Google Adds Webmaster Tools

Verification for Google My Business

Getting a business noticed online has been a big deal- and a big

challenge- since the 1990s, when people spoke of "paradigm

shifts" and predicted that new startups such as eBay and

Amazon would change the face of commerce. If there were a

simple way to consistently place a website at or near the top of

internet search results, then Search Engine Optimization would

never have grown into the industry that it is today. This past

June, Google introduced their new "Google My Business"

service, which promises to help businesses and customers find

each other more easily.

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business includes several services that Google has

offered for years, but it now allows them to be managed from a

single combined interface. One sign-up makes a business'

information available to Google Search, Google Maps and the

Google+ social networking site. This information can include

images, which will appear together with search results, and a

virtual tour of the establishment. Not only does this give a

business a presence on the site whose name is synonymous with

"search," it makes all this accessible to users who browse from

mobile devices. This should be especially helpful for small

business owners.

Convenience and ease of use are important, but many website

owners will find Google's analytical data to be even more

valuable. Google's "Insights" reports allow a site administrator

to get detailed information about things like the site's page view

trends and the demographic makeup of its visitors. This

information can then be used to improve the site's effectiveness.

What are Google Webmaster Tools?

Webmaster Tools is another valuable set of services similar to

Insights, but it focuses more on site performance. Its analyses

help an administrator to optimize a site's search-ability, correct

health issues such as errors and malware, and control which

content should be indexed by search engines. Problems that

would not otherwise be obvious can easily be identified and

corrected.

Webmaster Tools Verification

Webmaster Tools provides a lot of detailed and potentially

sensitive information about a website. A savvy owner can use

this information to improve the site's performance and to better

target customers, but an outsider or business rival could use this

information for unethical purposes. This is why Webmaster

Tools for Google My Business are available only for users who

can verify that they are the site's owner or administrator.

Anyone with a Google account can get verified to use

Webmaster Tools, and a single account can be used to manage

up to 1,000 web sites. Simply log in to Google Webmaster

Tools, click on the "Add a site" button, and choose a verification

method. Some website content management systems, such as

Joomla! have ways to automate the process. Google offers four

options, three of which involve directly editing the website:

• Place a Meta tag on the home page.

• Upload an HTML file to the web server, and then give Google

the name of that file.

• Verify through the site's domain name provider. Many such

providers, such as Yahoo! and GoDaddy.com, provide

instructions on how to do this.

• Edit the site to include its Google Analytics code.

Only one of these four things needs be done. Google will verify

that it has been, and then they will provide access to their wealth

of analytical data.

Search Optics is a leader in digital marketing solutions for the

automotive industry. Car dealer marketing by Search Optics

include custom websites, search engine optimization, paid

search and mobile solutions that generate leads which result in

sales opportunities. Search Optics specializes in car dealer

marketing and automotive SEO services. For more details,

please visit http://www.searchoptics.com.