214-310-1356
It’s been a while since we have discussed local presence management and its many benefits. But this apparent lack of attention does not indicate it’s suddenly unimportant. Of course, it’s still critically important – but we have been reframing the conversation to make it easier to understand, and easier to communicate the concept to your local business clients.
Understanding Local Presence Management
As a refresher, local presence management is a strategy for optimizing and maintaining a business’ information and reputation across directory listings, data aggregators, search engines and social media within a specific geographic area. It ensures that the business name, address, contact information and customer reviews are consistent, and easily discoverable by local consumers. It also includes the business’ website – which many of our agency partners like you handle for them! All of these elements are part of the 200 ranking factors we discussed previously.
In effect, local presence management consists of all the items we’ve discussed with you in many different ways over recent years.
Data Accelerators
Covering high-quality search engines and mapping platforms, data accelerators are core to local presence management. The data accelerators included in our Data Amplifier Network are Google, Bing, Apple Maps, Yelp, MapQuest and other well-established platforms.
Due to the level of curation involved, these sites ensure your clients’ business data is trusted, initiating greater syndication to additional platforms.
Data Enhancers
Directory marketing suffered reputational damage in the past (when low-quality spam sites were found in abundance) until Google cracked down on the process. However, since that time many first-rate directories have focused heavily on individuation, and are delivering excellent results for local businesses.
Such platforms are called data enhancers, and include BrownBook, BubbleLife, Foursquare, DexKnows and others of similar stature. At Advice Local, we thoroughly scrutinize the quality metrics of a platform before it comes near our network.
GPS Accelerators
Local businesses are reliant on geographically-targeted searches. But when looking for an organization, Google Search is not the only option that consumers turn to. Increasingly, mapping apps and navigational solutions are the go-to choices for finding a business.
GPS accelerators ensure that your clients’ businesses are featured in all the right places – and with accurate data. These platforms include Garmin, TomTom, Waze, Samsung and major car manufacturers like Audi, BMW, Ford and Toyota.
Voice Search Readiness
For many people digital assistants began as a curiosity, yet are now fully integrated into the search activities of millions. When consumers want to locate a business, find their opening hours, learn what products they’re selling – and see their review score – increasing numbers will turn to Siri, Alexa, Google Home and other assistants.
For those in agencies, you should first identify if your clients are getting found in voice searches, and then take steps to submit accurate data. Of course, this is easy with our Voice Search Readiness Test and submission process.
Vertical Directories
Relevance is a crucial pillar of local SEO. For traffic and backlink purposes, niche-relevant vertical directories will help your clients receive more targeted traffic and increase local presence. For instance, our network has a selection of platforms for businesses in the legal and healthcare industries that deliver high levels of relevance and authority.
Take Control of the Local Search Ecosystem
All of these elements are part of our listing management services, and are an essential component of a business’ local presence. Our services are designed to help agencies grow a client’s digital footprint within the local ecosystem, leading to greater visibility and more organic traffic.
If you focus on utilizing tools and services that consider the local ranking factors, you too will help your local business clients achieve greater online visibility.
As consumers continue to use diverse platforms to research local businesses, the ability to control data and syndicate it to leading platforms has never been more important.
Access Our Local Presence Management Solutions
If you are already an Advice Local partner, these tools are available to you right now from your partner dashboard.
And if you’re not yet a partner, and would like to learn how you can provide a comprehensive range of local presence management tools, call us at (214) 310-1356 or request a demo today.