YOUR DIGITAL PRESENCE CHECK

Our knowledge. Your results.#ARCHANTINSIGHTDAY

WHAT IT DOES

Your digital presence check scans directories and social platforms to find your business details and check that your business name, address and telephone number (NAP) is correct and consistent whenever those details appear across the internet. It also checks to see that your business is appearing in all the right places.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

When someone searches for a product or service and that search has a local intent, Google will show three Google My Business results (known as the local pack). For example, if you searched for ‘restaurants near me’ or ‘restaurants in Ipswich’, Google would show the local pack at the top of the search result or just below the ads.

Google uses ranking factors and algorithms to decide which businesses to put in the local pack. One of the most important is Name, Address and Phone number consistency. The reason Google looks at this so highly is because your Google My Business has buttons to click to call or see directions. If the address or telephone number is incorrect this creates a bad user experience. People may blame Google for giving a bad result and in turn, use Google less.

Google needs to ensure that when it puts a business to the top of the results that the business details are correct. When your business appears across the internet, if these details are incorrect or inconsistent, this confuses Google (as it would people) so Google wouldn’t want to put your Google My Business at the top of the search results.

What Google likes to see is your business details correct and consistent in as many places as possible. If Google can see the correct Name, Address and Phone number on your website, Google My Business, social media pages and in a number of other places across the internet, it will give confirmation that the information is correct and so is more likely to put your business in the local pack when someone searches for the products or services you offer.

NAP consistency is not the only ranking factor, but it plays a big part in getting your business found in the local pack.

BUT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THESE DIRECTORIES, WHY DO I NEED TO BE ON THEM?

There maybe places where your business appears that people may never find, visit or have heard of, but search engines like Google will still find them. If your business is listed there and the information is incorrect, this will be negatively affecting your chances of being found in the local pack.

In short, these directories provide another opportunity for Google to verify your correct details, they’re another place your business might be found and in some cases, they can provide a valuable backlink to your website.