If you own or operate a small business, then you likely know the heavy impact that bad reviews can have on your business. Customers are paying more and more attention to online review sites such as Yelp, Google Reviews, and even Facebook ratings.

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Recently, GMB (Google My Business) has rolled out a few changes you need to be aware of. Maximizing your Google page, plus the other directory, search, social media, and review sites can be the key to unlocking Google page one dominance!

Let’s say you own an Air Conditioning and Heating company. You are known for having fast service, and really professional techs. You’re one of several AC companies in your area, but you’ve been around for years, you’re well established. Still, your competition appears to be doing quite well, and in spite of your consistent social media presence and a recent website overhaul, your online presence, and your business, has not grown. Why?

 The answer lies in gaining an understanding of how online directories work, and in realizing how important they are within local search.

We’ve said before that Google is King, and this is still true. The search engine powerhouse recently emphasized their concerted effort to increase the importance of Google My Business. GMB is where their focus has shifted, especially in terms of local visibility. Last month, our blog discussed some of the ways that we can harness the power of GMB to affect your business listing.

Also worth considering: Use of voice searches and virtual assistants is on the rise. Prospective customers have become increasingly reliant on their smartphones, devices, and virtual assistants to find businesses.

Using our example, let’s say that Jim gets a call from his wife, she tells him that the AC is out and it’s getting hot in the house, in the heat of summer, this is urgent!

Now Jim has an iPhone, he asks Siri for an AC contractor near him… Siri recommends Pro AC and Jim sees that they have 4 stars on Yelp. Jim makes the call and help is on the way. A partnership between Yelp and Apple ensures that iPhone users are provided Yelp rated companies within most local searches.

However, if Jim had an Android phone or an Alexa Voice Assistant by Amazon in his office, he could have asked the same question and would have been fed structured data from business owners who were forward thinking enough to build out a complete online presence.

The various mobile devices and voice assistants use data provided by the businesses whose products and services match most closely with the searcher’s query. Taking control of the data that is out there is becoming more important with each passing week.

Leveraging your listing information and company profile on each of these sites can be overwhelming. OMG National, with the OMG Power Network, can keep your profile updated across the board fixing incorrect listings, suppressing duplicate listings, adding rich content additions like professional graphics, photos, and customized video.

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When it comes to being found online in your area, don’t leave it to chance. Give your business the best opportunity you can, to stand out from the competition and claim your share of what’s out there.

To learn more about our OMG Partner – Online Marketing Program, featuring the OMG Power Network, click here, or reach out to a member of the OMG National team today!