What is directory optimization and how can my practice use it?
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
You’ve heard of search engine optimization (SEO), but what about local SEO? Local SEO is the optimization of your businesses online content to improve your rank for relevant local search queries. Whereas a website allows you to target the entire online world, local listings focus on your local area making them the perfect vessel for local SEO improvement. Through directory optimization, you can correct, enhance, and improve your listings across hundreds of search engines, local directories, maps, GPS systems, voice assistants and social networks all at once!
Put simply, you unlock your businesses potential to be found for relevant local searches through the power of directory optimization. So, how does this all work?
Relevance, Distance, Prominence
Google, the leader in online search, determines search results using three main factors including:
Relevance - Relevance refers to how well a local Business Profile matches what someone is searching for. Having complete and detailed business information helps Google better understand your business and match your profile to relevant searches.
Distance - Distance considers how far each potential search result (business) is from the location specified in a search. If a user doesn't specify a location in their search, distance is calculated based on their location.
Prominence - Prominence refers to how well known a business is. Some places are more prominent in the offline world, and search results try to reflect this in local ranking. Additionally, prominence factors in online information from links, articles, and directories, including the quality and quantity of reviews.
The Power of Directory Optimization
As we hope you’ve gathered, you must have an online presence to appear as an online search result. To appear near the top, your listing needs to be relevant, local and prominent. Let’s explore how directory optimization helps with each of these.
To recap, relevancy is how well a business profile matches what someone is searching for. In order to match, you first have to provide the search engine a description of your business including the services and products you provide. Directory optimization makes this easy by collecting your details and pushing it out to hundreds of directories in a matter of minutes.
Distance is an easy one. If the online directory doesn’t know where you’re located, how will they know which local searches you should appear for? By providing your address and having it pushed out across the web, you can rest assured all directories know where you’re located.
Lastly, let’s talk prominence, the hardest factor to control. Although Google will factor in your offline popularity, your online reputation also plays a role. As mentioned earlier, directory optimization publishes your business listing to hundreds of search engines, local directories, maps, GPS systems, voice assistants and social networks all at once! This is the easiest way to immediately impact your prominence score by simply expanding your online presence to these hundreds of sites. Additionally, having listings across these outlets, opens your business to receive more reviews, which are also a key factor in prominence.
Bonus
Although it won’t help with SEO, there are additional benefits of directory optimization when it comes to potential patient interactions. Having correct information across the web means that when people search for you, they will always find the correct address, phone # and contact information. This may sound intuitive, but you’d be shock to find out that 53% of business listings have incorrect or missing information (source).
In Closing
Whether someone is searching Google or Yelp, asking their Alexa, or researching on social media, directory optimization will ensure your business is present, improve your relevancy and prominence scores, and guarantee that the information the searcher finds is correct. Setting up your directory optimization, however, can be time consuming. If you’d rather defer to the professionals, look no further than Trifecta Marketing Services. Set up your one-on-one with a client manager today by clicking here.