Local business listings (or local citations) are online profiles of your brick-and-mortar business that display your company’s name, address, phone number, and other vital details. Local listings make it easier for prospective customers to find your business when they conduct an online search.
Are you looking for some information about local business listings? This listings management agency in Elgin, Illinois is going to discuss some of the key things you should know below.
What are the tenets of local business listings?
Regardless of the business listing website, local business listings are based on the same core data — NAP. This is an abbreviation for your company’s name, address, and phone number. In addition to the NAP, your business listings can include the following:
- Web address or URL
- Operational hours
- Business category. (The category into which your Elgin business fits should complete the sentence, “This business is a…” If you own a garage where you repair automobiles, for example, your category would be: auto repair shop.)
- Photos or videos of your brick-and-mortar store or office
- A business description
- Accepted payment options
This information will make it easier for interested customers to connect with your Elgin business after finding it through a web search.
What is the importance of local business listings?
Local business listings are critical in improving your Elgin business’ online visibility. When a customer is searching for a new business, Google is usually the first place they go. Having your site listed on multiple listings and ensuring that the information is consistent across all sites lets Google know that your company’s information is reliable. If your business cannot be found with a simple Google search, chances are it is not being found at all. The solution to this problem is hiring a listings management agency in Elgin, Illinois, to always keep your local listings up to date.
What are local businesses up against?
Ranking higher on search engine result pages (“SERPs”) is becoming increasingly challenging. In the last fifteen years, we have observed a significant transition from customers searching on the desktop to searching on smartphones. The smaller screen size of a smartphone (about 5.5 inches on average) yields fewer results per page than a regular computer search would (the average size of a computer screen is between 22 and 24 inches). Customers on desktop typically see ten results on the first page, while smartphone users rarely go past the first three. With mobile searches becoming more ubiquitous, it is more important than ever for local businesses to secure the top place in Google SERPs.
There is another barrier that your Elgin business must overcome. Voice search will likely account for half of all Google searches. While mobile search returns three results, voice search returns only one.
As any knowledgeable listings management agency in Elgin, Illinois will tell you, you must ensure you are doing everything possible for your business to be found by customers to get an edge in this new search landscape. The more consistent your listings are, the more likely customers will find you via mobile, desktop, and voice search — think smart speakers, phones, and automobiles outfitted with AI-powered virtual assistants like Google Assistant, Samsung’s Bixby, Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, or Microsoft’s Cortana.
What are the benefits of local business listings?
Improved customer experience: When your Elgin business is listed on multiple business listing sites like Google My Business, Yelp, Apple Maps, or Facebook, it is easier for your customers to find more about your business. This ensures a positive consumer experience from the outset.
Improved reputation: Most business listing sites feature reviews. A decent number of online reviews fosters customer trust and provides critical insights into the customer experience.
Better SEO: Having consistent NAP data across the web improves your business’ SEO performance. The more accurate and detailed your listings, the higher you are likely to rank in relevant searches.
How much do business listings cost?
While some business listing sites charge a fee, most popular sites are 100% free. However, you can consider paid options for listings on industry-specific websites depending on your industry. If you would like to learn more about your options, do not hesitate to get in touch with your local listings management agency in Elgin, Illinois.
Looking for a Listings Management Agency in Elgin, Illinois?
Are you ready to partner with the top-rated listings management agency in Elgin, Illinois? if so, look no further than the professionals at Digital Destination LLC. Contact us today at (312) 933-6806 to schedule a free consultation.