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Choosing the right local listings partner is the best way to help your business clients increase their search visibility. Expert listing management services use real-time submissions to leading directories to ensure your clients’ business information stays accurate and consistent. But how can you be sure that a listings partner will deliver the results a business expects?
Top Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Local Listings Partner
Asking questions of a potential local listings company is the best way to determine a dependable partner from one that could put your agency’s reputation and client relationships at risk. At Advice Local, we recommend asking the following questions before settling on a partner.
Which directories and platforms are included in your network?
A comprehensive listings network should include high-quality local, national and niche-specific directories. Beyond directory platforms like Superpages and YP, business data should also be submitted to data aggregators, search engines, voice search platforms, GPS mapping apps and vertical directories.
How do you ensure business data accuracy?
Identifying how a company validates data is one of the most important questions to ask before hiring a citation builder. Inaccurate data can seriously harm a business’ chances of ranking for local search terms, so make sure listings are verified against a central database to guarantee consistency.
Do you use automated or manual business listing submissions?
Automated submissions are fast, though you can run into problems with some platforms. In contrast, manual submissions offer accuracy (but with a slower, more resource-heavy approach). At Advice Local we combine the best of both methods by using a hybrid submission process.
Can you provide white-labeled reporting for business clients?
White-labeled reporting lets agencies and local marketers provide professional analytics under their own brand. This data is crucial for communicating the value of the service to clients, helping secure long-term business relationships.
Do you offer add-on services that complement listing management?
Accessing a range of local presence management tools from a single dashboard can simplify your agency’s operations. While primarily you might need listings distribution, a range of add-on services could make your agency more attractive to new clients. For more on this check out our post on what a local listings partner can do for you.
Are dedicated Google Business Listing services available?
Google Business Profile (GBP) is usually considered the most important directory for search visibility. Consequently, the best services will include tools to improve GBP monitoring and management. At Advice Local we have several solutions including GBP Sync to ensure consistent data, and GBP Auto-Rejection to prevent bad data caused by public edits.
Can you help me secure new local listings clients?
Attracting new clients to your business listing services is a consistent challenge for agencies. Options such as Advice Local’s Listing Management Sales Tool can help. Simply embed the website widget and secure new leads when they request a comprehensive visibility report.
How can I track my clients’ search engine rankings?
Tracking search engine rankings is necessary to check that your citation building process is working. An accurate rank tracker tool automates this process for agencies, while also demonstrating the effectiveness of the service to client businesses. Among our local SEO software and agency tools, you’ll find a local rankings tool for Google organic results and Maps.
Partner With a First-Rate Local Listings Partner
Advice Local has partnered with digital agencies and local marketers nationwide to provide results-driven listing management services. Speak with our team to access our business listings services, review monitoring tools and other top-rated SEO products. Contact us at (214) 310-1356 or request a demo today.