If your business has a website, you’d probably like to know how many visitors it gets and where they come from. Starting a website can be a costly endeavour, so it’s important to keep an eye on the potential returns you’re getting from that investment. This is where Google Analytics comes in. If you’re new to Google Analytics, it might come across as quite complicated; not least because of the detailed metrics and terminology involved. But as we’ll find out, many of the terms, metrics, and reports that you need to get to grips with are remarkably straightforward. Let’s get the biggest question out of the way first...

Now I’m more than aware this gets lots of coverage online and there is no denying the value of a claimed and complete Google Places listing.

The very fact that in most local searches Google Places over-rides organic listings and is a testament to Google’s commitment to Local. In some cases, Google Places listings will dominate over 3/4 of the page resulting in demotion of organic listings to the bottom. Google is looking to enrich its Google Places listings with fresh and relevant content all the time, announcing partnerships with trusted partner websites. They have also recently revamped their review/rating systems, previously known as Google Hotpot. The interface has been cleaned up allowing users to review businesses with just a few clicks.