Having accurate and up-to-date business listings across the web can help search engines understand the information about your business and increase the chances of your website appearing in relevant search results. This is particularly true for local SEO, which focuses on optimizing your online presence for customers in a specific geographic area. By claiming and verifying your business listings on the most important online directories, you can help ensure that your business is visible to potential customers and improve your chances of being found in search results. In this post, we will be discussing some of the most important business listings that you should consider for your local SEO strategy.
Using Google My Business for Local SEO
Google My Business (GMB) is a free listing service provided by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. By verifying and editing your business information, you can help customers find you and tell them the story of your business.
One of the main benefits of GMB is that it allows you to appear in Google’s Local Pack, which is a group of three local businesses that appear at the top of the search results for specific keywords and phrases. This can be extremely beneficial for local businesses, as it can help increase visibility and drive more traffic to your website.
Another important feature of GMB is that it allows you to manage your business information, including your business name, address, phone number, and website. This information is used by Google to populate your listing and make it easier for customers to find your business. You can also add photos and videos, create posts, and respond to customer reviews.
One of the other benefits of GMB is that it allows you to track the performance of your listing through the GMB dashboard. This can give you insight into how many people are viewing your listing, how they found it, and what actions they took (such as clicking through to your website or requesting driving directions). This can be valuable information to help you understand the effectiveness of your local SEO efforts.
Another great feature of GMB is the ability to create a Google virtual tour, a 360-degree virtual walk-through of your business. This is a great way to showcase your business to potential customers in a more engaging way.
Overall, Google My Business is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes looking to improve their online visibility and reach more customers. By verifying and managing your GMB listing, you can help ensure that your business is easily found by potential customers and stand out in the crowded online marketplace.
Negative Aspects of Google My Business
While Google My Business (GMB) can offer many benefits for businesses, there are also some potential negative aspects to consider:
- False information
- Since anyone can claim a GMB listing, there’s a risk that false or inaccurate information about your business may appear on your listing. This can be misleading to customers and can harm your reputation.
- Negative reviews
- Just like any review platform, GMB allows customers to leave reviews about your business. Negative reviews can be damaging to your reputation and can be hard to remove, even if they are fake.
- Lack of control
- Google has the final say on what information is displayed on your GMB listing, and you may not have control over how your business appears in search results.
- Suspension of the account
- If your business violate the Google’s guidelines and policies, your GMB account could be suspended. This can cause a significant loss of visibility and traffic to your website.
It’s important to keep in mind that these negative aspects of GMB can be mitigated by regularly monitoring and updating your listing, responding to customer reviews, and following GMB guidelines and policies. However, it’s important to consider these potential downsides when deciding whether to use GMB for your business.
Google My Business: https://www.google.com/business/
Using Bing Places for Business for Local SEO
Bing Places for Business is a free listing service provided by Bing, the second largest search engine, that allows businesses to add their listing to Bing’s search engine and map service. This can help increase visibility and drive traffic to your website.
One of the main benefits of Bing Places for Business is that it allows your business to appear in Bing’s Local Pack, which is a group of local businesses that appear at the top of the search results for specific keywords and phrases, similar to Google My Business. This can be especially beneficial for local businesses, as it can help increase visibility and drive more traffic to your website.
Another important feature of Bing Places for Business is that it allows you to manage your business information, including your business name, address, phone number, and website. This information is used by Bing to populate your listing and make it easier for customers to find your business. You can also add photos, videos, and respond to customer reviews.
Bing Places also allows you to track the performance of your listing through the Bing Places dashboard, which can give you insight into how many people are viewing your listing, how they found it, and what actions they took (such as clicking through to your website or requesting driving directions). This can be valuable information to help you understand the effectiveness of your local SEO efforts.
Another great feature of Bing Places for Business is the ability to create offers and deals, which can be a great way to attract new customers and stand out from your competitors.
In summary, Bing Places for Business is a useful resource for businesses of all sizes that aim to increase their online presence and attract more customers through the Bing search engine. By verifying and managing your Bing Places listing, you can make sure that your business is easily discoverable by potential customers and stand out in the competitive online market.
Negative Aspects of Bing Places for Business
While Bing Places for Business can offer many benefits for businesses, there are also some potential negative aspects to consider:
- Limited Visibility
- Bing has a smaller market share compared to Google, which means your business may not be seen by as many potential customers.
- Limited reviews
- Bing Places for Business does not have as many reviews as other platforms like Google My Business or Yelp, which means your business may not have as much social proof.
- Limited features
- Bing Places for Business has limited features compared to other platforms, which means you may not have access to certain tools or analytics that can help you track your performance.
- Limited support
- Bing Places for Business may not have as much support as other platforms, which means you may have a harder time getting help if you have questions or issues.
- Limited analytics
- The analytics provided by Bing Places for Business may not be as detailed as other platforms, and you may need to rely on other tools to track your performance.
- Limited targeting options for ads
- Bing Places for Business does not have as many targeting options for ads as other platforms, which means you may not be able to reach as specific of an audience.
If you decide to use Bing Places for Business, it’s important to weigh the potential downsides, such as limited visibility, limited reviews, limited features, limited support, limited analytics, and limited targeting options for ads. However, by keeping a close eye on your listing, responding to customer reviews, and following Bing Places for Business’ guidelines and policies, these negative aspects can be minimized.
Bing Places for Business: https://www.bingplaces.com/
Using Yelp for Local SEO
Yelp is a popular review and listing site for local businesses. By claiming your business listing on Yelp, you can manage your business information and respond to customer reviews.
