What that means is that the place you go to see your website data has changed. Some things are way better in GA4 and some… not so much. We’ll be taking a look at these in this article.

But don’t fret, while GA4 may require a learning curve you never asked for, I can promise you that you’ll see immediate benefits once you’re on the other side!

Now, GA4 is not actually new, it’s been around since October 2020. That’s not important—the important part is that you will already have GA4, whether you realise it or not. This is due to Google going through and automatically upgrading all UA properties earlier in 2023, ahead of the July 1st sunset date.

You might be thinking that GA4 is not that useful or important in the grander scheme of your local business operations. Here’s where you could be missing out on a great opportunity, as at its core GA4 is a powerful (and free!) web measurement tool that can help you accurately measure your marketing efforts.

All businesses big and small have some sort of marketing presence—from SEO to social media to paid to email and so on. All of these marketing channels are aiming to drive awareness of your brand and to generate traffic to your website and for this traffic to turn into leads.

To effectively use GA4, we have to look at two aspects—tracking your marketing and tracking your website conversions. Then you can accurately see the success of each channel and campaign.

Track Your Marketing

The first thing to know about measuring your marketing campaigns in GA4 is that Google does not do this for you automatically. That is, GA4 has no idea of where your website visitors are coming from unless you dictate this to GA4. And the way we do this is by using something called UTM parameters in the URLs we use in the marketing links.

There are only two exceptions to this rule—Google Ads and SEO (except Google Business Profiles, but we’ll come back to this later on). Both of these marketing channels will be tracked automatically in GA4.

The process of implementing UTM parameters in your marketing links is relatively simple on paper. You add information in the query string of the URL, so when the visitor clicks the link, GA4 can read the campaign information you added in the UTMs and then present that directly to you in your new GA4 reports. It’s actually no different from UA in that respect!

Addressing the local SEO elephant-in-the-room, for some reason UTMs are not automatically applied in Google Business Profiles, and it’s critical to measuring your local search visibility. You should apply UTMs to your website link manually in this case.

And this is actually the exact same process for all of your marketing channels—Google doesn’t treat SEO links any differently from email, social, paid, etc. So this process should ideally be rolled out across all channels wherever possible.

Track Your Conversions

Now that the hard part is done, let’s address how you measure your website conversions. Starting by defining what a ‘Conversion’ is defined as within GA4:

“A conversion is any user action that’s valuable to your business; for example, a user purchasing from your store or subscribing to your newsletter are examples of common conversions.”

This is pretty vague, but in short, it’s any action a visitor can take on your website that you deem to be good. In GA4 you can have up to 30 conversions at any time, so you can think of them as any action you’d like your visitors to do more of, not just the main and obvious one(s).

The nice thing about GA4 is that there are a bunch of events that are automatically tracked without you having to do anything manual or custom. And an ‘Event’ is what GA4 tracks from your website—think of events as all of the actions that occur on your website from your visitors.

To check to see what events you are automatically tracking, and to turn some on/off, you will need to go into the GA4 admin screen and select ‘Data streams’ in the options:

Then select your data stream, then open the enhanced measurement settings:

And here you can toggle on/off any of the events:

Any changes you make here will only take effect from that moment forward. So leave it a few days and when you come back, you’ll have the data to look at.

Tracking events is great, but now we’ll need to go in and tell GA4 which one(s) are deemed to be important and classed as a conversion(s). You can do this again in the admin screen and then head to ‘Events’ and then use the sliders on the right-hand side:

Any changes here will again only take effect from that moment forward.

Having these automatically tracked events is a real benefit for local businesses as it can track most leads. For example:

1. The click event tracks any outbound link click from your visitors. This includes any mailto: and tel: hyperlinks (for example, when someone clicks to get in touch with you), and even tracks links off to booking/reservation engines for restaurants, venues, etc.
2. The form_start and form_submit events do what they say on the tin: they track when your website visitors start filling in one of your forms, and then when it has (successfully) been submitted. This is especially useful for lead generation websites to request call backs, or for signing up to your mailing list.
3. The scroll event tracks whenever the bottom of a page is viewed. This can be used in conjunction with the page_view event to work out the percentage of page views that were scrolled to the bottom. Useful on blog pages as a measure of your visitors reading the content you may be ranking for.

GA4 goes beyond the automatically collected events too and actually allows you to create brand new events!

