to your website, that you re-run your GSiteCrawler and upload the new map (it will automatically ping Google to say "Hey, a new sitemap has been uploaded"). Aside from that, just drop by your Google Webmaster Tools account now and again to see if it has issued any "error" or "warning" messages to you. If it has, then simply rectify whatever has upset it. That is one of the great things about the Google Webmaster Tools accounts, is having actual feedback from Google so when you make an error, you actually know about it. 

Happy SiteMap Building!

New and Improved Features in Google Maps

Google Maps has been recently updated with various new features that are interesting and worth exploring. This latest development came to the forefront this May at the annual conference and the changes were rolled out after the announcement. Google Maps are now capable of fetching you the most popular search pictures along with options to explore more. There are several other interesting features as well that enhance your experience while using the maps. You will be able to get previews, in-depth search and much more for better results.

Let us find out more about it.

Remember to click the command prompt for trying out the new version of Google Maps.

[caption id="attachment_406" align="alignright" width="300"] New and Improved Features in Google Map[/caption]

Initially you need to understand the system requirement for Google Maps to function properly. You will only be able to carry it on smoothly if you are using a Mac or Windows desktop systems. The browsers that support its functionality are Firefox and Google Chrome. You will not be able to make it work on any of your mobile devices. The versions of Mac include OS X 10.8.3 or later. For Windows you would require a system running on 7 or 8. Additionally, an updated video card reader and drivers are essential system requirements.

If you intend to surf the net by using your Safari 6 then you will be able to do so in the 'Lite' mode as this is also supported by IE10. If you are using Windows XP or an earlier version of Mac OS then too it will work pretty well.

Google Earth available online

The recent updated version of Google Maps is said to be smooth functioning. This feature is part of the whole Google package making it easy to navigate and load. You will be delighted with the Street View feature.

Flights integration

Google Flights is yet another additional feature that comes handy for frequent fliers. This feature comes embedded in the search engine to enable purchases for flight bookings. For example, you are scheduled to travel to Asheville from Washington D.C. While searching for driving directions and other options you will be able to access Flights. As soon as you click on the airplane icon, the flight schedule for the destination chosen will appear. An entire flight schedule will be displayed within a span of few weeks. Additionally, you will also receive suggestions as to where you will purchase your tickets from.

Photo tour

The latest addition of Photo tour is yet another interesting feature. This is all about the most photographed place that is posted on Facebook. As soon as you visit Google Maps, you will be able to get a photo tour of that landmark. This is visible at the bottom of the window along with other set of pictures with a play button so that you can start your visual tour of the site most photographed. It is more like Google Map stitching the best-shot pictures together of a popular location. You will be able to get a view of the landmark from every angle throughout a day shot by various people.

Photo sphere

Photo Sphere is yet another feature that is yet again used for frequently shot landmark. The icon for this feature is depicted by an oblong globe. It is located at the bottom of the window on the picture. The best part of this feature is that it is able to take a whole 360 degree view of the entire landmark. Click the oblong globe like icon and drag it across to the location, rotate it to view 360 degree overview of the entire landmark.

Business venue search

When it comes to animation, this feature of 'Diving in' is more than what you might expect. This gives a new fresh look to the maps. However, to enable this feature you need to have the minimum system requirements in place.

This feature comes handy while searching for a business venue with great interiors. All you need to do is search for a business venue after launching Google Maps. Now search for interior pictures that can be accessed via the preview located at the upper left hand corner of the window. To get a bigger picture of the interiors, you need to click on it.

List Your Business on Google Places and Google Maps

Google Places and Google Maps allows business owners to list their business and customized listings in Google Maps. Many new features add up in Google Places like managing business information, posting coupons, reviews, photos, keep track on performance using dashboard and lots more.

[caption id="attachment_405" align="alignright" width="300"] List Your Business on Google Places and Google Maps[/caption]

It's always hard to do each and every marketing technique as new marketing techniques keeps on coming. In the past, yellow pages dominated search engine rankings and it's one of the main sources from where local or targeted users find out contact information of companies. Now maps are widely used to find information about companies and products locally. Top 3 search engines including Google, Yahoo and Bing started Map services in the past. Google comes up with Google Maps & Google Places. Yahoo comes up with Yahoo Map & Yahoo Local and Bing comes up with Bing Map & Bing Local. So why do these search engines start Mapsall Main reason is more and more users keep on using local keywords or place while searching the web. For example lets say a user want to find a company providing call center services around New York, so user search for (call center services NY) or (call center services, New York) instead of call center services.

It's important to list your business in Google Places & Google Map as Google is one of the most popular search engine over web. Google starts showing Google Map Listing in localized searches, this is in a shape of block. If you notice a map comes up when you perform a search with a place in search in a shape a block (One-box-map or ten-box-map). It's not important that it comes up by all keywords. Some software's are in market which is used to search keywords by which Google is showing maps in listing. So it's best to use those keywords while creating profile over Google Maps or Google Places. Most of these listings are from local companies verified by business owners using phone verification or verification through postcards.

It's free to list business over Google Places, rest it's important to keep on adding as much information as you can about your business. Promotions of website is also important side by side as many companies are promoting their website in order to increase more and more visibility locally.