One of the main benefits of Yelp is that it allows customers to leave reviews about your business, which can be a powerful way to build credibility and trust with potential customers. Positive reviews can help attract new customers, while negative reviews can be an opportunity to address customer complaints and improve your business.
Another important feature of Yelp is that it allows you to manage your business information, including your business name, address, phone number, and website. This information is used to populate your listing and make it easier for customers to find your business. You can also add photos, videos, and create special offers and deals.
Yelp also allows you to track the performance of your listing through the Yelp dashboard, which can give you insight into how many people are viewing your listing, how they found it, and what actions they took (such as clicking through to your website or requesting driving directions). This can be valuable information to help you understand the effectiveness of your local SEO efforts.
Another great feature of Yelp is the ability to target ads to specific demographics and locations, which can be a great way to attract new customers and stand out from your competitors.
Yelp is a valuable resource for businesses of all sizes that aim to establish their online reputation and attract more customers through online reviews. By claiming and managing your Yelp listing, you can make sure that your business is easily discoverable by potential customers and stand out in the competitive online market.
Negative Aspects of Using Yelp
While Yelp can offer many benefits for businesses, there are also some potential negative aspects to consider:
- Limited Visibility
- Yelp is mainly a review platform, meaning that it may not be as widely used by potential customers as other platforms like Google My Business or Bing Places for Business.
- Negative reviews
- Yelp allows customers to leave reviews about your business, which can be a powerful way to build credibility and trust with potential customers, but negative reviews can also be damaging to your reputation and hard to remove, even if they are fake.
- Lack of control
- Yelp has the final say on what information is displayed on your listing, and you may not have control over how your business appears in search results.
- Limited analytics
- The analytics provided by Yelp may not be as detailed as other platforms, and you may need to rely on other tools to track your performance.
- Limited targeting options for ads
- Yelp does not have as many targeting options for ads as other platforms, which means you may not be able to reach as specific of an audience.
- Yelp’s filter and algorithm
- Yelp’s review filter and algorithm can be a double edged sword. It can help to filter out fake or malicious reviews but it can also filter out legitimate reviews, leading to a lower rating.
When deciding whether to use Yelp for your business, it’s important to take into account the potential downsides such as limited visibility, negative reviews, lack of control, limited analytics, limited targeting options for ads and Yelp’s filter and algorithm that can filter out legitimate reviews. However, these potential downsides can be reduced by regularly monitoring and updating your listing, responding to customer reviews and adhering to Yelp’s guidelines and policies.
Market Share & Search Visibility
Google My Business (GMB) has a significant market share, search volume, and search visibility compared to Bing Places for Business and Yelp.
In terms of market share, Google is the dominant search engine with a market share of around 92%. Bing is the second largest search engine with a market share of around 2-3%, and other search engines like Yahoo and DuckDuckGo combined hold the remaining 5%.
In terms of search volume, Google handles billions of searches per day, while Bing handles a smaller number of searches. Yelp is not a search engine, but it’s a review platform, which means it has a limited search volume for businesses.
In terms of search visibility, Google My Business is more likely to be seen by potential customers than Bing Places for Business or Yelp because of its market share and search volume. Google My Business listings appear prominently in Google Search and Maps results, making it easier for customers to find your business. Bing Places for Business listings can also appear in Bing search results, but they are less likely to be seen by customers. Yelp is mainly a review platform, so it’s visibility is mainly based on customers searching specifically for a business on Yelp.
It’s worth noting that there are many other factors that can affect search visibility and it’s not just about the platform, but also about the quality of the information, relevance and location of the business, and the competition in the industry.
Other Directories & Platforms to Consider for SEO
Google My Business, Bing Places for Business, and Yelp are some of the most important business listings for local SEO, but they are not the only ones. There are several other directories and platforms that can help boost your online visibility.
Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, and many businesses have a presence on the site. By creating a business page, you can share information about your products or services, post updates, and engage with customers. A business page on Facebook can be a great way to reach a wider audience, as it can be shared and liked by customers, which can help attract new customers.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages is a directory of local businesses that can help customers find what they’re looking for. By adding your business to Yellow Pages, you can increase visibility and reach new customers. Yellow pages can be an important source of visibility for the local business, specially the ones that are not doing business online.
Yellow Pages: https://www.yellowpages.com/
TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is a popular travel website that allows users to research and review hotels, restaurants, and other businesses. By claiming your business listing on TripAdvisor, you can manage your information and respond to customer reviews. TripAdvisor can be a great way to reach travelers and tourists.
TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/
The better Business Bureau (BBB)
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a non-profit organization that aims to promote trust between businesses and consumers. By becoming a member of BBB, you can demonstrate your commitment to customer service and gain credibility with potential customers. This can be a good way to establish trust and credibility with local customers.
Better Business Bureau (BBB): https://www.bbb.org/
Manta
Manta is a small business directory that allows businesses to create a free profile, list products and services, and connect with customers. Manta can be a great way to reach other small business owners and entrepreneurs who may be looking for suppliers or vendors.
While these platforms are important, it’s worth noting that Google My Business, Bing Places for Business, and Yelp are still considered to be the most important for local SEO because of the market share, search volume, and search visibility of their respective search engines. Google My Business and Bing Places for Business are directly tied to the search results of the largest search engines, which means that by having a listing on these platforms, your business is more likely to be seen by potential customers. Yelp, is a review platform, which means that it can be a powerful way to build credibility and trust with potential customers, but it’s visibility is mainly based on customers searching specifically for a business on Yelp.
While it’s influential to have a presence on all of these directories and platforms, it’s crucial to make sure that your business is listed correctly and consistently across Google My Business, Bing Places for Business, and Yelp. These listings are the foundation of your online visibility and should be the first step in your local SEO strategy.