Reporting in GA4

Now that you have the building blocks in place, the next thing you’ll want to do is look at your data! We’ll be mainly doing this in the ‘Reports’ section which you can access from the left hand main menu:

In here you’ll find two types of reports—overview and detail. The overview reports are the ones that look like dashboards, and are a page full of ‘cards’ that have different charts and data in each of them. Whereas the detail reports have two charts at the top and then a big data table underneath. Most of the reporting done in GA4 is in the detail reports.

I won’t be going through all of the reports that are available in GA4, but you can read more on what each of them do if you like. We are going to focus on two detail reports in this article—the ‘Traffic acquisition’ report and ‘Demographic details’ report.

Traffic Acquisition

You can access this report under Life cycle > Acquisition > Traffic acquisition:

In this report you can see all of the traffic coming from each of your marketing channels (from the UTM parameters detailed above), and see the success of each one through various metrics. You can change the dimension on the leftmost side of the data table to something else by clicking on the dropdown arrow—for example ‘Session source/medium’:

You can see the traffic each channel has generated, and the relative performance of each. Useful metrics include Users, Sessions, Engagement rate, Average engagement time per session and Conversions. And for the Conversions column, you can use that dropdown arrow to cycle through each of your conversions you have defined:

Demographic Detail

You can access this report under User > User attributes > Demographic details:

This report functions in the exact same way as the Acquisition details report, but instead looks at the geography of the website visitors. Where you can change the default ‘Country’ dimension to something like Region or Town/City, or even look at Language—the language setting of your website visitor’s browser.

In this report you can see the performance of local traffic and conversions, and how that changes over time.

Next-level Analytics

This article has been a quick tour of how to best use GA4 for your local business’ website, but we haven’t even scratched the surface of what GA4 can do for you!

If you want to learn more about what GA4 can do and truly master it, I run a 6-week GA4 Immersion training course every few months that goes into more detail and includes videos, live group sessions, 1-2-1 sessions and practical exercises throughout.

You can reach out to me directly on LinkedIn and Twitter/X, and you can hear more from me on the weekly analytics podcast I co-host called The Measure Pod.

We summoned our brave community to share their most spine-tingling, hair-raising, and downright terrifying local SEO experiences. Prepare to be haunted by client catastrophes, cursed Google Business Profiles, and marketing stories that are best told under the cloak of darkness. Read on if you dare!

Greg "Ghostly" Gifford

Chief Operating Officer at SearchLab Digital

Claire "The Crypt Keeper" Carlile

Local SEO Expert at BrightLocal

In addition to Greg’s totally terrifying Q&As, Claire found even more horrifying answers on a Google Business Profile. 

As you can see, one local car dealership’s poor customer service was brought to the forefront of their GBP Q&A section. Surely answering the phone isn’t as scary as they think? 

In the words of Stephen King, “hotels are superstitious places. No thirteenth floor or room thirteen, no mirrors on the back of the door you come in through, stuff like that.”

However, the Stanley Hotel that inspired his book, The Shining, is making good use of their Q&A section, with guests asking the all-important questions. 

Melissa "Poltergeist" Popp

Content Strategy Director at RicketyRoo

“RicketyRoo welcomed a client fleeing from an evil past agency, a villain that had orchestrated an unholy contract, claiming copyright ownership over every piece of content on the client’s existing website. Like an eerie ghost story where the antagonist traps the innocent in a haunted mansion, this agency had the client ensnared in a legal nightmare, forcing them to relinquish their own digital home.

“The terror didn’t stop there. As we hurried to recreate their website, we felt the haunting pressure of the clock ticking ominously, knowing the previous agency’s shadow loomed large. This unsettling episode wasn’t just a jump scare but a full-length horror film that unfolded right before our eyes. We managed to exorcise the client’s digital demons, but the fear for our industry—now revealed to have its own set of lurking monsters—still lingers.”

Elizabeth "Ghoul" Rule

SEO Analyst at Sterling Sky

“Here is a Local SEO horror story I think many can relate to!!

“It takes a lot to scare me, but when a client sends an email that they have moved their office address without consulting their SEO team I get instant chills down my spine.

“The chills only get worse upon checking the new address when we discover it happens to be located in the SAME building as some of the toughest competition in their industry. This scenario would make even the bravest local SEOs want to run and hide.

