Many new businesses aren’t well-informed about the benefits of multiple office listings, and lots of transitioning businesses wonder if it’s even necessary to list their businesses on platforms like Yelp, Facebook, and Google Maps. These are actually very valuable (and free!) marketing tools that can drive customers to your website or into your business’ front door.
Here is some information about why it’s beneficial to have a Facebook and Yelp business listing, as well as why a Google Maps business listing can boost your business. We’ll also address the issue of how to create these listings if you run a virtual company with no physical address.
Benefits of Office Listings
Office listings bring credibility to your business and connect you to the local community you’re in. They are an ideal place to increase your business’ exposure and also to collect reviews from your existing customers.
As a business owner, you may need to create your own listing from scratch or claim an existing listing as your own. One recent study found that approximately 56 percent of retailers haven’t claimed their Google My Business listing and that around two-thirds of local retailers haven’t claimed or added their Yelp business listing. To add business to Yelp or to claim your listing, you simply need to log in to the platform and update the basic information about your business, such as your address, phone number, website, photos, business hours, and business categories. Business listings that have been claimed and that are optimized will show up higher in search results without any cost to you.
How Consumers Use Popular Platforms
Many people use websites like Yelp, Facebook, and Google Maps to search for businesses to meet their needs. If your business isn’t listed on these popular platforms, then you’re missing out on new clients and customers. This is especially true for consumers who are searching for products or services on their mobile devices. A Google Maps business listing is very helpful for individuals who are searching for directions while on-the-go.
After you add business to Google Maps, Google My Business allows you to post updates and respond to reviews that your customers leave about their experience. By providing regular updates here, a Google Maps business listing can encourage your customers to keep coming back and to stay in touch to learn about what’s happening with your company.
How to Utilize a Virtual Business Addresses
These days, many businesses are virtual companies that employ a remote staff and don’t actually have a physical office address. In fact, Google is known to penalize businesses that use a P.O. Box in place of a real address for online listings. But this doesn’t mean that virtual companies have to miss out on new customers obtained through platform searches.
NYC Office Suites can assist you with setting up a virtual business address in vibrant Midtown Manhattan. For example, our Mail Me package includes a high-profile mailing address that’s perfect for listing your location on Yelp, Facebook, and Google Maps. This package also includes mail collection by virtual assistants, secure mail storage, mail forwarding, and a lobby listing.
As a virtual company, you’ll want to make sure that your address and phone number all match on Google, Yelp, Facebook, your website, and any other online presence in order to not raise any red flags. It’s best to work through just one virtual office to eliminate customer confusion and prevent having your listing banned.
We are also very well-connected in this industry and can help configure your customized domestic or international office location solution elsewhere in the U.S. and around the world. Contact us today to learn how you can benefit from a virtual business address and the various offices services that you can take advantage of with NYC Office Suites!