Local Listings Management: Boost Your Local SEO

Keeping your online listings accurate and up-to-date is super important for your business. Not only does it help people find you, but it also makes sure they get the right info about your business. But let’s be real, managing all those listings can be a headache. 

From dealing with outdated information to manually updating multiple platforms, the struggle is real. You might be facing inconsistent business details across sites, negative reviews going unnoticed, or simply not having the time to update everything regularly. 

That’s where local listing management strategies can prove useful. It cuts down the whole process, making sure your info is always spot-on and helping you look better than the competition—no SEO experience required.

Think it’s too good to be true? Let’s take a closer look.

What is Local Listings Management?

Good question! Let’s break it down a bit.

Local listings management is all about making sure your business info is correct across different listing websites and directories. This includes: 

• Your name
• Address
• Phone number
• Business hours

What kind of websites are we talking about? Think Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Bing Places. Keeping this info accurate on important sites helps people find your business more easily. Why? Because it tells search engine algorithms you are legitimate and are more likely to recommend you to users. This, in turn, means you show up higher in search results.

Traditionally, businesses might have kept track of their information manually, using spreadsheets or even paper records. This method is, quite frankly, time-consuming and prone to errors. In contrast, a local listings management tool completely automates this process, ensuring that your information is consistent across all platforms without all the manual effort.

Benefits of Local Listings Management for Local Businesses

Increased Online Visibility

Want to get noticed online? What are we saying, of course you do, you wouldn’t be reading this blog otherwise. Well, you’re in luck. Local listings management can boost your search engine rankings, making it easier for customers to find you.

For example, a local restaurant that ensures its details are correct on platforms like Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor will appear more frequently in search results when people look for places to eat nearby. This means more potential customers discovering your business, and more potential money in your pocket.

Consistent Information

Nobody likes being given the wrong info. With local listings management, you can ensure your business details are always up-to-date everywhere. This means less confusion about where the heck you’re located, and more happy customers walking through your door ready to buy.

Consider a local hardware store. If they are open longer hours in the summer, ensuring that this information is updated on all their listings can prevent customers from showing up when the store is closed. Keeping things consistent not only improves your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs) but also builds trust in your business—but more about that in the next section.

Enhanced Credibility and Trust

When your info is consistent and you have a good quantity of positive reviews on influential sites like Google, prospective customers are more likely to trust you. Keeping everything accurate and transparent shows that you’re reliable and professional.

For example, a spa with consistent business information on Google and Bing and glowing reviews across platforms like Facebook will appear more credible to potential customers compared to a competitor with outdated, missing or conflicting information.

Think about it, both of these businesses have a 5-star rating on Google, however, which would you pick?

This:

Or this?

We’d hedge our bets that you would choose option #1. Not only are there more reviews listed, but they also mention that they have been in business for over 10 years, have eye-catching photos of the inside and outside of the spa, and list a website, something option #2 mysteriously leaves out.

Improved Customer Engagement

You can use local listings to interact with customers through reviews and comments. Replying to feedback shows you care about what your customers think, and it can help you improve your services, too.

Consider, for example, a local coffee shop that recently noticed a dip in business. They decide to check out their online listings and begin responding to reviews, both positive and negative. 

This engagement not only shows customers that their opinions are valued but also provides an opportunity to address any issues and improve the business based on real customer feedback. 

In this case, many negative or neutral reviews mentioned that their coffee lacked flavor, so the owner decided to change suppliers and notify customers about their new and improved brew selection. 

Key Features to Look for in a Local Listings Management Tool

Not quite sure what to look for? We got you. Here are some key features to have on your radar:

Ease of Use

Look for a tool that’s easy to use and integrates well with major listing platforms. Remember, you want something that makes updating your info a breeze, not a chore, otherwise, what’s the point, right? 

Automated Updates

Automation is your friend! Choose a tool that automatically syncs your business info across all listings and updates in real time whenever you make a change.

For instance, if you change your business hours, the tool should automatically update this information on all relevant platforms within minutes, saving you the hassle of doing it manually for each one.

Review Management

Managing reviews is not up for debate, it is a necessity for staying on top. Get a tool that alerts you instantly when there’s new feedback so you can respond quickly and keep the conversation going with your customers. You should also be on the lookout for AI-integrated features, such as suggested responses to help make replying to your customers faster.

Another feature to look for is the ability to respond directly from the tool. This keeps you on top of customer feedback and allows for timely interactions. For example, at Broadly, our review management platform does all three of these things, here’s what it looks like:

Analytics and Reporting

Know what’s working and what’s not with detailed analytics. Good tools will show you how your listings are performing so you can make the best and most informed decisions.