If your business is not listed over Google Places, Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Bing Maps and other local directories it's best to do it as early as possible as early you are listed over these places more chances are there that your listings comes up in top pages when some user perform a search which meets your business product or services.

So if you really want to get local leads and local traffic to your website start listing your business over Google Places. It's also worth if you add your business in Yahoo Maps and Bing Maps as these are other 2 major search engines used widely by users all over the world. It's simple and everything is in step by step yet it's best to optimize it in such a manner that your listing starts getting visibility soon. Yet other factor also plays an important role in this. If you like us to list your business in Google Maps, please free to contact Add Local Listing and we help you to list your business in Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Bing maps and some other local directories in just $25.

How To Do Facebook

Everyone knows Facebook has become huge. It's now the second ranked website after the mega-Google itself. It is the biggie in social media and this gives us a clue as to how it should be used when we are hunting for business. Too many people are rushing onto Facebook making "friends" with as many people as possible then pitching products to them.

[caption id="attachment_402" align="alignright" width="275"] How To Do Facebook[/caption]

If you want to be successful on Facebook then there are certain rules you must abide by. Plan to make exactly zero dollars on Facebook. Yes you read that right,zero. What you have to imagine is that being on Facebook is like being at a party. You go to a party to meet and make friends and find out about people. What are their interest and hobbies. They tell you about their families. Have you ever been to a party where there is someone there trying to sell a product to people.You get this a lot with network marketers. They have just joined an opportunity and have been told to "make a list" of everyone they know. Well even if they have just met you at a party as far as they are concerned you are in their warm market and you have earned the right to be pitched to by them.

People treat Facebook like this and are forever pitching products and wonder why people won't listen. So you must treat Facebook like an article on Ezine. The first part is where you give value. Learn about people and what interests them. Then they will become interested in you and what you say. Going back to the party analogy someone may be at the party and they need a plumber. Now if you had been talking to someone and told them you were a plumber,and then they told the person who is looking for one,that is the moment you can pitch. They have given you permission to pitch so do it. You could say this part is like the resource box of Ezine.

No one invites you to pitch on Facebook so don't do it. You can create a Fan Page with a link to your product but again but people will got to your fan page because they are interested in you and what you have to offer. So when you are on Facebook take time to get to know people. The quickest way to get noticed is to make friends with people with whom you share an interest. Say you are a dog owner. Look for people who also own dogs and talk about that. When you send a friend request it is vital you send a personal message with it to show you have at least read some of their profile. Don't just send off fifty friend requests one after another.

Also as you make friends create sub groups for the niche they are in.In this way you can message a whole group with content relevant to that niche rather than message all your friends who may think you are spamming them.

Do Facebook the right way and you will build an audience.

Facebook Info

You've probably heard a lot about Facebook lately. It's really not a surprise anymore because many individuals are using the site for different purposes. There are those who simply want to make friends and communicate with their loved ones. Businesspersons are also utilizing it to promote their business. Others are using it to build new relationships which can end hopefully in marriage. Whatever your reasons are, you can also use the site anytime but you need to create your own page.

Facebook Incorporated owns and operates the site. Networks are organized by region, schools, workplace, or by city and users of Facebook can join them. This is one way to connect with other individuals and even interact with them. Once you've created your own account, you can already send messages and add new friends. By updating your profile regularly, you can easily notify your friends about the changes in your life.



Facebook was originally on paper and it depicts campus community members which US preparatory schools and colleges give to faculty, staff, and incoming students. The paper Facebook was an excellent way to get acquainted with new people in the campuses.

A student from Harvard University founded Facebook. He was Mark Zucherberg. The website that Zucherberg created was only exclusive for Harvard students but later, it was expanded to Stanford University and Ivy League. After some time, it continued to expand to different university students, high school, and eventually, it already included teens aged thirteen and above. At present, there are already over 150M users from all over the world.

In the recent years, the site has encountered various controversies. Iran and Syria blocked their local residents in using social network sites because the authorities believed that some individuals were using it to plan movements against the government. In companies and other workplace, employees were also banned to use it to enhance productivity. Another controversy is about the invasion of privacy. The privacy of some users was compromised many times. Formers classmates of Zucherberg also filed lawsuits against Facebook and they claimed that that the sites stole intellectual property and source codes.

Despite the many controversies, Facebook has remained stronger than ever. Users are continuously increasing every year. In fact, among the various social network sites, Facebook is one of the most popular. It's already natural to hear teens and some businesspersons talk about the website. If you want to more about Facebook, visit their site now and sign up as a new user.

Facebook for Business

How often these days do you hear the term 'Fan Page', or just 'Page' in relation to Facebookall Do you even understand what this means?

Lets have a quick review of what a 'Fan Page' is and why it is so important to you to get this right if you are in Business today.

A simple definition - Pages are the Business side of Facebook for businesses, bands, organizations and celebrities.

