The Importance of Keeping Online Business Listings Up to Date

Did you know that most potential customers learn about your business by doing an online search? So, what happens when they find you online and decide to visit your physical location only to discover you’ve moved, or your hours have changed and you’re not open? Chances are they’ll turn to a competitor and you’ll lose a customer.
Local business listings are online directories that are categorized by industry and list important information about a variety of businesses in a local area. In the past few years, “near me” searches have increased by more than 500%.
So, having accurate and up to date information on your online business listings is crucial.
A survey of digital marketing professionals showed that over 95% reported finding incorrect business information when they searched online. Of those surveyed, 62% said they’d found misinformation “many times”. Now that’s a staggering amount of missed opportunities!
The survey also says…

• 73% of consumers say they lose trust in a local business when the online listing shows incorrect information. They admit they blame the brand, not the online directories.
• More than 67% say they lose trust in a brand if they get lost driving or walking to a location because of an incorrect address listing
• 71% say they go online to confirm the location before they visit the location the first time

When business owners don’t create a local listing profile or take the time to update it, the result is inaccurate or missing information. And this leads to frustrated consumers who decide to give their business to the local competitor who has their information listed accurately.  
If you want to avoid giving potential customers to your competitors, the simple solution is to add your company information to local online business listings and then keep the information updated. 
Below are a few reasons why these online directories are so vital to the survival of your business in an age where online searches are the norm. 

Four Reasons to Keep Your Online Business Listings Up to Date:
1.    Boost your online presence and dominate search results.

The more high-ranking online directories you add your local business to, the more frequently it will appear in search results. Each local listing profile is like another website for your company, so you must make sure the information is up to date and provides accurate information. 

Over 50% of mobile searches are for “near me” locations. If your business is found in local listings like Google My Business, Yelp, YellowPages, or Angie’s List, then you are greatly improving your online mobile presence – but only if the information is correct.

2.    Increase your brand visibility.

By creating and then regularly updating your business profile on a directory site, you will easily increase your brand visibility. Make sure to include as much information as possible including your company logo. By adding your company information to multiple sites, users are more likely to see your logo and identify your brand.

3.    Improve your business reputation.

Google My Business, Bing, Yelp, and other business directories allow customers to leave reviews about their experience with your service or product. Reviews offer you the ability to improve your business reputation, and even a negative review can have a positive effect if it’s handled correctly. 90% of consumers read online reviews before they visit a business location, and 88% of them trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.

4.    Boost your website SEO.

Search engine optimization ensures your website appears in the top search results for target keywords. If you’re a local burger joint, you would optimize your website for phrases like “best burger” or “best burger restaurant”. Local business directories optimize their site for these keywords, too. Online business directories have a high domain authority, so they are more likely to appear higher in search results for the same keywords. When you have an up to date listing profile on these trustworthy sites, your business will appear more often than even your website does.

What Business Information Needs to be Included in Online Directories?

Your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) must always be up to date. However, customers also look for other important details about your business in addition to the NAP information.
Here’s a checklist of business information to include in your listing:
1.    NAP – name, address, phone number
2.    Link to your business website
3.    Hours of operation
4.    Services you offer
5.    Products you offer
6.    Payment methods
7.    Business specialties

Bottom Line

If you want to dramatically increase your chances of being found online by potential customers, it’s vital that your business information is updated across the major online directories.
And now that 50% of all online searches are voice-based, your listing must be accurate and up to date if you want to show up when a voice search is made that relates to your local business, location, or business category. 
If it seems like a daunting task to keep your online business listings up to date, contact us today. Evolve Impact Group can help you manage your online presence across the more than 60 local listing partners, including Google, Bing, Apple Maps, Yelp, Yahoo and Facebook.