Updated 20-Sep-2023
Geolocation Optimization AKA Brands on Maps
There are powerful visual brand indicators that take place when a brand can be found on a map. It makes the brand appear more concrete as well as up-to-date. Few brands have effectively leveraged this outside of relying on already present business listings. However Google has begun providing mechanisms for people and brands to interact with search results, fine-tuning them and providing additional content.
Google Local / Google Maps Listing and Images
Google Local listings can be added and edited easily at the Google Local business center. Additional options include geolocation, address and hours of operation, and up to 10 image uploads. The system uses a voice call or text message confirmation code and seems to require a phone number for the listing.
Google Local Coupons
Another great option Google currently provides for free is the ability to freely create and list coupons. Think of it as a Google adwords campaign (instead of pay-per-click it is pay-per-conversion).
Panoramio image display on Google Earth
While there are several things that can be done to interact with users of Google Earth, the easiest is to upload images to Panoramio and provide geolocation information. This layer is turned on by default in all versions of Google Earth. Of course the image should be edited to provide valuable information such as the organization name and a URL. In addition, the search within Google Earth will return Google Local results, making them even more important.