Hey Everybody, I got the nicest letter from Google today. (And they weren’t trying to sell me ad words) My site has been choosen as a “Favorite Site” on Google. They wanted to congratulate me on my popularity! So as usual, I wanted to find out a little more about how they chose my company so here is what I found out:
How did Google decide which businesses would receive the decal? The list was determined based on the popularity of a business’ Local Business Center listing, as determined by how many times Google users looked for more information about a business, requested driving directions to get there, and more. Google users “decided” based on their actions, and we sent the decals. (Ok, I am very excited about this now)
How selective was Google in selecting the businesses to receive the decal? Over 100,000 businesses were identified as Favorite Places, representing less than 1% of the 28 million U.S. businesses. We believe that our standards for selecting businesses are as selective or more selective than other companies which have run similar initiatives. (Ok, now I am stoked)
Can a business which didn’t receive a decal request one? No. (Wow, Wow, Wow)
What’s that bar code?
This unique bar code on the lower right of the sticker (known as a QR code) lets customers – and potential customers – instantly learn more about a business, by visiting a mobile version of the business’ Place Page on any supported phone. Here’s more on how it works and what you can do with it:
- Make sure your phone can scan a QR code with its camera, either with an application that you download or via software that’s already installed on your phone. To find out what application to use for your phone, we recommend doing a Google search for the model of your phone along with “QR reader”.
- When you see a QR code, use your phone’s application to scan it. If you’re scanning a QR code on one of the window decals that we’ve sent to thousands of U.S. businesses, you’ll quickly be taken to that business’ mobile Place Page on Google, where you can:
- Read reviews to see what other users think about the business
- Find a coupon that the business has posted to their Place Page
- Star the business to remember to check it out later, or to remember to visit again
- Leave a review right after you leave the business. What’s a better time to write what you think, than when you’ve just visited?
Wow, is all I can say, I thank all of you who have taken the time to write nice reviews and supported my company in the last year. It is amazing how much it has grown and I thank each and every one of you. ~Sally
