If you use traditional advertisements for your company, you’ll know that they are only one part of successful marketing. Flashy banners at the top of webpages and five-second video promotions may garner attention, but are poor at providing information.
You can give clients quick access to the company’s summary at little cost by creating business listings across multiple sites. Unfortunately, these sites don’t often allow for much customization, so make sure to include these seven essentials in the listing.
The Name of Your Business
This may not be as straightforward as one would think. The actual title for your business can vary slightly depending on if your business is part of a franchise or has many locations. Take a look at similar companies listed on the platform to see if you should include your location or the owner’s name in the title. If your business listing is a profile of yourself, such as Steve Streit’s, you can just use your name in place of the business name.
Address and Contact Information
Fortunately, this one is pretty straightforward. Include the physical address of your office or storefront, and list directions if the location has given people trouble in the past.
If your company uses a PO box or unstaffed office, consider leaving this information out of the listing. You don’t want potential customers showing up there.
Regardless of whether or not you have a physical office, you need to provide a way people can contact you. It’s critical to provide the email address and phone number associated with customer relations/support. Make sure to include the hours that your company is reachable, especially if you have clients across different time zones.
Appropriate Links
Ideally, those reading your business listing will want to learn more about your company. Including a link to your website homepage is a necessity. Other relevant links, such as social media pages, should be added if there is appropriate space.
A Compelling Description
Your company’s description is arguably the most critical element in any successful business listing. Not only is this where readers learn more about the company, but also where they’ll be convinced to visit your website.
Consider including information such as how long your company has been around, the products it provides, and the physical area that it services. If you run into writer’s block, ask yourself questions that a potential customer might have. Why does your business stand out from the competition? How experienced is your staff? There will likely be other facts you’ll want to include depending on your business.
Images
Images of both the inside and outside of your business set clear expectations for customers before they visit. You’ll also want to include images that showcase your company’s products and services.
For example, if you’re creating a business listing for a restaurant, providing a high-quality scan of the menu is helpful. Making sure that everything appears clean and organized in the pictures will give readers a better impression of your business. If you’re looking for business photography inspiration, check out this article. Just don’t get carried away and “catfish” your potential customers with misleading pictures.
Certifications
If your line of business benefits from third-party certifications, you’ll want to include them in the listing. This gives readers an additional sense of security, as your products and services are shown to be held to a high standard. Even if your credentials are implied (as they would be in medical practices or law firms), it doesn’t hurt to mention them in the listing.
The Correct Category
Many platforms will let you choose a category for your company. While this isn’t something that will draw in customers, it is critical that you choose correctly. Otherwise, the listing could end up in the wrong search results. Defining your company with a single word from a drop-down menu can be challenging. Fortunately, on some sites, you’ll be able to choose multiple from a large list.
Ideally, your company will be included on multiple business directory platforms. Try to keep information in these listings consistent even if the format needs to change.