What is a business listing? Is this important to a fixed business, an online business or any type of business and how many varieties are there?
What is a Google business listing
This is probably the most important post you have read in sometime. If your customers need to find you where do they go?
When we are searching for business what do we do?
There are many ways to look for a business and at the top of the list is a Google business listing.
A good Google listing will have many ingredients including keywords, pictures, offers, links, location map, trading hours, phone number and address.
You can even download window stickers for display purposes and provide all sorts of links to Social media.
For a local business devise a search strategy based on your location.
I used this one from a local advertising agency because they should know what they are doing.
- They start with a location map
- Then a few photos if you have an interest
- The buttons and review stars
- Normal address, hours, contact details
- They then allow reviews
- followed by a short summary of the company
- finally ending in a Facebook link
They have covered most of the important points for a very quick company assessment.
Compare your listing and that of a few competitors and see how you rate?
With so many ways to find your company, this may not provide a whole heap of traffic but it does complete the branding and may very well grab a few extra callers.
Keep it in line with your normal contact descriptions.
We know that linking to an authority site from web pages and posts increases SEO. An authority site could be a University or Government organisation right the way down to Wikipedia.
Peter Hanley
When the Google home page listing links to Wikipedia it sort of gives me a heads up that we must also do it.
What is a trade business listing
Trade directories are everywhere and whilst they are not the best delivery product they do dominate the front page of search terms and it is free to be in them.
If you Google your Industry and location you will find many of the first page entries are trade directories. These are mostly free and do generate traffic and they can often prove it to you.
Additional to all of this is linking and SEO benefit that completes the circle.
What is a yellow, White or Pink listing?
I am not sure where you live but these two tombs of knowledge have turned into handy computer stands that never get looked at.
Yellow Pages and white pages have also, fortunately, gone online so maintained a position in the market.
However, they have not exited the building with Yellow Pages Australia claiming a stunning amount of clicks.
The Yellow Pages starting over 40 years ago in Australia with the annual print edition with the characteristic yellow coloured page. The world’s first Yellow Pages online local directory was launched in 1994.
Sensis
Today, there are more than 9 million searches per month on the Yellow Pages website. The Yellow Pages directory is owned by Sensis who also run other top directories in Australia such as True Local.
Of the top 25 directories in 2019 part of over 300 local directories yellow pages still lord it over the pack.
Being in the top directories helps your business in many ways including call delivery and SEO.
The use of these is emphasised with the sheer volume of calls still being picked up by yellow pages. Do you get your share of the 9 million a month
Phone numbers for business
I wrote about phone numbers for business recently because there are many ways to use them.
Some use a different number to analyse traffic flow and see what works best.
This was a favorite gamble of yellow pages in the olden days before technology enabled far greater call number verification and tracking.
You can use local numbers, free call numbers. mobile numbers or any other sort in a directory.
Using social media for phone numbers
This is an important aspect of the circle because it may be the only vehicle that your clients see.
I often look up client details on Facebook because most tend to complete these more than on a website.
Linking both ways increases SEO and provides a lot more opportunity to win the war.
Numbers for Online services
This is really a situation based need and varies with what you are marketing.
We must always remember that one on one conversations sell more product than any other service. To be at the top of your game you need to offer this opportunity. You could have an online shop, provide a coaching service or other training that may need support.
Support lines advertised on your website are also a useful accessory to your business. Most of the bigger companies now have live support and it really helps when you have a problem. Getting emails over a couple of days does not cut it when the issue is urgent.
Phone numbers on webpages
This is one of my favourite themes when building websites, posts or blogs.
I have a pet hate of scrolling through a website when all I need is a phone number for a local business. We road warriors often need to contact you and search on our mobile phone or iPad to find you.
If it is on the front page above the fold it makes contact much easier and certainly quicker.
Many businesses mask both the phone number and email address to avoid potential spammers.
However, they also void the real customers who may very well give up on them. If you are in business lets be front and centre and available to customers.
In Conclusion
With any business, you need to maximise the opportunity to be seen. Using all possible media you increase your SEO depth and become more visible across the board.
The answer is to put your name as often as you can and also a link between sites. Use your web page, your Facebook page and your directories to the best effect and grow your business.
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