What Are Listings and Why Do They Matter?

Listings are an online summary of important information for your business that functions as a powerful tool to help consumers find you online and in the real world. Here's what you need to know:

NAP+W

No, it's not new slang. NAP+W is the acronym that describes all the most important information that needs to be included in business listings.

- Name

- Address

- Phone number

-+

- Website

These four pieces of information are the business listings starter-pack. They give the basic info potential customers need to have in order to research, find and contact your business. Another key detail for your listing is to include information like deals, discounts, happy hours, and hours of operation or special hours in business listings-- it's what consumers are most interested in!

Will my listings work?

The effectiveness of a business listing depends on the information's visibility and accuracy. Listings are available through a variety of sources, including search engines, online directories, maps, or social sites. When it involves listing presence, more is certainly better. Availability of as many sources as possible will create multiple avenues for customers to find your business. But (and this is a large but), presence only pays off if the listings are correct. Listings are accurate if the information is correct and consistent across all potential sources. It seems simple enough, right?

Why are listings essential?

Listings with good presence and accuracy will definitely pay off for your business. Here's how:.

No more hide and seek

Just like the brightly lit bat signal guides everybody's favorite caped crusader (that's right Superman, we said it!), accurate and readily available listings will help guide consumers right to your business's doorsteps.

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If a business's listing is incorrect or missing, the majority of consumers will feel less confident about the brand or business, possibly leading them to choose a competitor's product or service. The accessibility of correct listings ensures customers are really able to find brick and mortar locations while they're open for business. This means money in the business owner's pocket and, just as importantly, it means the business can be reviewed.

" In our honest opinion ..."

An adequate review pipeline is an essential tool for establishing a business' online reputation and promoting brand loyalty. Reviews enable customers to communicate their experience with a business to potential buyers, but if consumers can't find a business listed online, their opinion of it will not be well-informed. Accurate listings create the opportunity for transparency between businesses and consumers in the form of reviews, and the accessibility of this information will help increase a business's presence.

All aboard the search engine

Consistent, accurate listings and the generation of reviews will directly benefit a business's presence by increasing its ranking in local search engine results. SEO is a complex tool, so why not make the most of it by simply ensuring your business is listed correctly! Increased presence means more customers, and what business owner doesn't want that?

Now what?

This listings low-down provides a basic definition and describes the advantages of business listings. Develop listings on websites worth a lot of points to improve your listings ranking. We've ranked them by importance using a few of key factors-- how many websites reference them, web traffic, demographics, and more. Listing is a matter for all kinds of businesses and we are confident enough to handle yours, call us today for a FREE Assessment!

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