Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of marketing tactics you’re “supposed” to implement on the internet? Social media, SEO, blogging, SEM, campaigns, engagement, followers, likes, connections… There’s tons of stuff out there that you’re supposed to focus on in order to deliver a quality, successful marketing campaign. If you’re trying to go at it alone without the help of an internet marketing agency, it becomes even more difficult. In the midst of all these things, you might find yourself losing sight of the trees for looking for the forest.
Internet Marketing can help your company immensely. All those tactics work wonderfully when properly implemented for your company. However, have you missed out on the very basic concepts because you’ve been too busy trying to figure out what you cannot understand? When brick and mortar businesses first start delving into the online world, they often overlook one very important concept: get listed in the directories.
In the “real world,” businesses use a portion of their marketing budget to assure they have a large spot among competitors in the Yellow Pages. Well, the idea of directory listings is no less important on the internet. There are several different places you need to make sure you’re business website and information is listed.
Google Places
Google frequently finds new tools to help aid businesses in their quest to create an online presence. Google Places is one of the most important tools you can use. Here you can list your business location, hours of operation and URL. When people are on Google Maps searching for a keyword related to your niche in your area, your business will show up.
Bing Local
Much like Google, Bing is known for its search engine, but also provides other tools. Bing Local resembles Google places in many ways. You place your directory listing, and people search for directions and attractions near their location. While Bing may not be as popular as Google, this is still an important step to take in getting your business listed.
Yelp
Unlike Google and Bing, Yelp is primarily for finding local businesses. It is more like a social network and directory combined. At Yelp, people make profiles, check-in at local businesses they visit, and even leave reviews for others to see. Yelp gives you a new way to connect with potential customers. Unlike Google and Bing, you have a chance to interact with customers by providing coupons and special offers through Yelp when they check-in at your establishment.
Do not neglect to put your information into these different online directories. While these are three prominent ones, there are several others that you should look into as well. Many do not feel it necessary to put their listing into several directories, but it is very important. Because it often takes quite a bit of time to input your information into each directory individually, websites have been created to assist you in that process. Websites like getlisted.org help business owners quickly list their business with a variety of directories. At getlisted.org, you can list your business at Google Places, Bing Local, Yelp and nine other prominent business directories online in a quick, efficient manner.
Failing to attend to the easy, obvious things like inputing your information into online directories may mean the failure of your online marketing efforts. Don’t miss the trees for looking at the forest. Get your information on the internet today.
This article was written on behalf of 522 Digital, a digital marketing and advertising agency providing various services such as Search Engine Optimization and Website Development to increase your presence on the internet.