Latest / The Local Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Small Business, Google Maps, and Local SEO / How a Local Bookstore Uses Google Maps for Event Sales
Transcript
- Lucas: There's a local independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, called Book & Vine, and they figured out something that a lot of small businesses miss: Google Maps isn't just for directions or reviews. It's a ticketing platform. Luna: A ticketing platform? How do you mean? Are they selling tickets through Google directly? Lucas: Not exactly. Google Maps doesn't process payments, but it lets businesses create events on their Business Profile. So Book & Vine started listing their weekly author readings and Saturday morning children's storytimes as Google Events. People searching for something to do nearby stumble on these events right in the Maps listing. Luna: So instead of hoping people check their website or Instagram, the event shows up when someone types 'things to do in Portland'? Lucas: Exactly. And the key is they optimized their event descriptions. They stopped writing vague lines like 'Join us for storytime.' Now they write detailed, keyword-rich descriptions: 'Free children's storytime for ages 3 to 7, featuring a new picture book about gardening, with a craft activity afterward.' That specificity helps Google understand the event and increases the chance it appears in relevant searches. Luna: Makes sense. Let me guess — they also added high-quality photos of the events to the listing? Lucas: They did. But here's the part that surprised me: they also encouraged attendees to post their own photos in Google Reviews. After an event, they'd send a follow-up email saying, 'If you had fun, leave a review and add a photo of the event.' Over three months, they got about 40 new reviews with photos. And those photos show up in the Maps listing under the 'Updates' tab, creating a visual record of past events. Luna: That's smart because future searchers see that the store is an active, happening place. It builds social proof. Lucas: Right. And the results were measurable. Book & Vine told me that within three months of consistently using Google Events and posting a new event every week, their event attendance jumped 45 percent. But more importantly, they saw a 20 percent increase in overall foot traffic on non-event days. People who discovered the store through an event came back later to browse and buy books. Luna: So the events acted as a funnel into the store. That's a great ROI for something that's free to use. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not just for bookstores. Think about any local business that hosts events: yoga studios with workshops, hardware stores with DIY classes, coffee shops with open mic nights. The Google Maps event feature is underutilized. A lot of businesses don't even know it exists. Luna: Well, how do you actually create an event on Google Maps? Walk us through it. Lucas: Sure. You log into your Google Business Profile account, go to the 'Posts' section, and there's an option for 'Event.' You fill in the title, date, time, description, and a link — which could be to a ticketing page or just to your website for more info. Then you add a photo. Once it's live, it appears on your Maps listing and also in Google Search when someone searches for your business or for local events. Luna: Is there any cost? Does Google take a cut if you sell tickets? Lucas: No cost at all. It's a free feature of the Business Profile. If you link to an external ticketing service, that's between you and that service. Google doesn't take a commission. The only requirement is that you must have a verified Business Profile. And the event has to be at your physical location or virtual. Luna: So it's essentially a free listing on the biggest local search platform. That's a no-brainer. Lucas: It is. And yet, when I looked at a sample of 100 local businesses in Portland, only 12 had ever posted an event. Most of them were restaurants or bars. Only 3 were retail stores. There's a huge opportunity for businesses like bookstores, boutiques, galleries, and service providers. Luna: Do you think the type of event matters? Like, do certain events perform better than others? Lucas: Book & Vine found that events with a clear age or interest targeting performed best. Their storytime events for kids generated more clicks and attendance than a general 'author reading.' They also noticed that events with a strong visual element — like a craft activity or a special display — got more photo uploads from attendees, which in turn boosted visibility. Luna: So specificity and visual appeal are key. Not just 'we have an event' but 'we have this specific event that looks fun.' Lucas: Exactly. And consistency. They committed to posting at least one event per week, even if it was a small recurring storytime. That regular activity signals to Google that the business is active, which may help the overall listing rank higher. Luna: That reminds me of something I read about Google's freshness algorithm. Businesses that update their profiles frequently tend to show up more often in local search results. Lucas: That's the idea. And events are a perfect way to create fresh content without having to write a new post every day. One event post for next week's workshop is a piece of content that stays live until the event passes. Luna: What about businesses that don't have events? Can they still use this feature? Lucas: They could create events like a 'clearance sale' or a 'new collection launch.' Even a 'meet the team' open house counts as an event. The point is to give people a reason to come in. If there's nothing, the feature won't help. But most businesses can think of something. Luna: Alright, so let's say I'm a local gym owner. I host a free Saturday morning workout once a month. How do I maximize that on Google Maps? Lucas: First, create the event at least two weeks in advance. Use a clear title like 'Free Community Bootcamp — All Fitness Levels Welcome.' In the description, include details like what to bring, how long it lasts, and whether they need to RSVP. Add a photo of a previous bootcamp that shows people smiling. After the event, follow up with attendees and ask them to leave a review with a photo. That creates a loop: the event draws people, the reviews with photos draw more people to future events. Luna: You've mentioned asking for photo reviews a few times. How important is that specifically? Lucas: It's huge. A study from BrightLocal a couple years ago found that listings with photos get 42 percent more requests for directions and 35 percent more click-throughs to the website. User-generated photos are seen as more authentic than professional photos. And when those photos are of an event, they show the business as active and community-oriented. Luna: So the strategy is really about creating a virtuous cycle: event listing brings people in, they take photos, those photos attract more people, and so on. Lucas: Exactly. Book & Vine's owner told me that after six months, they had built a library of over 200 event photos on their Google Maps listing. That's more than most retail stores have in total. And it directly correlated with a 30 percent increase in search impressions for their business. Luna: That's impressive. And it's all free. I think a lot of small business owners overlook these built-in tools because they're focused on Facebook or Instagram. Lucas: Right. Social media is great, but Google Maps is where people are when they have intent to visit a place. Someone on Instagram might be mindlessly scrolling. Someone on Google Maps is actively looking for something to do or a place to go. That intent is gold. Luna: Speaking of value, if this episode has given you an idea you might actually use, you know what helps us keep doing these deep dives. It's the kind of support that lets us stay ad-free and focus on real tactics, not sponsorships. If today was worth a coffee to you, there's a link at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, it genuinely makes a difference. We hear from listeners who say they've implemented one thing from an episode and saw results. That's why we do it. So if you found this useful, that's the place. And now, to circle back to Book & Vine: their next step is testing Google's new 'Event Series' feature, which lets you batch-create recurring events. They have a weekly storytime, so instead of creating a new event every week, they can create one series that repeats. That could save them time and keep consistency. Luna: Oh, that's interesting. Is that available to all businesses yet? Lucas: It's rolling out slowly. Not everyone has it. But it's a sign that Google is investing more in events as a local search signal. For businesses that host regular events, it could be a game changer. Luna: I hope they roll it out widely soon. In the meantime, the basic event feature is already powerful enough to make a difference. Lucas: Absolutely. So the takeaway from today: if you host any kind of event, list it on Google Maps. Optimize the description, add a compelling photo, and after the event, ask for photo reviews. It's a low-effort, high-impact way to drive foot traffic and build a visual reputation. Luna: I'm already thinking of a few local businesses I can share this with. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: You bet. And to our listeners, go take a look at your own Google Business Profile — or your favorite local bookstore's — and see if they're using events. If they're not, you just might have a tip to share.