If you're lucky, your business has multiple mentions across the Internet. Odds are, these mentions really didn't require any effort on your part. And while this is a good thing for exposure, it's a bad thing when you consider most of the information is probably erroneous. This is why it's so important to take ownership of your online business directory listings and then make the appropriate changes.
What many people don't know is that online business directories play a huge role in your local SEO efforts. When the profiles are complete and the information is accurate, this is a great thing. When it's not, your customers are getting a lot of wrong information about your business including where you are located and what you are selling.
So, if you have a business, now is the time to take control of your online business directory listings. Here's what you do:
Consistent NAP
Run a Google search on your business name and see what listings come up. These are the listings that you will need to go to in order to claim your business's profile.
As you go to each online business directory, the first thing that you will need to ensure is that your business is listed by its correct name and that the listing has the right address and telephone number. Not only will customers know who you are and where to find you, but Google will recognize every listing as the same business, which has a cumulative effect on how Google ranks you in their local search engine results pages. Make sure that the name, address and telephone number you use is the same as the one you have listed on your website.
Take Ownership
Some online business directories will allow you to take ownership of your profile. Take ownership wherever possible. This will ensure that no one else will be able to make chances to your profile. It will also help you get valuable backlinks to your website when you add your URL to your profile.
Complete Your Profile
In addition to your Name, Address, and Telephone Number, you need to add more information about your business. Google gives preference to companies who have spent the time to complete their profiles and who have also added media such as pictures and videos wherever possible. This is especially important when it comes to your Google Places profile. Spend some time creating an interesting profile for your business and be sure to add plenty of pictures, your hours of operation, and other pertinent information about your company.
And there you have it. The key to developing your local SEO efforts around online business directories is simple: be consistent, take ownership wherever possible and complete your profiles. Keeping information about the directories you are listed on organized and accessible will help you when you need to make changes to the information about your business. By following this simple process, you will boost your local visibility with search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo and more, which will bring customers to your door and boost sales.