[caption id="attachment_398" align="alignright" width="280"] Facebook for Business[/caption]

A Page allows you to connect with people in a professional way and to advertise yourself and your products to your 'Fans'. It is created and managed from your personal Facebook account. Unlike your personal Profile you can have many Pages and you can have tabs linking you to different pages within your Fan Page almost creating a mini website within Facebook. All your marketing could in effect be carried out from your Facebook Fan Page!

Where do I start?

From your Facebook login page, at the bottom right, click on 'Create a Page'. Choose a category and input your details to set up your Page. If you are loading a photograph the best size of image is probably 180 wide by 540 tall.

How do I get a nicer page name?

Don't worry about the URL name at the moment - this can be changed. All you need to do is encourage 25 friends to view your new Page and click on 'Like'. This will then open the option to change your Vanity name to one of your choosing. Be careful though - once you set your new name you cannot change it - please ensure the spelling is correct!

Welcome Page

I would suggest having a welcome page that you point your viewers to the first time they come through to your page. This should include a 'Like' button with instructions to click on it. It could also include a video or opt in form for you to collect their email details in exchange for a free gift or information. If you have an external website you could have a link through to that using IFrames.

IFrames

IFrames are a snapshot of a webpage which looks as though it is part of your Facebook site. This means that you can direct your viewer through to your landing page or a specially designed sales page on your website without them realizing they have left Facebook.

Welcome Tab

Create a Welcome Tab on your sidebar for this page by creating an 'app'. An 'app' is just a name for something that allows us to do something - don't panic! To do this go to your personal profile in Facebook and in the search bar key http://developers.Facebook.com. On the top right hand side click 'my apps' and then on the 'set up new app' button. Once you have created the app you need to click on Facebook integration on the left hand side of your screens and fill in 3 fields -

1. Canvas URL - this is the website address that you want to IFrame and add a forward slash / at the end of the address.

2. Tab name - this is the wording on the page e.g. Welcome or Free Gift.

3. Tab URL - this is the same address as step one but without the slash / at the end.

You have now created the app or tab and you have told it where to link to on your Welcome page.

Now to add this app to your Fan Page...

Now you just need to add your new app to your Fan Page. Click on Application Profile Page on the right hand side of your screen. Then on the left hand side - 'add to my page'. It will ask which page we want it add to. Click 'add to page' and that's it!

Almost there - just double check its all working!

You're on the home straight now - to double check your Welcome tab is working click on 'Account' and then 'Use Facebook as Page'. Switch to your Fan Page and your Welcome button should now be in the tabs on the left hand side of your screen. Just 'edit' your page and under 'posting ability' change the default to Welcome and save your changes. This ensures that the Welcome page is your default landing page.

Facebook: The Change in Business Methodology

Business methodology evolves and changes for the better perpetually. The best of business models adapt to all forms of changes affecting business to strive and stay afloat in today's volatile market. Be it changes related to trade policies, government policies or new ways to reach out to customers and marketing tools which is the soul of any business.

One such prominent leap in business marketing methods is to use the social media sites to connect to masses at a single time without having to plan a large scale exorbitant marketing scheme and agenda. One such social networking site chiefly for connecting with people around the world that epitomises business growth is Facebook created by the 28 year old Marc Zuckerberg.

[caption id="attachment_397" align="alignright" width="300"] Facebook - The Change in Business Methodology[/caption]

The efficacy of Facebook as a platform to link with people across the globe for free and to do business with them is the first differentiating feature of Facebook. The ability to access and chat with millions of people in person is next to impossible in absence of a social media networking site that opens doors to a virtual world with no boundaries. There are various impressive statistical data to prove the power of Facebook.

The number of Facebook account holders between the middle age bracket of 35 to 44 has risen by 51% in 2009, 47% in the senior age group of 45-54 and 26% between the age of 26- 34 with more than half of the 300 million Facebook account holders are from college. The figures given above clearly invalidate the notion that Facebook is used just to chat and connect with friends or is meant for the younger generation. It's becoming increasingly popular amongst the working age group who make use of Facebook features like the Facebook profile or the Facebook fan page to reach to the huge untapped market of potential customers for business engagement.

Corporate firms and individual business firms rely on Facebook to create an instant buzz and hype about their promotions and product. It helps to create a healthy PR and gives away a notion of an 'expert' when more and more people click following the trail of 'likes' and hits and comments given on your Facebook wall, profile page or Fan page. It helps to increase the credibility of who you are and what you do by just the number of 'likes' on your advertisement on the fan page. It makes people more curious to know what the business is about and inclines people to connect with you.

How You 'Check In' On Facebook

Using the Facebook check in feature can be exciting for many people. This gives them a chance to let people know where to find them and potentially connect with them as well. While this can be a very powerful tool, you also need to know when it is best to be using it.

Let's begin this process by learning how to use this feature. To use this tool, you will need to access the Facebook application. Click on the main menu at the top left corner of the app and choose the places feature. Now, click the check in button. This will bring up a listing of the different places that are in this area. Choose the location you are interested in select any friends you would like to check in with you.

[caption id="attachment_403" align="alignright" width="223"] How You 'Check In' On Facebook[/caption]

You will find that if a location isn't listed when you are doing a Facebook check in, you can add it by using the plus icon. You can then type in a name and description of the location. After that, you will verify the location on the map. This can be done with most cell phones and you can even do it on your computer by going to touch.facebook.com.

