As a small business owner, you may be wondering why local business listings are so important. After all, you’re already on social media, you have a website, and you’ve been in business for years. So what’s the big deal about local business listings?
The answer is simple: local business listings are one of the most effective ways to reach new customers. And when it comes to marketing your business, reach is everything.
Think about it this way: when was the last time you went to the yellow pages to find a local business? If you’re like most people, it’s been a while. In fact, according to a recent study, yellow pages usage has declined by nearly 60% over the past decade.
So if people are no longer using the yellow pages, where are they looking for local businesses? The answer is online – specifically, on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
In fact, 97% of consumers use the internet to find local businesses. And of those, 93% say they never go past the first page of results. That means if your business isn’t on the first page of a search engine results page (SERP), you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to reach new customers.
Local business listings are important for your business because they help you get found online. But that’s not all – they also help you build credibility, boost your SEO, and generate leads. Here’s a closer look at each of these benefits:
Build Credibility: When you list your business on online directories, you’re essentially giving your business a stamp of approval. That’s because consumers trust directories like Google My Business, Yelp, MapQuest and Canalys navigation. In fact, nearly 80% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Boost Your SEO: Local business listings are also a great way to boost your SEO. That’s because when you list your business on directories, you’re creating what’s known as “citations.†Citations are essentially mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on the web. And the more citations you have, the higher you’ll rank on search engine results pages.
Generate Leads: Finally, local business listings can help you generate leads. That’s because when consumers see your listing, they’ll have the opportunity to visit your website, call your business, or get directions to your location – all of which are potential leads.
As you can see, there are a lot of good reasons to list your business on online directories. So if you haven’t created listings for your business yet, now is the time to do it. And if you need help, we’re here to assist you.
Get started today with our free local business listing service. We’ll help you create listings on the most popular directories, so you can start reaching new customers and growing your business.