Why It’s Important To Have Correct Business Information

Why It’s Important To Have Correct Business Information

What is the importance of the correct business information )name, address and phone number) on search engines and directory listings for small businesses?

Correct business name, address and phone number (aka NAP) are very important to maximize your visibility on search engines. If you have a small business in North Carolina, you may not be going out of your way to take advantage of some little-known secrets that make it easier for people to find your company online. The strategies I’m about to share with you will help build credibility around your brand, establish relationships with new customers and help existing clients remember who you are when they need more services in the future.

In today’s economy, it has never been more important to get the word out about an organization or small business. Today’s small business owners know that it’s absolutely critical to develop an online presence and build a web presence.

What most of them don’t know is how search engines work and why NAP (correct name, address and phone number) is so important. Search engines rely on algorithms that understand IP addresses used by the major search engines when they look for content targeted to your specific area or region.

For example, if you live in Huntersville, North Carolina (outside of Charlotte), then your IP address would be associated with Huntersville-specific results in search engine queries as well as map display results on the maps feature of Google Maps™. This is because the algorithm will assign priority to businesses that reside in your geographic location (provided you have a business presence on the web).

This is just one of many factors that are used when a search engine evaluates which websites will be displayed first in their results. The correct business name, address and phone number (NAP) assigned to your website (and all other digital properties you own) are very important things for local businesses to include in their search profiles. Here’s why:

1. Search engines use the zip code as an indicator of where your business (or PO Box or physical location – whichever you prefer) is located. Even if you have a virtual office with no physical location, it can still be helpful to use a business address at least within your regional area so when we’re looking at Google Maps you will have a presence. If you live outside of North Carolina, pick an area where you would like to target your business.
2. It helps search engines determine which listings on the first page of results are relevant and trustworthy. When a user searches for businesses in Huntersville, NC, it’s important that they see accurate information about each listing so that they can choose an option based on their needs and wants (price, location etc.) instead of making a decision solely based on the fact that one company has incorrect information or is not displayed at all due to data entry errors.
3. Search engines evaluate websites with the correct name and address more favorably when ranking them in their search algorithms than sites without this information. It makes sense if you think about it: If you were looking for Smith Hardware at 123 ABC Street, you’d probably be happy to find Smith Hardware with the correct name and address on a website. If you found the same information with an incorrect spelling or phone number that didn’t match your zip code, it would be less likely that you’d trust this business as much as one where all of the information matched up correctly.
4. It allows people who search for businesses online to find local companies (within their region) before they make purchasing decisions based on price alone. Having correct information in your profiles helps ensure that your company can compete with large national retailers even if you have a smaller marketing budget than them. It also means customers won’t accidentally purchase from a non-local retailer who listed their company at a similar phone number or misspellings of your name.

Incorrect information leads to missed opportunities all over the digital world – from search engines and directories like Google and Yelp, to social media like Facebook and Twitter, to maps on mobile devices. Even if you don’t create a local profile for your website (and there are many reasons why you should), being listed with an address or phone number that is partially correct can still lead customers astray.

Even if the above reasons aren’t enough to convince you, here’s one more: Your competitors will be doing this when they are creating a profile for their website as well. If you want your company to reap the benefits of digital marketing (search engine optimization, social media marketing and custom maps for mobile devices), correct business information is one key ingredient that needs to be included in every company’s online presence.

If you’re already listed with an incorrect name, address or phone number on Google, Yahoo Local or Yelp, it can seem like a daunting task to fix these errors. Fortunately, Pivotal Penguin has Listing Management Services designed specifically for local businesses that allows them to update all of this inaccurate data quickly and easily so that you can start reaping the tangible rewards of having correct business information online.

For more information about our Listing Management Services and how it can help your business, call Pivotal Penguin at (704) 776-6199 or visit PivotalPenguin.com today. We are a nationally recognized, digital marketing agency, built to promote the success of and help small and mid-size businesses control their listing information on over 300+ search engines, increase their Social Marketing along with SEO, Reputation Management, Website Design, Digital Advertising and more. Call us today to learn more!