“Turns out ALL the injury lawyers in the area rent offices in the same building the client just moved into… guess PI lawyers get a good deal on rent there Cue the Psycho style scream as I realize I will need to explain to the client how the local filter was now going to be working OVERTIME on their listing and their rankings were going to take a hit. Making major business decisions without consulting your SEO team? Now THAT’S scary!!”

Blake "Dracula" Denman

Founder at RicketyRoo

“A former PPC client sent someone to my apartment to threaten me. The client thought I was clicking on his ads. He added single keyword, broad match and upped the budget to $5k/day. I fixed it, and he sent me a commercial grade Vitamix that was used in a Burger King promo. Still have it!”

Amy "Tomb" Toman

SEO Analyst at Digital Law Marketing

“I’m aware of a website that has 200+ “keywords” added in an exceptionally small font on the bottom of every single page (not a footer; customized to each page). I thought that went out in 2010 2005. ”

Dana "Dastardly" DiTomaso

President & Partner at Kick Point

“[I once had] a client who originally wanted to focus on organic traffic increases but then didn’t actually say what they do at their company on their website, in their marketing materials, literally anywhere at all. ”

Ben "Boo" Fisher

Founder and VP of Marketing at Steady Demand

In our latest webinar, Ben Fisher shared a rotten example of a business who created their own business signage to get their GBP verified… This led to a suspension, and we all know there’s no worse local SEO horror story than a GBP suspension! 

Celeste "Gory" Gonzalez

SEO Strategist at RicketyRoo

“A client demanded to know why they did not receive the same amount of leads as they did the year before when they had never done SEO before or tracked leads from their website. Their leads from the previous year came from their paper flyers, Facebook groups, and NextDoor posts. Then that same client then also was upset about Google Ads leads coming from the location radius that he had set and confirmed with our PPC team.”

Krystal "Fang" Taing

Solutions Engineer, Strategic Partnerships at Uberall

“I once had a multi-location eyeglass retailer where a customer spammed their listings and added pictures of Lord Voldemort in glasses to about 50 different locations. This was fun reporting and escalating to Google! “

“Be afraid. Be very afraid.”

The Fly (1986)

Even More Tales from the Web-keepers

We also asked our community of local SEOs for their spooky tales, and let’s just say, you might want to sit down reading some of these; they’re guaranteed to scare the hell out of you (or at least make you laugh!). 

Nina P, SEO Lady shared:

“The eCommerce [I owned] sold same sex wedding table decorations, like Mr & Mr / Mrs & Mrs. However, it’s a site I built which had my home office address [on it]. Putting it on Google Maps was a dreadful mistake. We had swingers knocking on the door asking to buy latex clothing and wanting to come in. I still have an answerphone message with a mobile phone number asking me whether I’d like some fun this weekend!”

Nina followed up with another story…

“I was in Tunisia on holiday with my school friend and drinking wine by the pool when my phone pinged and it was the front door CCTV. A very dapper older gentleman with white hair, a leather man bag and golf umbrella was waiting.

“My husband answered the door, there was a short exchange, and the door slammed leaving the gentleman standing there for a second.

“My phone pinged, hubby was furious. Marriage ending mad. “WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?” and I had to put down my wine.

“The gent had politely enquired what range of butt plugs we had in stock, and could he come in to take a look at our toys. What surprised us both is that we are on a residential street with no shop front. 

“My husband thought I was having an affair! I explained about Google Business and in 15 years not one person has come knocking on our door to speak with the SEO Lady. Clearly I’d underestimated the gravitas of naming my business samesexgifts.co.uk which was named Same Sex Gifts on Maps and Facebook.  

“When I got home I hid our address. The domain and eCommerce site are for sale .” 

Ash Nallawalla explained:

“I didn’t keep a screenshot, but my detailed check of a bank’s GBPs showed a horror story that had not been picked up. Google had scrambled up entries of many entities. e.g. Bank A’s ATM showed the address of Bank B or of Bank C, all on the same page. During the same Google glitch, I lost my own “Melbourne SEO” ranking in GBP to a competitor on the same floor of our building. Their photos were shown among ours and the two addresses were mixed up.”

Stefan Janjić Lozo told us: 

“There’s an auto wrecker and spare parts business in Serbia where the reviews on the business are becoming a meme in the region.”

