Google Local vs. Facebook Applications

                     

As you know, there are many applications, whether local or network-aimed, that a business can use to expose themselves implementing Web 2.0 technology.  Google Local, for instance, is a free listing offered by Google, that allows a business to advertise for free.  For example, one can update their location and business information.  In addition, a business can even create coupons and add photos and videos.

Although Facebook has a few business applications that Google Local offers, it is more of a social networking device to find people.  This may be the direction of Facebook for now, but a few applications are leading this social component to advance on a business level.  For example, a business owner can benefit from the eventbrite application which allows a person to publish an event.  One can also create a fan page where persons included can view coupons and promotions.  Facebook also offers the ability to create polls.  In addition, a city search device, similar to Google Local, allows a business to post updated information and helps people within the network find you.  Facebook has a future in the business world if they enhance their business applications and give users an option of  depersonalizing the page.  For now, Google Local is the easy search device for customers to find local businesses and for the use of local businesses to appeal to the local customer.

Google Local vs. Twitter Applications: How both are Beneficial to business

As I have explained in previous blogs, Google Local is an efficient tool for local businesses. Google Local is free and it gives businesses the ability to advertise with a business listing that includes updated information about their location and business information. One also has the ability to create coupons and share photos and videos. A map is included with directions and satellite view is also an accessory.

Twitter applications also gives businesses the same ability. With the exception of a local search, applications are created to appeal to the network of people on twitter. Some of the applications are very beneficial because it causes twitters to pass on information from follower to follower or by word of mouth. For instance, twtBizCard is an online business card that a tweeter can send to her followers and those followers can retweet this business card information to their followers. Another useful application is twtQpon. A business can create coupons online and include special promotions and discounts. A business owner can also take advantage of twtbiz in which a business can add itself to a directory where twitters can find them.

There are many differences and similarites with the usefulness to businessses with Google Local and Twitter. As one can see, twitter applications have the same abilities that Google Local offers and more. The difference is that Google Local only appeals to the user who has to find and search for the business, and then a customer can view information. In turn, the business benefits with this free advertisement. With twitter, the business owner can be more interactive with attracting customers within the network. The great thing about twitter is that it is also free.

Google Local vs. Local Tweeps

Local Tweeps Application.  Local Tweeps is a free application provided through twitter that allows you to make local connections.  It is useful in following tweeps directly.Local Tweeps is known as a "hyperlocal twitter directory."  Twitters can find people or get found by tweeps in the local area based on the zipcode or keywords.  They can list themselves and follow others.  A notification alerts you of the tweeps near you.

Although one can take advantage of the applications of Google Local and Local Tweeps, there are a few differences between the two.  For instance, while Local Tweeps is more interactive within a network of twitters, Google Local is more of a search site that offers an exchange of information from the site to the user.  Given that Local Tweeps notifies you of people in the area, a business owner can take advantage by sending information about themselves to fellow twitters.  With Google Local, the user will have to find the business by using keywords to search for information on their own.  The advantage that Google Local has is that a business has a a listing with directions and a map in addition to free advertisement within a website.  The productivity booster for businesses with Local Tweeps is the ability to respond to followers in a quick and frequent matter.  Given that the format of Local Tweeps is simple and quick, one can also add a link to their responses and urge others to check it out.  Local Tweeps also gives the business owner the ability to grab a network of people that are near the area.  This can lead to tweeps alerting more tweeps, which in effect, spreads the word about the business.

How Google Local Can Help Business Owners

As you know, Google Local is very beneficial to customers.  Customers can use the search option in Google Local to find local businesses and services.  It also includes the location of the selected search material on Google Maps which is an integrated application in this local directory.  A customer can view photos, images, and videos designed by the business to learn more about the product or services it offers.  These are a few reasons why Google Local is not only an asset for customers, but it helps business productivity as well. 

Google Local has created what is called Google Local Business Center for local business owners. This free enhancement allows not only a listingof updated general information for the business, but it also gives the business owner the ability to visually and graphically advertise to the customer.  One can also view his account through analytics, which shows how many people are checking out the profile of the business.  Google Local Business Center is definitely idea for local businesses to attract customers.

Google Local vs. Yellow Pages.Com

The similiarity in Google Local and YellowPages.Com is only both of their ability to allow businesses to list have a free listing and customers to have access to a local business directory. While the Yellow Pages only allows businesses to list their name, address, and phone number free of charge and includes its own integrated map, Google Local allows business to list the same information plus add coupons, photos, and videos. To get added enhancements with the Yellow Pages, one has to purchase just about every upgraded feature. For instance, video and photos are not free.


Although Yellow Pages.Com charges for enhancement features, their appeal to businesses is the access they would have with customer response. Their approach is to encourage businesses to persuade customers to give reviews on their website to entice onlookers to support the businesses. Yellow Pages has tools such as downloadable posters, flyers, and banners which encourage customers to visit the site and rate and review the business.

YellowPages.Com also offers services that creates business websites for you. This is an enhancement so therefore, there is a charge. Although this is beneficial. The free features that Google Local offers is like a website itself.

Google vs. Yelp

There are several options for local businesses and customers to become interactive. For instance, Google Local allows businesses to list and update business information, and even create coupons and display videos and photos. Customers can also find local businesses and services. Included in the business listings are maps and comments.

While Google Local is a pretty enhanced web directory, it is not the only one. Yelp is a great local business directory also. Like Google Local, it includes a search feature to find local businesses and services. It also includes the Google Map feature that is integrated in the Google Local directory. Yelp includes a business and service list directory that a user can click instead of typing the search material. Once the desired search topic is found, the results are ordered based on user recommendations. While Google Local is more business centered with its enhanced features such as a toolbar that features satellite and traffic information, Yelp is more customer-centered. It's features include more interactivity. For example, Yelp has a review of the day, blogs, and a twitter-like feature called "yelpers."

Although Google Local has awesome enhancements for local businesses and customers, I found that besides the map, the site was quite boring compared to Yelp. Yelp had very entertaining features for customers. The business guide was also comparable to Google Local Business Center. It included the same capabilities for free. The only thing that I found hassling with Yelp was that in order to receive the same capabilities as Google Local Business Center, you had to sign up with an email account to manually add your business to the list. Google Local is like the phone directory in that sense because it lists all businesses.

Google Local vs. Yahoo! Local

While there are many similar features offered by Google and Yahoo! local business listings sites, I found that there are many differences as well. For instance, both sites offer businesses the ability to list their address, telephone number, and business information updates for free. Google and Yahoo! also offer directions for the customer to find the business. The best feature of both sites are the interactivity of the customers to rate and review the business and the businesses to advertise events.

The differences in enhancement features distinguish these two sites. For example, although Google and Yahoo! have many common features, I found that Yahoo! was no different than yellowpages.com with an option to upgrade. Google is much more advanced, especially, being that these privileges are offered for free. For example, a business not only has the ability to list for free, but they can create coupons and display photos and videos. The map is just a treat that comes along with the other features. One has to pay to have the privilege of these features with Yahoo! by opting to purchase the enhancement additive which also includes a listing on the first and second search result page. Of course, this upgrade consists of a "month-to-month" billing cycle with no long-term contract. With Google, Adsense is the advertisement enhancing feature. It not only features business information on search engines, but it is also intertwined with AdWords which allows the listing to appear on sites owned by Website owners. One feature that Yahoo! includes that Google does not is its business directory. There is a listing of services and businesses that allows the user to narrow the search instead of typing in all the neccessary search information.