You’ve got a company Facebook profile, Twitter account and Instagram. Surely that’s enough social media platforms to promote your business, right? Think again! In 2018, with upward of 89% of companies using social media for marketing, you need to do everything you can to stand out from the crowd.
Not sure where to start? No problem! One easy way to help your business shine through the digital clutter is to list it on an online business directory. Let’s take a look at just a few of the benefits of listing your business online.
1. Attract Customers in Your Local Area
Particularly for small to medium businesses, attracting customers in your local area (and their repeat business) is vital to building your brand.
A recent study found that an impressive 78% of local searches conducted on mobile devices and 61% on laptops resulted in an offline purchase. This figure highlights how important local citations are to your company’s success.
A quick and easy way to make sure your business comes up in the right searches is to join business listing sites, such as Yellowpages, Yelp and GooglePlaces. Clearly listing your NAP (name, address, phone) and common local landmarks, as this David Janeson Crunchbase profile demonstrates, will significantly improve your position in Google Searches and help you attract local customers.
2. Improve Your Business’s Reputation
For consumers, there are more choices than ever when it comes to choosing an establishment to do business with. Studies have found that customers primarily rely on recommendations from family and friends to narrow down the choices. However, advising on trusted websites such as online business directories, followed closely behind with 70% of people surveyed considering them a reliable way to measure a business’s credibility.
As a company, that makes your reputation one of your biggest assets. Support and add to your reputation with online listings, which add integrity to your company by creating high-quality inbound links favored by Google searches. Some directories, such as Yelp, allow customers to leave reviews. While this opens up the possibility of receiving negative reviews, it also gives your company a sense of transparency and openness which will imbue a more positive brand feeling. In fact, statistics show that addressing negative reviews on social media can actually increase customer advocacy by 25%!
3. Build Industry Connections
No matter what field you’re in, there is always something you can learn from your competitors. One way to keep your finger on the pulse of emerging trends in your industry is to join an industry-specific online listing directory. Different directories will offer different benefits for becoming a member, but most sites provide sections for discussion and debate. In these areas, you can explore trends, learn about upcoming seminars, and even get a sneak peek at upcoming journal articles from key authors in your field.
Don’t just read the posts, join in on the discussions. Your comments will be seen by other industry members, who may be interested in collaboration or perhaps even joining up your company. Your ultimate goal should be to answer other’s questions expertly and establish yourself as a thought-leader.
Additionally, you don’t have to wait for other people in your field to contact you. Liking or commenting on one of their discussion posts can act as a great ice-breaker for a warm-call. By alerting them to your presence in an insightful way, you’re essentially handing out your online business card and encouraging them to engage with you.
With so much digital competition, adding your site to an online business directory is a quick, easy and often free way to increase your online exposure and credibility. So, what are you waiting for? List your business now!