Online business listing provides a valuable service by making information like contact details and services available to consumers. They also allow customers to rate and review businesses, helping drive brand reputation and loyalty.
Optimized listings can significantly improve a business’s visibility, search engine ranking and sales. This is because search engines prioritize accuracy in listings.
1. Google My Business
Having a well-optimized Google Business Profile is essential for local business success. Whether you’re setting up a GBP for the first time or optimizing an existing one, there are some ongoing steps that should be taken to keep it fresh and relevant.
Add a well-written description that includes keywords that are related to your business. The more relevant the keywords are, the better your profile will rank in search results for those specific terms.
Be sure to list accurate operating hours. If someone sees that you’re open when you’re not, they may decide not to call or stop by. It’s also important to regularly check the Questions section of your Business Profile as anyone can ask a question. Be sure to answer these quickly to prevent people from getting inaccurate or misleading information about your company.
2. Yelp
One of the reasons managing business listings is so important has to do with search engine optimization (SEO). Complete and accurate business listings boost local SEO visibility. And searchers who see optimized business listings in SERPs are more likely to click through to a website or to visit a physical store.
Yelp recently rolled out a Service Offerings feature that allows businesses to include information about the types of services offered. This is a great way to differentiate a business and bring new customers.
In order to add a service, a business owner can go to the “Categories and Services” tab on the Yelp for Business Owners page and then select the appropriate options. Businesses can also add additional information about their service offerings by submitting feedback to Yelp.
3. Bing
Bing is a large online directory that is used by a number of search engines. It is a great place to start your search for a local business. It also features reviews from consumers. The more consistent your business information is across different platforms, the better your SEO will be.
There is so much online information that directories are valuable because they curate the most important information and present it to consumers in a clear way. This helps to make purchasing decisions easier for consumers.
While it can be tempting to sign up for every online business directory, you should focus on the sites that have the most reach and impact your audience. This will allow you to maximize your return on investment. Also, it will ensure that your contact information is accurate across all platforms.
4. Foursquare
Foursquare is an online business directory that is part comparison tool, social media, and Yellow Page (or White Pages) ad. It allows consumers to review businesses, share photos and information about a business.
While some local listings sites have changed their business model, like Yelp, Foursquare continues to deliver an excellent experience for users. The company uses a data-driven revenue model, offers smarter and more targeted advertising options for businesses, and provides a robust set of tools for businesses to manage their reputations and customer reviews on top platforms.
It is important to regularly check and update business directories as search engines value consistency across the web. Using a tool to automatically check and verify local business listings and citations helps ensure that all the information out there is correct and accurate.
5. Yahoo Local
Yahoo local business listings are a powerful tool for businesses to leverage. Even though Yahoo’s search engine now uses Bing, its local business listing services remain free and are still widely used.
Using local business listings sites gives your business the ability to claim and control its data across the internet. Whether you’re a small local business or an enterprise with multiple locations, you can manage all your listings through one platform, eliminating the headaches of inconsistent or incorrect data.
To create your listing on Yahoo, visit here and follow the directions. Remember to complete all information, upload a quality photo that represents your business, and use keywords to optimize your listing for searchers. You can also choose to upgrade your listing for a fee to include a company tagline, more photos, and a detailed business description.