Latest / The Local Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Small Business, Google Maps, and Local SEO / How a Local Bookshop Uses Google Maps for Events
Transcript
- Lucas: So we get a lot of questions about Google Maps for service businesses, restaurants, retail. But today I want to talk about a category that doesn't get nearly enough attention: the local bookshop, specifically how it uses Maps to pack the room for author events. Luna: I love that. Bookstores have this built-in community angle. It feels like a natural fit for Maps. Lucas: Exactly. And I've got a concrete example from The Last Chapter in Asheville. They doubled their event attendance in about six months, and they did it without spending a dime on ads. Just by treating their Maps listing like a live event board. Luna: Before we dive in, I want to mention something. If these marketing conversations have sparked an idea you've actually used in your own business, or even just a tactic you've passed along to a friend, that's exactly why we keep doing this. And if you've ever thought about supporting the show, the easiest way is to buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's just a small way to keep these episodes ad-free and focused on stories like this one. Lucas: Yeah, we really appreciate that. And it genuinely does help us keep the lights on. But back to Asheville. The owner, Sarah, she realized that her author events were getting maybe twenty people on a good night. And that was with a real email list and social media posts. The missing piece was that people were searching Google Maps for something to do that evening, not just for a bookshop. Luna: So she basically turned her listing into a mini events page. Lucas: Pretty much. First thing she did was update her business description to mention upcoming events. Not in a generic way, but with the actual author name and the date. So if someone searched for that author, or even just 'book signing Asheville', her listing had a better chance of showing up. Luna: And the secondary benefit is that it makes the listing feel alive, like the place is active, not dormant. Lucas: Right. And then she started using the Google Maps Q&A section strategically. She seeded a few questions herself, like 'Are you hosting any author events this month?' and then answered them with the full schedule. That not only provides the info, but it also signals to Google that the business is engaged with its listing. Luna: That's smart. It's a low-effort way to add fresh content without a website update. Lucas: Yeah, and you'd be surprised how many people actually read those answers. Sarah told me she saw a definite bump in questions about events after she started doing that. But the real game-changer was photos. She made a point of adding a new photo for every event, taken from the front row of the chair setup. You could see the crowd, you could see the author at the mic. And she captioned each one with the event details. Luna: So it's not just a static storefront shot. It's visual proof that something exciting happens there. Lucas: Exactly. And that feeds into what we call the freshness factor. Google likes listings that show regular activity. Photos, Q&A, updated descriptions. All of that helps you show up for broader searches like 'things to do in Asheville' or 'book events near me'. Luna: And she also made sure to use the right category, right? Lucas: Good catch. She switched her primary category from 'Book store' to 'Book store' but added secondary categories like 'Event venue' and 'Cultural center'. That gives Google more context about what the business offers, and it can surface you for a wider set of queries. Luna: So let's talk about the numbers. You said she doubled attendance. What was the actual timeframe and what moved the needle most? Lucas: Over about five months, from late winter into early summer. And she attributes maybe forty percent of that growth directly to the Maps changes. The rest was word of mouth from those bigger events. But the key insight is that the Maps listing became a discovery tool, not just a location pin. Luna: What would you say is the one thing a small business owner can steal from this today? Lucas: The Q&A seeding is the fastest and easiest. It's literally ten minutes of work and it can pay off almost immediately. But the photos have the longest shelf life. Every photo you upload stays there, building a visual story over time. Luna: And it's not just for bookstores. Any business that hosts events, a wine bar, a library, a community center, even a gym doing a workshop, could apply this playbook. Lucas: Totally. And that's the beauty of Google Maps. It's a free marketing channel that most small businesses underutilize. The Last Chapter is a great case study because it's so specific, but the principles translate. Luna: So, what's the one metric you'd tell listeners to watch to see if this is working? Lucas: Beyond direct event sign-ups, keep an eye on your Google Maps profile views and the number of times someone asks for directions. If those go up, you're becoming a destination, not just a place on a map. Luna: That's a great way to think about it. Any pitfalls to avoid? Lucas: Don't stuff your business name with event keywords. It's against Google's guidelines and it looks spammy. Keep your name clean and let the description and Q&A do the talking. Luna: And make sure your event details are accurate. Nothing kills trust faster than showing up to a canceled event. Lucas: Right. Sarah actually had a system for that. She'd set a reminder to update the listing the day after an event, removing the old one and adding the next. It kept everything current without much effort. Luna: That's a nice habit. So, bottom line for the time-pressed owner: one action to take this week. Lucas: Open your Google Maps app, find your business, and look at your Q&A section. If there are no questions, post one yourself. 'Do you have any upcoming events?' Then answer it with your next event's details. That's a ten-minute task that could bring in your next customer. Luna: And if you're a regular listener, we'd love to hear how these tactics work for you. You can find us on social or just drop a comment on the episode page. But for now, thanks for hanging out with us. Lucas: Yeah, we'll catch you in the next one.