Make sure you’re found across the major search engines, directories, mobile maps, sat navs, and social discovery platforms - by syndicating your business information consistently. What matters is that your customers discover accurate, complete and compelling information at every turn.
Having a consistent name, address and, phone number (NAP) across the internet is crucial and a key ranking factor in local search.
Our local search service, Listings Management, simplifies the process of making your business, and the key reasons why people should buy from your business, visible, in the places most people visit and look.
Web.com integrate with hundreds of leading brands including Google, Bing, 192.com, Scoot, Foursquare and Yell to keep your business information and data up to date — everywhere that matters.
-
What are directory listings?
There are 1000’s of websites that list UK businesses. These include local area directories and national directory listings, as well as in-car navigation listings or “sat-nav” listings. These listings have information on your business, such as, your company name, contact information, your products and services, as well as any social media profiles you may have.
-
Why are directory listings important?
People search online for products and services locally. In fact, 1 billion local searches take place on the major search engines every month. Directory listings are searched by people trying to find a service or a product that they need. If your business is listed on web directories, you will show in the search results for people searching for the products and services you sell.
The importance of local search for ranking
Google has a dedicated number of directories that it trusts to provide correct information on local businesses - Web.com’s network of brands being included in this.
Having your business registered on these, gives Google more confidence that your business is a legitimate, bonafide business. Which in turn will improve your website rankings and increase your rankings on ‘Google My Business’ or better known as Google Maps.
Your business is likely to have lots of listings on these directories but sometimes they aren’t managed, so the information can be displayed in different formats, this can have a negative impact on your search rankings.
Directory listings: incorrect format
You can Google search your business, with your location, and lots of details about your company will be returned. These are the different directories that you are on. The best way to keep your business high in website ranking, is to ensure you have the same format in each directory entry. For example, your address might be “21, South Street” but you will find listings like:
21, South Street
21, South St.
South Street
South St.
To us, this can make sense, but to Google this is four variations of data, this can be classed as four different locations.
Directory listings: incorrect information
Having incorrect information can have a negative effect on your business. Also, if you have moved, each new address or telephone number will have created a brand-new directory listing.
So, to stop this creating a negative effect on your business, you need to start to manage your directory listings, or at have someone manage them for you, like Web.com.
Directory listings can be an extremely powerful tool for building your business brand, your company profile and your website search engine optimisation (SEO) if you are a local business.
Did you Know?
-
40% of online business listings will display incorrect information.
-
16 million searches for local businesses will happen online today in the UK.
-
73% of consumers lose trust in a brand when an online listing is incorrect.
GET IN TOUCH
If you would like to chat to us about making your online NAP listings more consistent