Really, how important is verifying your business listings? You might be surprised to learn that verification is crucial to your business. To perform well in any online marketing strategy, you need to prove that you’re a true representative of your business. Failing to do so leaves room for lost opportunities and smear campaigns.
Correcting Misinformation
Modern consumers are far more likely to look online for information about an interesting business than they are in a phone book. If your information online isn’t accurate, then you’re inviting disaster. In the age of speed and convenience, a potential customer who is embarrassed by calling an old, inaccurate number isn’t likely to try another. Instead, they simply take their business elsewhere. By verifying your business listings, you take advantage of the opportunity to fix such errors.
Creating a Reliable Image for Customers
As an online business, you want to control the information that people see. However, when you neglect to verify your business listings, you lose that control. If you want to create a smooth, multichannel selling experience, you need to make your listings somewhat uniform. Differences confuse users. Of course, an officially verified business account also helps you appear far more professional. It isn’t as always visible as the check marks next to business names on official Twitter accounts, but it’s the same principle.
Preventing Fraud or Sabotage
Obviously, corporate sabotage isn’t common for small businesses. However, an angry ex-employee or even personal connection could cause serious damage to your online reputation in a short amount of time. When you verify business listings, you gain access to additional features. These features are especially important on sites like Yelp, where businesses have undergone periodic attacks by online mobs who have never even been to your business. You can also handle reviews from people who are reviewing the wrong location or another business with a similar name.
Enhancing Search Rankings
Search engines like Google are far more likely to show verified listings rather than unverified ones. If you want to climb the search results list, you need to fulfill the search engine’s demands. It’s a big payout for a fairly small investment of time.
Getting on the Map
Winning a place on search engines like Google Maps is a major part of attracting local customers. To get on the map, you need to verify your business. Again, it’s a simple step with major repercussions.
Winning through Cheap and Easy Marketing
Marketing is rarely easy, and hardly ever cheap. Marketing options that allow you to reach highly motivated customers usually come at premium prices. Simply verifying your business online gives you an important upgrade to the majority of your online marketing strategies.