Most of us use online local listings on a nearly daily basis to help us find the products, services, and businesses that best suit our needs in the moment. Yet all too often these local listings contain false or outdated details, sending us on a wild goose chase when all we really wanted was the right information quickly and conveniently.
As a consumer, you know how much of a headache this situation can be. For your business, however, it can spell the difference between profits and losses. Having accurate online local listings for your business is no longer a luxury. In this day and age, it’s a must.
How Local Listing Management Works
Local listing management helps ensure all local or directory listings are accurate. In basic terms, local listing management consists of keeping a business’s location data and contact information up to date and in line with brand standards across a range of online directories and platforms.
Local listings should contain three crucial components – the name, address, and phone number of the business, collectively known as “NAP” – as well as other key details customers may look for, such as hours of operation and service offerings.
The Internet contains thousands of review sites, networking platforms, and local business directories. Ensuring your business is listed in the right directories and is represented by the right information will help customers find you more easily. It also increases your reach without making a major marketing investment.
Additionally, businesses with NAPs that are accurate and consistent from listing to listing will be ranked more highly on search engine results pages than those whose listings are inconsistent or unclaimed.
Challenges of Local Listing Management
Monitoring your business’s profiles and directory information on multiple websites may sound easy, but in practice this task can be tough to juggle while you’re running a business full time. Several obstacles await, from lost passwords and orphaned listings to duplicate listings and brand inconsistencies. Once you try to tackle these problems on your own, you may feel local listing management is a full-time job in and of itself.
The Solution to Effective Local Listing Management
Fortunately, you don’t have to become an expert in every business directory and online listing site on the web to make certain potential customers can quickly and efficiently find your business’s information. Partnering with a reliable local listing management service provider is a simple way to boost your visibility online and eliminate confusing or false listings that could lead to a loss of business.
Look for a service provider that offers integrated and measurable solutions for businesses with a focus on producing local results. You’ll also want them to be able to assist you with your business’s online reputation and social media management so you can create a cohesive virtual presence.
Other aspects of high-quality local listing management solutions include:
- Single point of access for profiles on all directories
- Notifications for reviews and testimonials
- Monitoring of competitors in the area
- Oversight of changes to listings
- Comprehensive ranking reports
Benefits of Local Listing Management
Local listing management goes beyond enforcing the consistency and accuracy of your business’s contact information. For example, this process can help you dominate the first page of results when consumers in your local area search for industry-related terms. A centralized approach can also promote consistency in brand messaging, projecting a professional image for your business that will attract and instill trust in potential clients.
Perhaps most importantly, choosing the right solution for managing your local listings can save on your bottom line. In the business world, time is money; a professional local listing management service with proven solutions can cut down on inefficiency while helping you build a listing strategy for your brand that reaps long-term rewards.
