hanks to internet marketing, finding a product or service you want today is easier than ever. More and more businesses – both big and small – are ensuring their presence online and are vying for the top slots in Google search result pages, so that their potential customers can find them easily. According to Google, one out of every five searches is related to a location and Google Places is an improved search facility that focuses on this aspect. If you are a small business targeting local customers rather than a global audience, using Google Places is one of the best things you could do for the growth of your business. If you aren’t already using this service from Google, it is high-time you considered it for your business. Google Places is a service that allows you to be listed on Google Maps, so that your clients or customers can easily locate you. Business owners, who are listed with Google, can use Google Places to manage the information regarding the physical location of their business. This means when a potential customer searches for the service or product you offer, your business would be listed under the organic web listings as well as in Places. Considering the fact that Google usually blends the Google Places’ page and Maps along with the organic results for location specific searches, listing yourself in Google Places can be an excellent way to create brand awareness.