When you do a Facebook check in, everyone in your profile can see where you are. That means if you are checking in at work and letting people know you are starting your day and you are available to communicate with them, it is an exceptional tool. However, if you end up using this check in for everywhere you go, it will flood the newsfeed for your followers and you are certain to be ignored.

Another concern you may have, is the people who can see this. While you might not mind if most people see it, you will find that you may have to censor certain people from gaining access to this information. For that, you will want to check into the privacy settings on Facebook and customise them to ensure that only the people you want to see these updates can find them.

As you limit the places you use Facebook check in on, remember others can use this feature on you as well. This can prove to be very problematic and you may want to consider adjusting your settings so others can't see who you are meeting with. Just go into the privacy settings and adjust how people check you in. From there, you can choose who is authorised to do so and with those restrictions, you can ensure there is less stress for you as well. This can be a very powerful Facebook management tool that you will truly want to get to know.

Since there is a possibility for potential customers and clients to see where you check in, make sure that you are cautious about what you post. This means avoiding posting any check ins at places where people might not see a connection or have strong emotions about. For example, it would be fine to check into a high quality gourmet grocery store if you run a five star restaurant. However, it might not be a good idea to check in to a controversial rally or political event.

Remember, the key here is to use discretion when you are using the Facebook check in feature and understanding how it can help to boost your visibility at the same time. Make sure that you review the Facebook management tools that can be found with it and your overall experience should end up being a positive one.

Google Maps - What is Google Maps and What Has it Got to Do With Your Local Business?

Google maps is a resource that needs to be used by all businesses as a major marketing tool, it should be used by all businesses that are aware of the power of utilizing online marketing.

With the increased use of the Internet today, and with the decrease of traditional methods of searching for products and services such as phone books like the Yellow Pages or other telephone directories, and even the use of local newspapers and publications.

Smart business owners and marketing departments will be aware of some basic facts which are, that people nowadays, particularly the younger generations use telephones, cell or mobile phones, laptops or desktop computers to not only search for a business, but also to read reviews, get directions to that business, finds discount coupons, look for special offers and also to compare competing businesses within any market. The increase of using online searches in place of the old methods has not officially been proven to be the most popular way off searching for products and services today. This trend is increasing and is unlikely to decrease, in fact, all businesses should be aware of this fact, they should be prepared to compete for the best positions possible for their businesses to be discovered online.

All businesses should be listed in the Google maps local business Center for for their town or city. The Google local business Center offers small businesses the opportunity to be found by customers even when your business is closed for the evening or during the night. The Internet is never closed, is always working, and is always being searched and as a business owner, you ought to be aware of the advantages that this opportunity presents to your business, and the opportunity that this resource can offer to your business and future.

It is very easy for any business to get listed on the Google maps local business Center, and there are many businesses that are already listed with Google maps without realizing it. The easiest way for you to find out if your business is listed already is to type in your business name, the location the type of services of product that you sell. If you are already listed you will see your business in the directory, you can find the directory by clicking on the large map shown on the first page of Google, you will notice that is a box next to the map with seven or 10 listings. Each of the seven or 10 listings represents a different geographical area of the town, city or specific geographical location that you typed in when you did your search.

Now, what most business owners do not realize, is that to be on the first page of Google under the Google maps section is prime real estate, this is valuable online real estate. Typically, the keywords and keyword phrases typed in one a customer is searching Google for a local business or service provider, these words have a high commercial intent, as opposed to browsing our research are indeed, educational intent.

To have your business listed on the first page of Google when somebody is typing for the product or service that you provide in the location of your business gives you and almost unfair advantage over your competition. In fact, I would be prepared to predict that having your business listed on the first page of Google, inside the Google maps section, within this seven or 10 box would produce an enormous boost to your business, as the search terms used by Google, when displaying a seven box or a 10 box, is highly commercial intent keywords and key phrases, and will most likely be a very popular search term with high-volume searches each day, week, or month. Google maps offers your business the opportunity to increase sales, to decrease marketing costs, to dominate the market that you're in, and you could leave your competition wondering what they have to do to take your spot on that first page 7 box or 10 box.

The enormity of the possibilities that Google maps can offer to your business should not be underestimated, in fact, if you truly understood the value and discovered the key to getting your business listed on the first page, within the Google maps section, which we already have highlighted as being prime virtual online real estate, your business would generate more highly targeted leads for free, long-term and increase your share of the marketplace.

In the coming articles within this series we will go deeper into the opportunity presented by utilizing the Google maps, local business Center listings for local businesses.

Here are the headlines of the other articles within this series

What is Google maps and what has it got to do with your local businessall
2. How to get your business listed on Google maps
3. Learn how your customers use Google maps
4. You can dominate your competition
5. Are you already listed on Google maps?
6. How to get on the first page of Google maps within the seven bo
7. Google maps listing and optimization packages

Google Maps - User Tips on a Great Google Program

Once you use Google Maps, you'll fall in love with it!

As a direction finding tool you can get turn by turn maps that make traveling to a strange location much less stressful.

