3 minute read

Small businesses with American-made products and local services are highly regarded right now due to the coronavirus outbreak. I know what you are thinking, what is this “American-made” thing you are talking about? Well products use to be made in the good ole U.S. of A. but everything got outsourced across seas to boost profits and look at where we are at right now… A lack of trust in foreign markets and issues getting imported goods across borderlines have given these U.S. companies a distinct advantage over their counterparts.

What are the best ways to demonstrate that your business is local and capitalize on this advantage? Create or update your local listings, social profiles, and your website.

Maximize Your Local Online Listings, Especially The Big Dog

It is easy to overlook your online listings if you do not understand how important they are. Local listings include directories, apps and social profiles. They are publicly available databases that display facts about your business like a digital business card, but better. They include your address or service area, phone number, website URL, hours of operation, the category or industry that best describes you, and more. A good online listing clearly shows customers that you are a local business they can trust. Make sure to completely fill out all fields that apply to your business.

Google My Business (GMB) is THE most effective listings available today no matter what your business does. One reason GMB is better than the rest is because it is dynamic. It gives you resources to connect with customers in several ways, shares relevant updates, read and write reviews, analyzes data insights, and so much more. But the real power of this tool is its ability to increase the online visibility of your business to your target audience 10 fold. Google allows you to optimize your listing for search and provides the information people are looking for upfront without the user even clicking through to your site. Imagine that, the Google search engine loves to promote its own Google products! Interesting.

Manage & Update Multiple Local Listings, Profiles & Apps

While Google My Business is a phenomenal localized tool, not all of your prospective customers will find your business this way. After all, it is just one avenue in the ocean of listings. So how can you ensure your target audience will find you? By keeping all of your online listings updated, especially during a crisis like COVID-19.

At this point you may think, I do not have time to do all that! Don’t worry, no one does. The good news is that is exactly why YEXT was created! Yext is a data management tool that tracks and manages your business’ local information across more than 70 directories, profiles and apps under one hood. Using Yext, you can sync key information about your company to ensure customers are able to contact you, visit your physical location or view your service area, find out about your hours, check on and write reviews, post photos, and so many more special features.

Yext takes a process that would otherwise be time-consuming and labor-intensive and completes it in minutes. This tool updates all of your business listings whenever you make a change including Google My Business, Facebook, Yelp, Bing, Uber, Postmates, Apple, YellowPages, Instagram and others.

In terms of SEO, Google views Yext as a valid means of building 70+ high-quality links to your website.

Give The Squirrel His/Her Nut! They Want To Find You, So Help Them

The coronavirus outbreak may have harmed many businesses, but your company can survive this if you focus more locally. The key is making sure customers can easily find you online, where ever they are looking, and give them exactly what they are looking for no matter what is going on in the world. Don’t be a nut, this is definitely not the time to neglect your local listings. Just do it!

If consumers cannot find your business online, it may as well not exist nowadays. If they can’t quickly find out if you are open or not, or how to contact you or drive to you, or other important info then you are forcing them to pick a competitor.

Quick Takeaways:

  • Utilize Google My Business (GMB) to its fullest potential, after all, it is free and the most used local listing in the world.
  • Leverage Yext to update your business information across more than 70 directories, profiles and apps. Consistency is key and quick updates make all the difference.

Tag Marketing is here for you when you need us most. Download our FREE ebook that details marketing strategies that can help save your business today and long-term.

 

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