Managing Local Directory Listings and Reviews Easily

Local directory and review sites can provide important lead generation and SEO benefits for small businesses, but also require consistent maintenance to make sure your company information is up to date and providing the expected benefits in helping your business grow.

Business information sites such as Google Business Profile (the former Google My Business), Facebook, Yelp and others provide valuable help for consumers looking for local businesses - as long as critical information such as your location, operating hours and contact information is accurate.

Directory Basics

Local directory sites play an important role in helping consumers research local businesses, especially service providers, or look for a nearby place to grab a meal, a coffee or a drink. For many consumers, these searches have replaced looking at printed yellow pages books to find a local business, making it vital for a small business to offer accurate details about its products, services, location and contact details.

In addition, the company description - such as the 750 characters (about two paragraphs) that Google Business Profile allows - serves as a shorter version of the "about" page on your company website. Here’s an opportunity to highlight what you offer and to add some important keywords based on what your customers and prospects are searching for.

This information will also help your company’s homepage rank higher in search engine results. By providing reputable information that’s linked to your website, your site will likely see an increase in online traffic (and hopefully, depending on your business, in-person traffic as well).

It’s also important to periodically update the photos in your directory listing to reflect your current products and services. Highlighting your work - whether you’re a contractor, hairdresser or restaurant owner - can go a long way in helping you stand out from competitors. And with every generation of smartphones offering brighter, clearer images, it’s helpful not to have dark or fuzzy pictures on your profile.

Monitor Reviews

Reviews are another important feature in local directory listings (especially on focused sites such as Yelp or TripAdvisor). Here, the goal isn’t updating information - it’s monitoring customer reviews and responding appropriately. For example, it’s helpful to thank customers who leave positive reviews to show your appreciation for their patronage (and the time they spent writing a review).

And while you don’t want a negative review, they also offer potential benefits. If you acknowledge and apologize for the service lapse, and invite the reviewer to contact your business, you demonstrate a commitment to customer service. In addition, a negative review or two makes the positive reviews seem more credible because consumers assume too many glowing reviews have been faked.

Staying Current

Given the potential time a small business owner could spend updating directory listings and responding to reviews, some prioritization can be helpful. For instance, focus on the leading sites - Google Business Profile, Facebook, Yelp, TripAdvisor and Bing - to get the most from your time and effort.

Check if your web hosting company includes directory listing maintenance, either as part of your hosting package or a local marketing bundle.

If your company site runs on WordPress, there are a number of plugins that allow you to enter profile changes on one dashboard that are propagated on a variety of directory listing sites.

Developing a system for monitoring local directory listings, and making any necessary updates, can provide important benefits in helping your small business grow.