Consumers today rely heavily on online searches to find local businesses. This makes claiming and optimizing your presence across the online directories a crucial, ongoing tasks for your company. But with so many options, knowing where to begin can be confusing, so today we’ll help break that down for you and we’ll begin by reviewing the big players in Local Search for most small businesses. Understanding their specific utility can help you shape your approach. 

The Big Three: Google, Yelp, and Bing

• Google Business Profile (GBP): This tool is the holy grail of local SEO. A well-optimized GBP increases your visibility in Google Maps and local search results, influencing potential customers within your vicinity. Ensure accurate information, compelling photos, and positive reviews are in abundance to climb the local rankings.
• Yelp: This established platform thrives on user-generated reviews, making it a powerful tool for building trust and credibility. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and be sure to address all reviews, whether positive or negative, promptly. Remember, both quantity and quality of reviews matter, and this includes the responses themselves.
• Bing Places: Often overlooked, Bing Places shouldn’t be ignored. While not as dominant as Google, it holds significant sway for users who prefer Bing for local searches. Remember that Bing’s search features are installed by default on every Microsoft based PC, Tablet or Laptop in the world. Claiming your listing and keeping information consistent across all available platforms strengthens your overall online presence.

Beyond the Big Three: Expand Your Reach, Add Prominence & Catch More Customers

• Apple Maps: Don’t underestimate the power of Apple users. Claiming your listing on Apple Maps ensures iPhone users can easily find your business. For the millions of users of Apple Carplay, you must be sure that your Apple Maps listing is optimized to pick up those mobile searches. Optimize the listing with accurate details and engaging photos.
• Better Business Bureau (BBB): While not a directory in the traditional sense, the BBB plays a vital role in building trust and reputation. A BBB accreditation demonstrates your commitment to ethical business practices and can influence customer decisions. You’ll notice that over the past year, when running a direct name search on Google for your business, your BBB listing appears midway through page one, for most businesses….. that’s primo real estate!
• Amazon Alexa: Voice search is on the rise, and Amazon Alexa is a major player. Claiming your business listing on Alexa allows customers to discover your business through voice commands, making it easier than ever for them to find you. Though not as prominent as Apple Car Play, vehicles from Acura, Cadillac, Audi, Volkswagen & BMW now come with Amazon Alexa in-car integrations, so be sure that your company is built out with Amazon to ensure those drivers can easily find you.

Distance, Relevance, and Prominence – 3 Factors Determining Rank

In local search, Google is far and above the most dominant player. All online directories, especially the main ones that you’ve heard of, figure into Google’s complex algorithm to determine which businesses appear in search results, in which order. These three factors play a crucial role:

• Distance: Search results prioritize businesses closest to the user’s location. Optimizing your local SEO through consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) across all available directories, ensures accurate location data.
• Relevance: Ensure your listings accurately reflect your business category, the services offered, and other relevant details. This helps Google and other search engines match your business with relevant user searches.
• Prominence: Positive reviews, high engagement, and backlinks from reputable websites all contribute to your online prominence. Actively manage your online reputation and encourage customer engagement to boost your visibility.

Conclusion

Claiming and optimizing your presence across these key directories is an essential step for any small business aiming for local success. Remember, consistency is key. Ensure your NAP information is identical across all platforms, and actively manage your online reputation by responding to all reviews and engaging with customers. By mastering the art of online directory management, you’ll unlock a powerful marketing tool that drives local visibility, builds trust, and ultimately fuels your business growth. 

At OMG National, our Google Business-Pro product is our number one seller. It provides our clients with a robust program that will consistently improve their Local SEO. Our approach to Local SEO includes a variety of tactics which will affect their local rank. Some of the features include comprehensive online review management, claiming, building out, and then managing ALL their listings on the more than 70 different online directories in our network. This enables us to syndicate content such as pictures, promotions, changes in services and more. A Digital Marketing Specialist is at the helm, making sure you are free to do what you do best, leaving the program management to us.

For more information on how OMG can help you improve your local rank and overall online presence, schedule a quick online meeting today!