However, this software is also becoming a useful tool to advertise brick and mortar businesses. This is a real advantage to those business owners who know how to utilize it.

Google Maps listings have become an important part of any marketing campaign. Through the use of satellites, Google can now pinpoint nearly any address around the United States, as well as a good portion of the world.

The level of clarity you can achieve when zooming in on a particular address is astonishing. They also feature a 360 degree spin feature which is very helpful in showcasing the front of a business. This works in the satellite view and is a particularly useful way to show what the parking situation is at any given address.

Where do I find Google Mapsall

- When you open a browser you can type in Googlemaps.com and you will be redirected to the maps page.

- If you have a Google Toolbar on your browser, open the 'Toolbar Options' drop down. Select Buttons: Check 'Google Maps' and click Save. That's it. Now it will appear on your toolbar.

There are a number of interesting features incorporated into the Google Maps software.

- Map View: This is a view of roads, railroad tracks, canals, lakes, etc. as they look on a regular road map. This is probably the most commonly used of the 3 views that Google Maps offers. It shows a clean simple diagram of city streets and makes planning a trip to an unknown address very easy.

- Satellite View: Very Cool! This shows the same roads and other topographical features, but it does so through the eyes of a camera lens. Now when you zoom in on a certain area, you see it as if you were looking at the roads and buildings with your own eyes. I always think it's fun to zoom in on my friend's houses to see if their car was in the driveway the day the satellite picture was taken.

- Terrain View: This view is kind of a combination of the first two but it also shows hills, valleys, canyons and more. This is especially dramatic when you are searching Google Maps in a mountain setting.

- Live Traffic Feature: Useful in checking out the traffic volume on the streets you are likely to be driving on in a given area.

- Search for address locations: This is where the marketing feature comes in. When you open the Google Maps window, there are 2 ways you can search for a location.

First: You can type a business name or address into the Google Maps search bar. Use as much information as possible as this will help to pinpoint an exact location.

Second: You can use the Get Directions option. When you type your target address into this field, you will have the option of receiving a custom map from your present location to the new location. This includes both written directions and a map with turn by turn instructions.

When you do a search for a business address, there is a box with information about the company. This often includes advertisements, coupons or special events. Using Google Maps as an advertising tool in this way is a great way to increase the traffic generation to your business.

Use Google Maps to Build Your Business

Three easy steps to help local customers find you

How do you get listed on search engines without spending a lot of moneyall It's a question I receive from small business owners on a frequent basis.

In the buzz of the web world, many local businesses are amiss when it comes to competing with larger national company's placement on local business directories and on Google's local maps.

There are cost effective ways SWFL small business owners can utilize the internet to expand their business exposure and increase sales through "local search engine optimization". The internet is a big place and local SEO is just a more targeted approach to reaching your potential customers within a specific geographical location.

Potential customers searching for a local business in Google, for instance, will be able to find you located as one of the lucky 7 listed next to the regional map. Also known as the 7-pack, these are the businesses you may notice just to the right of the Google map when displaying the search results. Typically it includes a hyperlink to your website, contact phone number, and your address.

So how do you get "lucky"?

First step: Add your business to free business listings.

Begin with the largest search engines which include Google LBC, Yahoo local, MSN /Bing, and the Superpages. It's imperative that you complete as much of the information as possible in each of the directories. You can list your address, hours of business, logos and even pictures of your building or company vehicles. The more information you submit the more the search engines view you as a legitimate business, all of which aids in increasing your ranking.

One key to remember is to keep the information consistent across all directories.

By adding your businesses on the local business listing you create a low-cost to no-cost action that potentially can reach an unlimited number of people. And you can't beat the return on your investment of time spent increasing your exposure.

Second Step: Optimize your website to match your directory listing.

Choose certain keywords for your directory listing that describe your business and make certain those keywords are indexed on your site. The business directories will do their homework with the category you have chosen in the listing and verify your business website to make sure it is relevant.

Since the business directories already have established categories, the more specific you get with the keywords indexed on your site the increased chances you will have of being listed higher on the search engine results due to less competition for the more detailed searches.

As an added benefit, if a person searches the internet for "dentists" without a location, it will automatically default to the area businesses. This gives you, the local small business owner the ability to compete with the larger companies on the first page of Google.

Third Step: Add your information to as many directories as possible.

After you make certain you are listed on the larger directories take the time to continue listing on the smaller directories as well. There are hundreds of different options. The more you list the greater the chances of a higher ranking.

By: Betty Walker The "Wise Web Lady"

Facebook - The Advent of a New Era

[caption id="attachment_396" align="alignleft" width="313"] Facebook - The Advent of a New Era[/caption]

Yesterday as I logged in my Facebook profile I got an update that one of my cousins's having a birthday. I sent a birthday message to her and she was really in a state of shock by receiving a birthday text from me. Honestly speaking it was the first time I was wishing her in her 25 years lifespan so far. I was inclined to think that maybe if Facebook was not there to update me about that I would have spent my entire life without wishing her on her birthday. And the point which lingers in my mind is that,"Are we so much dependent on Facebookall" The obvious and honest reply is," YES."

