Even the smallest details count when you’re working on expanding your customer base. One of the many aspects of digital marketing that is frequently overlooked but has the potential to have a significant impact on how easily customers can find your company is listing management. Learn how to expand your online presence and rule the market by reading on.
What Is a Business Listing?
A business listing is an online summary of important information for your customers. It can be a useful tool to make it easier for customers to find you online or in person.
In addition to the usual contact information for your business—name, address, phone number, and website—business listings may also include the business’s operating hours. This information provides the foundation that your customers need in order to research, locate, and contact your organization.
How Do I Know My Business Listings Are Working?
Whether your business’s online listings are effective depends on where and how accurate the information is. You can find these listings on a variety of platforms, including search engines, online directories, maps, and social networking sites.
It is imperative to be present on as many of these sources as possible for your business to be found by customers, but it only works if every listing is accurate and identical to the rest. Businesses are often surprised to discover that it is easy to create duplicate listings accidentally.
These duplicates, along with the mistakes and omissions in listings information, can pose some serious challenges to the findability of your business. You may have to do a little digging if you want to manually adjust all of your business listings that are on the web.
Why Are Accurate Listings Important?
Correct business listings provide many benefits to your business. Instead of simply hoping that customers will find you, widely available listings will help lead them right to your front door. Most consumers are apprehensive about dealing with a company that has missing or incorrect listings, possibly leading them to choose your competitor. Correct listings also help to build trust and improve your search rankings.
Attract New Customers
Attracting new customers involves getting them to contact you or visit your store in order to make a purchase.
If someone tries to call or visit your store but can’t find the right information or is led to the wrong location, they’ll most likely lose interest in doing business with you. In fact, many consumers report having a negative experience with a business because of incorrect information listed online.
Build Trust
An incorrect or missing business listing weakens customer trust in your brand and products, often leading to miscommunication or missed opportunities for your business. Inconsistencies also create confusion.
If there are multiple phone numbers listed online, customers will be confused as to how to get a hold of your business and likely won’t try either number. If someone tries to visit your business, but an incorrect listing takes them to the wrong location, chances are they won’t try to find you again, since 80% of customers lose trust in a business if they see an incorrect or inconsistent listing. Without accurate business hours listed, a customer might even show up when you’re already closed, resulting in lost business opportunities.
Our team at SW1 Creative Marketing is here to provide you with our Local Listings program that ensures your business is found when potential customers are searching for you. For more information or to set up a consultation, contact us today!
