A friend of mine coined a new variation on an old maxim…. “A picture is worth 1000 words”….it is “A YouTube Video is worth 1000 pictures”.  Google allows up to 10 pictures and 5 YouTube videos on each page.  You would do very well to maximize this opportunity.  Remember another maxim.  Google LOVES information.  You have to know that adding information will make them love your listing.

But there is more to the story.  The first picture that you add to your listing becomes the picture that the world will see when the go “inside” to view Places that are not on the page 1 Map. (In the trade we call that the “outside.”  Go ahead and try it out if you haven’t done so before.  Look up any local business, e.g. Piano Instruction Chicago.  Below the seven listings on the Outside you will see a line that says “More results near Chicago, IL ».  Click on this link and you will go “inside.”  Here there may be 100′s of additional listing in rank order.  Notice that some have pictures and some do not.

Is there any doubt in your mind that those with pictures are more likely to get attention?  Let me ask you a second question.  Do you think that most folks care what your storefront looks like.  How about your Logo?  Probably not.  Select this picture with care.  How can you create an emotional response that is likely to get folks to pick your listing ahead of others.

Once you select a picture, you merely upload it.  Boy, do I wish it was that easy.  And sometimes it is.  Unfortunately Google Places has VERY limited options for uploading.  Size and shape both come into play.  Read the Google rules for the picture if your first effort turns out badly.  My only addition to their rules is that square pictures seem to work best.
The pictures show up on your full listing, so now use these to advantage.  Once someone has taken the trouble to check out your listing, give them some more visuals that will tempt them in your direction.  Some people read, some like to look at pictures.  How can your pictures tell a story?

If pictures tell a story about your business then videos can really show your business from a different perspective. We know that doing videos on your own is not always feasable so Page1Listings.com is offering a Free 30 second to 1 minute video to help you promote your business.  That’s right, FREE. No strings attached. We will not only will produce your video, we will also distribute and optimize your video on the video sharing sites like YouTube, and of course, your Google Places listing.

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