For example, a tool that provides insights into which listings are driving the most traffic and which keywords are most effective can help you fine-tune your SEO strategy and improve your online presence. 

Not an SEO guru? The cool thing about listing management tools is that they can come up with keyword suggestions for you using AI. With Broadly’s Local SEO functionality, you just need to type in a keyword, and a list of suggested keywords will appear that you can click and add. Like this:

Also see: How to do local SEO

How Local Listings Management Can Boost Your Business

Higher Search Engine Rankings

Search engines want to recommend the best results to their users. Each algorithm has its own criteria for what it deems “the best” but overall the more high-quality, consistent information about your business online, the better your chances of improving your ranking in local search. 

You might be asking yourself how important being near the top of SERPs really is. And to be frank, it matters quite a lot. Vendasta recently put together a great article discussing how impactful it is to be within the top 3 results on Google (known as the local 3-pack). Here are some findings that we think might intrigue you:

• 44% of people click on Google 3-pack results.
• 86% rely on search to find a local business.
• 80% of local searches convert into a lead.
• 46% of Google searches are for local businesses.
• Search queries with the phrase “near me” have surged over 500% in recent years.

Better Customer Experience

Make sure customers always have the right info about your business. We can’t say this enough. Accurate listings mean more foot traffic and, in turn, more potential to make a sale.

For example, a hair salon with accurate contact information and business hours across all platforms makes it easy for customers who prefer different search engines to book appointments and visit the salon without any confusion.

Stronger Brand Reputation

Positive reviews and consistent info build a strong, trustworthy brand in the eyes of search engines and users alike. Not to mention, responding to reviews shows you care and helps build long-term customer loyalty.

For example, a local gym that consistently receives and responds to reviews and questions demonstrates their knowledge about health and fitness and passion for customer care. This, in turn, builds a loyal customer base that trusts they will get the support they need and attracts new clients looking for a reputable place to work out.

Also see: Benefits of online reputation management

Competitive Advantage

It’s no contest. Standing out from the competition is easier with well-managed listings. More visibility and better info out there about you online means more customers choosing you over the others.

Implementing Local Listings Management: Tips for Local Business Owners

Now that you know what local listings management tools are, and why they are important, it’s time to dig deeper into how you can make them work for your local business. Here are some strategies to help you get the most out of local listing management.

Audit Your Current Listings

When was the last time you Googled your business? Now might be the perfect time to start. 

Start by finding out where your business is listed online and make sure all the info is correct. This involves searching for your business on various platforms and noting any discrepancies in the information.

Is the address listed as Willow Crt. instead of Willow St. on Facebook, for instance? These are the types of things you need to keep an eye out for.  

At the end of the day, a thorough audit of your online presence will give you a clear picture of where you need to make updates.

Also see: How to claim a business page on Facebook

Choose the Right Tool

Pick a local listings management tool that best fits your needs. Look at ease of use, features available, and the overall cost.

Pro Tip: Consider tools that offer a free trial period so you can test them out before committing. Be mindful of your options and choose one you foresee yourself using for the long haul, because a yearly subscription is often cheaper than a monthly one.

Keep Information Updated

Regularly check and update your business info. You heard us right. Even if you have local listings management software by your side, some listing sites can be reluctant to update information or still require it to be updated manually. 

Also, no matter how good your listing management tool is, it is useless if you don’t tell it when information about your business changes. This includes changes in hours, new locations, or updated contact details.

Setting a monthly reminder to review and update your listings can ensure that your information remains accurate and up-to-date.

Engage with Customers

Monitor and promptly respond to bad reviews. Ideally, within the first hour.

How can you achieve this? Create a schedule for checking and responding to positive and negative reviews. You can divide and conquer by enlisting the help of team members to ensure that no feedback goes unnoticed and customers feel heard. 

Monitor Performance

Track how your listings are doing with analytics. You can use these valuable insights to keep improving your online presence gradually over time.

Regularly review the key performance metrics you have selected for your business listings, such as search rankings, click-to-calls, and star ratings, as these can help you identify areas for improvement and optimize your listing strategy.

How Broadly Can Help

Broadly has got you covered with the awesome features available through Local SEO.

• Syncs to Google, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Apple Maps
• Local SEO search grid
• Reporting on up to 15 keywords
• Weekly keyword refresh rate
• Keyword suggestions
• Google Business Profile insights
• Citations reporting
• And more!

Broadly’s comprehensive toolset ensures that your business listings are always accurate and optimized for maximum visibility. With features like real-time updates and review management, you can stay on top of your online presence with a lot less hassle.

Ready to overhaul your online presence? Sign up for a demo of Broadly’s software and see how it can help your local business get to the top.