Facebook took over Orkut and it got the hype in no time. Even Mark Zuckerburg wouldn't have thought that Facebook would be such a success while devising it. Nearly 450 million people are connected to each other through this channel. You can talk to people of entirely different origin, place and race by the click of a single button and what fascinates Facebook from different online messengers is its compatibility, user friendly environment and the amount of applications for interaction.

Facebook is really on a roll and is a great medium to get connected to your friends, relatives and even random people. You can find your old friends; can contact your distant relatives, share photos and videos within a blink of an eye. I even know a couple who met on Farmville and later on married. So people are not only communicating, sharing information and playing games they are also getting into a relationship via Facebook. Now you're talking.

The huge impact which Facebook made on our lives is addictively phenomenal. I used the term addictive because people on our planet would even ask the angel of death to wait a moment so they could update their status just before dying.

Facebook is not only playing its part in making the world literally a global village but it has also worked to make a business out of it. The other day I was discussing about the benefits of advertising your business via Facebook. If we consider Facebook as a country, with a population touching merely 450 million users it would be ranked 6th according to population. Targeting these 450 million users using a single banner advertisement is not only cheap as the reach per person will be quite low but will also yield great output as the advertisement can be targeted explicitly.

With the revolutionising of the world technology has been on the rise every second. Technology promises greater prospects to follow and our dependability on it is increasing by time. And Facebook is just the beginning of an entirely new Digitalised Era.

Facebook - How to Sign Up

Facebook can seem daunting at first but as soon as you start with a personal profile page you will see that it is fun and easy to navigate. The first question that some of you might not even dare to ask is: How to sign upall

With the sign up process you will be creating a personal profile page, which is the start to using Facebook.

1. Facebook Website

First of all you have to go to the Facebook website. You will be opening a sign up screen with a form to fill in your details: your first and last name, email address and a password of your choice. Make sure you also choose your gender and your birthday.

2. Security Check Page

Click sign up and you will be taken to a security check page. This is a standard check to make sure that only real people create profiles. Simply add the 2 words that appear in your security check box and click sign up.

3. 4 Steps to Create Your Profile

Then you will be taken through the four steps to create your profile.

Step 1 is to add friends whom you might already know. Facebook uses a recognition algorithm that matches people you might know with your email address.

Step 2 is to add your email account details and your email account password. This way Facebook will let you know which people in your address book are already using Facebook and you can connect with them straight away.

Step 3 is to add some more profile information, with the same intent of finding people you already know, for example people who went to the same school, university or work in the same company.

Step 4 is to add a profile picture which you can do either by uploading a photo from your computer or by taking one straight away with a webcam if you have got one.

If you want to quickly create your profile you can simply skip most of these steps and add those details later. Once you have clicked the 'Save & Continue' button you have a profile page! You will have to check your email for a confirmation from Facebook. This way they make sure that you use a valid email address.

By clicking on the 'profile' tab you can see what your current profile looks like. You will still want to add some more personal information to make it look complete. If you look at people's personal profile and you see the button called 'add as a friend' it means that you are not yet connected. By clicking it you choose to get connected to them.

Facebook - How To Adjust Your Privacy Settings

Facebook is a social network that allows you to connect with friends and keep up with their activities. Even though you might connect only with people you personally know, you will still want to know how to protect yourself from curious eyes and ears by adjusting your privacy settings. Here are a few hints.

Where are the privacy settingsall

When you are logged into your Facebook account, you can find a link called 'Account' on the top right. Once you click on it you will see a drop-down menu appear and 'Privacy Settings' as one of the options. Once you have clicked on it, a screen will appear where you can adjust the various settings.

Circle of friends

The choices are always fairly similar: Everyone, my networks and friends, friends of friends, friends only or others, where you might be able to customize more specifically who has access and who not. By choosing one of the options, you decide how many people are able to access your information.

Let's go through the different areas on the privacy settings page:

Connecting on Facebook

The first heading on the page will allow you to control basic information your friends will use to find you on Facebook. Click on 'view settings' to personalize it.

You will be able to customize the following areas:

• Who is able to search for you on Facebook


• Who can send you friend requests


• Who can send you messages


• Who can see your friend list


• Who can see your education and work info


• Who can see your current city and hometown


• Who can see your likes, activities and other connections

For each section on this screen you will first find a symbol and title, then a detailed explanation and the options to choose from with the lock symbol. As you click on the down arrow you will find the various options to choose from.

Sharing on Facebook

Back on the Privacy Settings main screen the next area is where you can personalize the settings and control who can see what you share.

You will be able to customize the following areas:

• Your status, photos, and posts


• Bio and favorite quotations


• Family and relationships


• Photos and videos you're tagged in


• Religious and political views


• Birthday


• Permission to comment on your posts


• Places you check in to


• Contact information

On the left you can see the different options to chose from: everyone, friends of friends and friends only. You can opt to have all the areas be able to be seen by either of those options or alternatively create your own personalized settings under 'other'.

You will find a recommended settings option or you can customize your own. To do that simply click on the 'Customize settings' links which you can find in blue below the list of areas.

