It may come as a shock to you that it’s very likely your business has suffered loss from incorrect business listings, or worse, a lack of business listings. A whopping 93% of businesses have either missing or incorrect information listed across all listing sources. As a consumer, I’m sure you know from experience the negative impact this can have on the perception you have of a brand. Customers will find another business to go with, just as quickly as they found you. This is why you need to get listed on local search, today! Never lose a lead again by claiming your listings and correct any misinformation.
Things are changing
Phone books are pretty much only useful for doorstops and firestarter. As our population grows to be more tech-savvy, customers are shifting away from paper and toward digital. Most people under 40 have never used a phone book to find local businesses. In order to reach potential customers, being listed online is essential. If your business can’t be found online, does it even exist?
Where you need to be found
Most of the searches made on the internet are done with these top, free listing services and thats why your focus should be these big four: Google, Bing, Yelp, YellowPages. These are where your listings really shine if you claim, correct and optimize them with all the appropriate information.
1. Google
Theres a reason “Google it” has become such a common phrase and more so a common practice in our everyday lives. Google My Business listings are arguably one of the most important listings for your business. The main attraction to Google listings is that listings are seen by everyone that uses Google..So, pretty much everyone. On average, Google gets over 40,000 search queries a second, which is over 3.5 billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches annually worldwide. Need we say more?
Not only does Google My Business help your business get found online, but also on Google Maps in local searches. Local visibility is a huge win for you business. Local searches lead 50% of users to visit stores within one day.
2. Bing
Bing is the runner up, getting the next biggest chunk of search engine market share, accounting for 33% of searches. Bing Places is another accessible and easy service to get more eyes on your business.
3. Yelp
Commonly known as a review platform, Yelp evolved into a reputation management platform for businesses to manage information and reviews all within one listing. With millions of reviews for every type of business, it is a trusted source that customers turn to again and again. Start generating positive reviews from happy customers to leverage this platform today.
4. YellowPages
Long gone are the days of flipping through a Yellow Pages directory. Adapting to the digital world, while keeping it’s reliable name, Yellow Pages has a built one of the leading sources for local searches in the US. Use YellowPages to get your business found today!
Accuracy and Consistency are key
Now that you know where to start, tackle your listings! It’s important to claim your listing so that your brand is not diminished by incorrect information. Bing, Yelp, YellowPages and Google do their best to provide the most relevant, recent information available to them. But they can’t get everything right. This is why it’s important to make this an important aspect of your business strategy, along with SEO. Once your listings are claimed and corrected, you can start working your way up the ranks!
