If you need an answer to a question or need to locate something, where do you turn? In the past, you might open an encyclopedia for information, or get your copy of the yellow pages to find a business. But these days, everyone just searches the internet for the information they seek: and more often than not, that search involves Google.

When you own or lease a commercial property, you will eventually get a Google Places listing for your business. Google Places listings are very beneficial, because they appear at the top of Google search results pages. They also provide an address and phone number for the “Place” within the search results, making it extremely convenient for a web searcher to locate your business.

It’s especially handy when performing a mobile search, because the listing will come complete with a “call” button, which allows you to call the business with a single tap of the screen. Mobile users seem to make good use of this functionality: a recent Google survey found that 70 percent of mobile searchers use this option.

So why should this matter to you? Because your business might not be making enough revenue to afford a commercial lease, therefore depriving you of a Google Places listing. But there is an alternative solution: a virtual office.

With a virtual office, you get all the benefits of dedicated office space without the need to sign a lease. You can set up a virtual address and phone number, complete with a virtual receptionist to answer your calls and take messages. And if you require more from your virtual office, you can rent out private office space on a part-time basis, and even make use of furnished conference rooms as needed (usually for a small fee).

But perhaps the biggest benefit of the virtual office is the ability to use the address to establish a Google Places listing. This can’t be accomplished with a PO Box or a home address, and you’ll get the listing for a fraction of the cost of a lease.

If you want to boost your business’ online visibility, consider a virtual office. It’s virtually a no-brainer (see what I did there).