Think back to the last time you were looking for a local business. Did you Google “[business type] near me”?
If you did, your search contributed to the 200% increase in “near me” searches that occurred over the last few years. In today’s world, consumers are deciding what businesses to visit based on local search results.
This applies to financial brands and it’s why you should make digital listing management a priority.
Your digital listings help customers and potential customers discover how to visit or contact your business. Without managing your digital listings, online searches may display inaccurate information on your business. If steps haven’t been taken to manage your digital listings, it’s possible your business won’t show up at all. If this is a concern of yours, we’re here to help you get started.
Understanding Digital Listings
Your digital listings are in hundreds of directories across the web. However, not all directories are created (or updated) the same. Additionally, consumers mostly flock to a select few sites to find this information. When searching for local businesses, most consumers search Google, Bing, and Yahoo, or check social media. Since search engines, such as Google, have their own listings, consumers don’t need to go to a specific site to find the information they’re searching for. Even though most people look for information via Google, Bing, Yahoo and social platforms, there are several other sites you may want to look into to ensure accuracy of your information. Sites such as Yelp, Yellow Pages and Nextdoor also receive a fair amount of traffic. By starting your listings management strategy with the above directories, you can ensure all your bases are covered.
Since over 50% of “near me” searches lead to a physical visit, it is imperative that you’re sharing accurate information. If the wrong address appears in a search, potential customers won’t know how to locate your business. If consumers can’t find a way to visit your establishment, they’re likely to go elsewhere. As you begin managing your digital listings, it’s crucial that you ensure accurate location and contact information for all of your physical locations is getting presented. Below are a few areas to consider.
- Address
- Main Phone
- Hours of Operation (lobby and drive-thru)
- Additional Phone Numbers (toll-free, mobile, etc.)
Generating Online Reviews
Another perk of managing your digital listings is the ability to moderate customer feedback. As customers visit your financial brand, some will leave feedback in the form of online reviews. Customer feedback is one of the main factors that influence your online reputation. Many consumers use a business’s star rating as a deciding factor when deciding whom to do business with. As we addressed in the previous blog in our Listings and Reputation series, a poor review isn’t the end of the world. Providing responses to both negative and positive feedback will help show potential customers that you truly care about their business.
Digital Listings Improve SEO Rankings
Digital listings also factor into your local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) success. Local SEO refers to the factors that affect visibility in local searches. According to a survey conducted by Moz, Google My Business has the most considerable influence on local SEO success. Without managing your Google My Business listings, you’re likely to appear lower in local search results.
Three factors are considered in Google search rankings, distance, prominence and relevance. Distance refers to how far the interested party is from a specific business. Closer locations are likely to appear higher in the search results. Prominence refers to how well known your business is. Google takes into consideration both online and offline prominence. Factors that play into your online prominence include review count, review score and business information across the web. The final factor, relevance, mainly looks at how well your business profile matches the user’s search. If someone is looking for banks near them, Google won’t show an unrelated business like a restaurant.
If you’re looking to begin managing your digital listings on Google, click here!
As we can see, managing your business’s listings is of utmost importance. Without managing your locations, you’re risking losing potential new business. The good news is it’s never too late to begin. Start your location management strategy off small, and with time, begin to expand on it. Start by creating or claiming your listings on some of the more prominent directories, and add additional sites as needed. Once your listings are live, be sure to keep up with any and all updates. Attention to detail goes a long way in optimizing your business listings.
Do you have questions about digital listings or have an interest in learning more about how Social Assurance can help manage your business’s listings? Email us at info@socialassurance.com or click the button below to reach out.
For more information on managing your digital listings, check out the first blog in our Listings and Reputation series. You can read it here!
