The term local listings is mostly used for internet search results that appear when the user types a keyword along with a location name. If you type ‘plumber New York’, you will realize that the top of search results will show multiple plumbing service providers that are located in New York, USA. These are the local listings of the service you were looking for in your desired area. Since local listings are quite competitive in nature, most of the advertisements that appear on top are paid ads. Hence, service providers need to complete in terms of SEO and sometimes incur a marketing expense to appear on top of a local listings search.
Companies that are present online and also have a physical store in a particular locality, need to focus a lot on local listings. Businesses need to ensure that they have claimed their location on navigation service provider like google maps. Also, the information on these platforms should be complete. When searched on google maps, a business should be able to display 100% information about their business including address, phone number, and a website.
How local listings impact your business
Latest statistics suggest that people prefer owning a smartphone device more than they prefer owning a personal computer. There could be many theories to this changing trend in technology users. One of the most significant reasons is that people nowadays want to remain connected with the internet all the time, even while they are on the road. In the olden days, people could use the internet only from home, office or internet cafes. All this has changed with the advent of smartphones. As a result, businesses need to market their products not just to PC users but also to mobile users, who are on the go and need to search local listings in their vicinity.
Today, the majority of people use online search engines like Google maps, Yelp, and Yellow pages to search their desired product or service provider. In order to cater to the local population and make it easy for potential customers to find your local store, you need to have your business, listed on these websites.
People use local listings websites in many different ways. They might be on their way to work and need to check a nearby tire repair shop, parents may need to look for a local stationery store while dropping their children to school or a traveler may be looking for a seafood restaurant in the locality. Hence, local listings help businesses attract potential customers all the time.
Making the best use of local listing features
In order to get your business listed online, you will have to first complete the verification process of the list provider. If you want to get your business listed on google maps, you need to log in to their Local Business Center portal. After completing your profile on Google’s listing center, the provider will post you a ‘business card’, which will authentic your ownership of the business. You will need to fill out and send the business card back to google to get your business listed on their maps.
Businesses that want to gain maximum value out of the local listings feature need to ensure that they have all the information readily available for potential clients when they search for the business online. When listing a business online, owners should ensure that their business profile is complete and includes:
- Their hours of operation
- Payment types they accept
- Products or services they provide
- Complete contact information
Business listing sites allow corporations to include pictures and videos in their profile as well. Hence, owners can market their products and services by taking photos that emphasize their excellent service and latest equipment. Videos may include staff and customer testimonials about why they love working with the business.
Adding customer reviews
Customer reviews are an essential part of a local business listing. They are one of the most reliable ways for potential clients to get an unbiased view of your business. In order to build up their customer reviews section, business owners can ask their satisfied clients to talk about how useful the product or service they bought from your company was for them. It should be the goal of the business to achieve a 5-star rating on all local listing websites including google, yelp, yellow pages, and Bing.
Benefits of local business listings
1.Increases your business visibility
Top search engines like Google and Bing want to provide their customers with results that help them make quick decisions. If a customer is looking for a service or product online, Google not only wants to provide all the research material about the product but also the providers that can service the users. Hence, businesses with local listings features can be given priority during online searches, especially those that feature picture and videos.
2.Relatively cost-effective
Businesses that are relatively new in the market or want to cut down on their expenses can make effective use of local listings to cut down their costs. Most of the listing providers do not charge any fee for listing the local business on their portal. Hence, rather than spending a lot of money on developing a colorful website, business owners can make the best use of local listings to target their audience. A dynamic profile on business listing portals like Google maps, and Yelp along with a strong social media page on Facebook can do as well a job as an expensive website.
3.Builds customer trust
If a business is relatively new in the market and does not have a market capitalization like Amazon or Walmart, people might be hesitant to trust them until they can locate their physical store. Hence, a local listing can help potential customers navigate to the outlet, meet the staff and have a one-to-one conversation to make their decision on the spot.
Local listings are a great feature for any type of business. Whether you are starting up a coffee shop or a new distributor of electronic appliances in town, registering yourself with a local listings network can help you increase your customer base in no time!
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