Below the large box you will find three more areas next to each other:

Applications and Websites

Here you can edit your settings using applications, games and websites.

Block Lists

Here you can edit your lists of blocked people and applications. You might have added friends that you don't want to 'unfriend' but you want to limit their ability to browse your profile.

Controlling How You Share

Here you can learn more about privacy on Facebook. This is a good area to educate yourself if you are unsure about the choices you should make.

The New Apple iPad - A Review

We've all been waiting for the release of Apple's new tablet, the Apple iPad. Apple has always done things differently when it comes computing, whether it be with the MacBook, the iMac, the iPod and even the iPhone. And whenever they do launch something in the market it is surely a huge success. After a lot of waiting, consumers can now experience the iPad by Apple and enjoy the features that come with it. But is the iPad as good as the previous gadgets launched by Apple and is it worth buyingall Let us see what it has to offer and what makes it different from the rest.

[caption id="attachment_408" align="alignright" width="300"] The Apple iPad Technology[/caption]

When Apple designed the iPad, they definitely did think about making it better than its previous products and their competitions' as well. They wanted to make something which was more user friendly that the iPhone. So why is the iPad better than the iPhone? First, it has a larger screen. The iPhone lets you do a lot of things but looking at the screen for long periods of time can be quite irritating. This is why Apple gave the iPad a larger screen so that you can get a more powerful computing experience. This is great for people who mobile compute a lot and do not like to strain their eyes for a long time.

The iPad not only includes a larger screen, but has controls which are easier to handle. Using iBooks becomes a lot easier and thanks to the larger screen, more comfortable. The operating system of the iPad is different from the usual operating system of the Mac computers. The iPad was made to be better than both, the iPhone and the iPod, and can play all the applications which are on the iPhone. An application suite like iWork is not as effective on the iPhone as it is on the iPad. This is why the iPad saw more than a thousand applications within the first week of it's launch.

The way the iPad is designed in such a way that the front LCD screen which is 9.7" completely dominates the front of it. The LED light display has a pretty black border all around the screen. However, the borders do take up some space and the iPad would have been better if Apple just did not include it. The volume and silence buttons have been moved from the left side to the right and the back has a big Apple logo placed in the middle of the shiny aluminum plate, similar to the one on the iPhone. The width of the iPad is 7.47 inches and its height is 9.6 inches and it's just as thick as the iPhone.

The software used in the iPad is pretty much the same as in the iPhone, the usually slide to unlock and all the icons the same as the iPhone. However, the apps in the iPad have been slightly modified. Also there will be new apps made for the iPad later on. Apple could have done a better job with the software and not made it so similar to the iPhone. Although you get the experience of a laptop with the iPad and it is a great device and also comes with a number of iPad accessories such as the iPad Bags and iPad cases. Getting the iPad accessories will help you make full use of the device.

The Apple iPad Technology

The Apple iPad is a revolutionary piece of technology. This device allows users to be able to connect to the Internet, email, Facebook, utilize the entire library of apps for their device and even share multimedia with the device. When you consider the amount of different features that the iPad makes available to users, it is simply amazing that all of these features can fit within such a small device. However, many individual consumers are simply not able to afford the iPad for themselves. This is partially due to the fact that the price for the lowest iPad is just under $500. This is the iPad that only has the ability to connect to the Internet over a wireless connection and has no 3G capability whatsoever. It also only has a 16 GB hard drive. Prices increase from there with many of the upper levels of the device going up to $800 or even more.

[caption id="attachment_408" align="alignright" width="300"] The Apple iPad Technology[/caption]

While the iPad is also being used in many educational settings, students are going to be hard pressed to be able to afford the device as well. Most students do not have the money lying around to purchase the device and the data plan that is required for use with the 3G service on select devices is more expensive. Luckily, there is a solution for some people who are not able to afford the iPad. Many companies are offering special opportunities to get an Apple iPad free! This means that you would receive one of the most technologically advanced pieces of machinery free of charge. There are not many free iPads available for everyone to grab. That is why it is important to find your free iPad before everyone gets their free iPad. Do not forget, the iPad may become one of the leading devices of the future of Apple products.

How to Use the Apple iPad

Operating the newly launched Apple iPad has become the biggest lingering uncertainty for buyers and Apple fanatics alike. Surprisingly, it is highly familiar and simple to use.

iPad - an Evolution of iPhone

Apple iPad's operating system has evolved from iPhone 3.0. This means Apple has succeeded in running the show with the same accelerometer capabilities and with the same bottom tray.

If you hope to access the screen, just slide and unlock, as you do on your phone. You would find an identical display as the iPhone, with the home button situated at the bottom.

You can also open other applications as the iPhone, and it automatically appears on full screen mode. iPad also allows you to swipe through the pictures and pages.

Technical Features

And how does it appear in handall Weighing just over 1.5 pounds, and an inch in width, the device is highly portable. Also, it has an amazing battery life for something which is intended to be portable - a month of standby charge, including ten hours of video playback.

The main concern is keyboard functionality. Though many may have preferred split screen keyboard, you will again find a version similar to the iPhone, with the keyboard taking the display's bottom part.

