How To Regain Trust Lost By Bad Business Listings
Local business listings whether on Google My Business or other online directories are a crucial component for successful Local SEO. Listing your business in as many relevant directories as possible is an efficient way to improve ranking in both organic and map results. However, in order for business listings to be truly effective, they must provide accurate and reliable information.
Business listings that fail to deliver trustworthy details such as name, address and phone number (NAP) can create a negative effect on how consumers view your business. Bad business listings can cause you to lose trust and drop position in search rankings making it extremely important to routinely invest time in reviewing your NAP.
Importance Of Consistent Local Business Listings
A local business listing provides searchers with important information about your business. The primary purpose of a business listing is to advertise contact information including name, address and phone number, but it also works to boost both your visibility and your credibility online. Online business listings represent your brand and as such should provide dependable information that is both accurate and up to date.
Search engines use business listings to provide searchers with the most relevant information possible in order to deliver the results they need and want. Major search engines will not only pull from data found on listings in their own databases, but will also compare with listings found in other databases and directories. When information does not match across various listings, search engines will assume that information is incorrect, which can cause a negative affect on results page rankings.
In addition to comparing data from other local business directories, search engines explore the Internet for mentions of your business name. Finding consistent information across the web creates value and increases credibility for your business helping to improve rankings.
Danger Of Bad Business Listings
A bad business listing, or one that has inaccurate or outdated information, is an easy way to negatively impact your credibility and rankings. BrightLocal, a trusted reporting platform for SEO professionals, recently published findings suggesting that 93 percent of consumers find incorrect business information frustrating. The study also found that over 50 percent of consumers will lose trust when they comes across an incorrect business name alone and that number only grows as the amount of inconsistent information does. Approximately 80 percent of consumers lose trust in a business with inaccurate contact details and/or business name. It should go without saying that a loss of trust can undoubtedly lead to the potential loss of new clients.
How Do You Regain Trust
The first step in regaining trust lost from bad business listings is to review and revise all business listings across the Internet. Take the time to thoroughly examine all listings found on online business directories along with any online citation. Be sure that all information listed, especially business name, address and phone number, are completely accurate and up to date.
You may also consider creating a compilation of URL’s from each individual location or your business information may be displayed. This will allow you to more efficiently review or update information whenever changes occur.
You must be sure that all information displayed on your website is accurate. Information listed on your website and on all business listings should also match up. Whether you are a single location or multi-location business, it is important to provide consumers with a database of any current location business addresses. Make sure that employees are informed of accurate information and prepared to provide it when contacted. When a physical location is able to clarify inaccurate information to a customer, you improve your chances of keeping their business.
Trust can also be improved by providing potential clients with reassurance in the quality of your business, services or products through client testimonials and online reviews. Include testimonials with detailed location information, displayed name and an image when possible. Online reviews should be actively managed in order to protect your reputation. By addressing negative reviews quickly and genuinely and thanking customers for any positive reviews, you will help to maintain a positive online reputation.
1 Source Media Group offers superior Las Vegas Local SEO services including effective management of all local business listings and online citations. For more information, call us today at (702) 840-5000.
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