Brooklyn's Progress
April/May 2006

BY LAND GRANT

If you’re a small business in Brooklyn – neighborhood retailer, artisan, professional or service provider – there’s new and important Internet “geography” for you to locate in and “beacon” from. Your presence on the Web – because of a new online service called Google Local – is going to become very important to your business success. Your online location will be connected with your physical location and your promotional location.

Google Local is Web-based “local search” for geographically locating places, businesses and directions on a scalable map – including profile information about the businesses found. This last function is key to Google Local’s promotional power.

Google Local very well may become the essential means of promotion for most small businesses in Brooklyn – in lieu of phone books, print ads and even word-of-mouth.

Here's how it works. At http://www.google.com/, find “Local” in the header-located navigation bar and click on it. Then enter a product or service in the search box (e.g., wine or family doctor) and a location (e.g., city or zip) and click on “Search.” An appropriately scaled local map will pop up with digital, numbered "push-pins" showing search results geographically. An information pane to the left of the map expands on specific search "hits" with provider names, descriptions and contact information (keyed by number to the push-pins). Clicking on a link in the left information pane, or on the corresponding pushpin itself, will pop up a "flag" information window. It may contain the organization's related Web site link, directions, reviews, hours, payment modes, additional references, extended options and more.

Search for your own business and see if Local unearths you.

Some kind of Web presence will assure Google Local finds your firm. Even a simple “business card” Web site will do. When Google Local gains wider use, the “nabes” will be looking for YOU. You may not want to forget advertising, but don’t forget to be Local findable!

For more information about Google Local – and other small business technology tools – contact new Chamber Member Land Grant of Land Grant + Company at 718-522-9791 or at Land@landgrant.biz. Mr. Grant’s daily Weblog about small business development may be found at http://www.landgrant.biz/.