You need not use your thumbs. Simply type as you would in a physical keyboard. Apple also provides users with an optional keyboard dock. Nevertheless, it is bound to affect portability, especially for those embarking on long road trips. This seems to be a halfway solution for a legitimate concern.

Browsing Features
When it comes to internet surfing, the Apple iPad page functions just like a browser, with navigation options at the top portion.

If you want to send an email, just bring the pull down menu of the inbox. For a complete rundown, check out the iPad hands on.

Apple iPad Touch

While Apple fans are eagerly waiting for apple's latest product, the iPad Tuoch, some of the iPad reviews may sound pretty disappointing for them. iPad is definitely something that is expected to match the quality and style seen in the other Apple products. But how good is it actuallyall Let us quickly look through the features of iPad to know it better.

A Look at the Negatives

You may come across an iPad review that may not sound that encouraging for you. For example, some critics claimed that the apple iPad is just a modification of the iPhone, with the inconvenience of it being bigger in size, and hence inconvenient to carry around.

Some iPad reviews will also tell you that it performs very little more than the iPhone, and hence is a half hearted try from Apple to come up with something new to make the eyes of the customers and apple fans turn towards it. A closer look at the iPad, however, may reveal something very different from this.

The Features

If you check out the various features of this gadget, you will see that not only are the interfaces much better than the iPhone, but there are much more features built into the iPad for its users. In fact, there is no comparison that can be made between the iPhone and the iPad.

Apple iPad comes with a fully functional pad touch enabled and extremely user friendly. You can use this touch pad as a on screen keyboard as well. The device has great programs like Safari, iTunes, picture viewers, editors and file managers, and much more.

This device can be ideal for a number of uses. If you are an ardent listener of music, iPad can be your personal music library. If it is internet that you are interested in, the iPad can offer you the optimum services for the internet. It has been considered to be the best mobile internet device till date.

More Exciting Features

Even though I was a bit disappointed to find that it is not before April 2010 that this product will be released in the market for the consumers, I did get a chance to check out most of the features this device has to offer the users. Apart from being an ideal mobile device for internet, music and videos, it can be great for business use as well.

You can use the iPad to read ebooks, schedule meetings, create and view presentations, access Google maps, and get the benefits of a number of other functions on this single device. Priced at around $499 (expected) this device can be a great item to go for. So let us wait and see how the iPad shows its impact on the market!

Apple iPad and iPhone OS

Unlike several other tablet-designed devices encountered so far, the Apple iPad does not run a traditional operating system (OS) like the Linux, Mac OS X, or Windows. Instead, Apple has made use of a mobile version of the OS X from its unarguably fastest-growing and most successful product - the iPhone.

It is quite apparent that the iPhone OS in the iPad goes a long way in distinguishing it from others in the competition. In a market where iPad alternatives are launched in hundreds every week claiming all possible sorts of added features and advantages, the iPad remains the only tablet-computer that has got an access to the App Store.

The iPhone OS appears like a perfect fit for the iPad in several instances. For example, there are no chances of a traditional computer headache such as files scattered all over your desktop, trying to work out a feasible place for putting your downloaded image, installing extra drivers for third party hardware. Instead, with iPhone OS on your iPad, all the apps are well laid out, arranged in the form of nickel-size icons inside a grid, each of which is sensitive to touch. Whenever you download any email or image from a site, it is sure to emerge in the photo library immediately. In case you wish to make a search result for anything - an email, photo, web page, or song, all you need to do is double-click the Home button to bring up the Spotlight feature that will make a search for nearly everything stored in the device. In the iPad, there is no organizational metaphor of folders, and the result is a feeling of liberation while managing all your work.

Most users are bound to appreciate this reliability and simplicity of the iPhone OS, especially when they compare it to a conventional, inexpensive personal computer. Some, however, may disagree with this and consider the totalitarian control of Apple over its iPad's OS suffocating.

Apple iPad - How to Get One Free!

The rumors are out there and you've probably heard them; everyday people like you and me are getting an Apple iPad for free simply for giving product reviews. I want to tell you that the rumors, are not rumors, they are true. And I want you to know how you can get a fee iPad for yourself. Sound interestingall

[caption id="attachment_393" align="alignright" width="300"] Apple-iPad - How-to-Get-One-Free[/caption]

Many times, people would not believe an offer like this even exists and automatically think it must be a scam or a gimmick of some type. However, what they don't know is that marketing companies NEED individuals to test their products and give their evaluations of them so that they can improve their products and their advertising.

By offering many products for free, in this case the brand new iPad, large marketing companies can run tests on the product by having regular people in the community, like you and me, trying them out. They hope, also, to gain customers for life every time they give away something as popular as the Apple iPad. In this situation, everyone wins. Seem like a great deal?

Most of the time, you will see these offers appear when a new product is first released, which is right now with the Apple iPad. That is why if you take action quickly enough, you will be able to provide yourself with a brand new, FREE apple iPad just for testing it. That's right, you test it and you keep it! There are a few places to find these types of offers, just make sure you don't sign up for something that is not legit! If any company wants a deposit or a credit card number upfront for a "FREE" iPad, then do NOT give them any information at all.