G Maps is a moving target. The algo’s have changed with regard to how they weigh what is important. Its not as well developed as is google’s algo for regular search and is subject to further changes as time moves forward.

Reviews are a dicey topic. Google is increasing their visibility within Maps. They can be helpful, harmful, and the local SEO world (and others) are working to “manage” them to the advantage of their clients.

I wouldn’t advise any business to pay to get INTO Google Maps. It might be worthwhile though to pay for expertise to get to a high ranking and definitely within the 7pac.

I’ll give an example where paying for expertise could be of value.

I saw a situation where a business was located in a suburb of a significant city. The business had a nice 7 pac ranking when the search phrase included the following suburban town. If you used a couple of other nearby suburban town names and the business service in a search…the business in question also showed in those 7 pacs.

The business did not show in the 7 pac when you searched for service. It was in google maps for that phrase but not in the 7pac.

Alternatively, another suburban located competitor showed in the 7pac for service. It showed in the 7pac for searches for other nearby suburban names/business service.

This second business (with a suburban address also showed in the 7pac for a search with service.

I’d rather be the second business. I’d advise the first business to pay for expertise to get seen in the 7pac for searches for service. If the 2nd business could do it..why not the first business?

Sorry to hear that Google Croatia has such a lack of features, best of luck Johnnie – keep trying!

I didn’t know that getting a 1st page listing required a tremendous amount of software. Must be a “Do Diligence” thing?

A word of caution with free listings on Google Maps – the listing incorporates reviews, which can be a risk factor if not monitored: I had a client that monitored their own listing (or not, as it turned out) for their high quality restaurant cafe, and the snippet from the review started “Over-priced and poor service…”. Some simple RM (reputation Management) can hep with that sort of thing, adding newer reviews to push the bad ones of the the front page/top of listing.

There’s always, of course, more than one way to skin the geolisting cat – just make sure you’re not the cat!

Saying google local is free is just like saying normal google is free. To get in top 7 pack is not easy for non-company name searches. 7 pack SEO is a real business.

@Mike – Let me guess. You’re the company offering the geolisting service? Thanks for stopping by. I’ve just got one question. If your service is so valuable, why does your site have a Google PR0? Oh and I believe it’s *Due Diligence*, not *do diligence*.

@Dave – Sure, I can understand a situation where a specialist in Google Maps listings *may* be valuable. But in this case, the question submitter was asking me if this geo listing “service” was a good alternative to making her site more search engine compatible using traditional SEO methods. It isn’t.

So, it depends. Definitely if you aren’t in the 7 pac, Maps provides next to ZERO Value.

Quite a number of issues to consider. OTOH…YES google maps is a free service

(caveat) it isn’t available in full adoptation in every nation.

Thank you for the knowledge !