A note from BrightLocal:

Upon further investigation, we found the owner of the business is just plain rude to his customers! We’ll keep the business anonymous, but as you can see from the 1-star review below, he’s certainly left a curse on his customers!

This, in turn, has led to an onslaught of reviews from those commending his rudeness, and as Stefan says, has turned into a bit of a meme.

The website even details at length, how not to behave and communicate with him. The translation includes “Please do not call us before 9am and after 9pm. Most people know when to call, but there are also those who for some reason think it’s okay to call in the morning at 6am or in the evening after 11pm!?” 

“The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years—if it ever did end—began…”

Stephen King, It (1986)

And with that, we close the book on spooky stories, hide the book in a locked box, and keep the locked box well out of sight. Have a great Friday 13th, and remember to avoid breaking mirrors, crossing black cats, or getting your GBP suspended.

In this blog, we will explore how to create effective client reports with BrightLocal, ensuring that you provide your clients with the information they need to make informed decisions and see the impact of your work.

Step 1: Choose Your Metrics Wisely

Before diving into report creation, it’s essential to determine which metrics are most relevant to your client’s goals and the services you provide. BrightLocal offers a wide range of metrics, including local search rankings, online visibility, citation tracking, and more. Select metrics that align with your client’s objectives and KPIs to keep the report focused and actionable.

BrightLocal provides a feature called Location Summary, which offers a consolidated view of essential local search data specific to a particular business location. This summary can be easily customized and shared with clients. You have the flexibility to remove any unnecessary data from the Location Summary page or even exclude the Location Summary page entirely from the white label dashboard.

You can generate reports for internal purposes without including them in the white-label dashboard. Some local SEO experts suggest keeping rank tracking internal while still running those reports for your own monitoring. 

In certain reports, specific data can be hidden from the white-label versions as well. For example, the Local Rank Tracker report allows you to hide certain elements.

The Local Search Audit report permits the omission of any sections you deem unnecessary. Simply go to ‘Edit Report Settings’ and use the checkboxes in Report Sections to choose what you don’t want to be included.

Step 2: Set Clear Goals and Benchmarks

Establish clear goals and benchmarks with your clients from the outset. What are they hoping to achieve with your local SEO services? Are they looking to increase website traffic, boost online visibility, or improve their local search rankings? By setting specific goals, you can tailor your reports to showcase progress and success in a meaningful way.

Step 3: Customize Your Report Templates

BrightLocal provides customizable report templates that allow you to tailor the report’s appearance and content to your client’s brand and preferences. You can add your agency’s logo, choose color schemes for all BrightLocal reports, and arrange the report sections to highlight the most critical information first. Customization helps create a professional and branded report that leaves a lasting impression.

Step 4: Include Actionable Insights

Don’t just present data; provide actionable insights and recommendations. Use the metrics and data from BrightLocal to explain what the numbers mean for your client’s business. For example, if local search rankings have improved, explain how this translates into increased visibility and potentially more leads. Offering actionable insights demonstrates your expertise and value as a digital marketing partner.

The Notes Module in Brightlocal is a useful way to leave notes for your clients in their report dashboard or Location Summary page. They allow you to provide further value beyond statistical reporting by adding your expert insights, explanations, and suggestions alongside the charts and graphs. You can also use the Notes Module to leave internal notes for yourself or your team and hide these from your clients.

Here’s how you can add, delete, edit, and hide a Notes Module on a Location’s summary page.

Step 5: Visualize Data Effectively

Utilize charts, graphs, and visual representations of data to make the report more engaging and easy to understand. BrightLocal allows you to create visual reports that provide a quick overview of key metrics. Visualizations can help clients grasp trends and improvements at a glance.

Bonus Tip: Utilizing BrightLocal Data with Looker Studio

For agencies and marketers seeking advanced reporting capabilities and data visualization, BrightLocal’s flexibility extends beyond its native reporting features. You can leverage BrightLocal’s data by downloading and incorporating it into powerful reporting tools like Looker Studio. Doing so can unlock even more extensive data analysis, create interactive dashboards, and tailor reports to specific client needs. This empowers you to take your client reporting to the next level, providing in-depth insights and data-driven storytelling. 

Step 6: Provide Historical Data

Comparing current data with historical data can illustrate progress over time. Use BrightLocal’s historical data tracking to show how key metrics have evolved. This not only highlights improvements but also reinforces the long-term value of your services.

Step 7: Schedule Automated Reports

Save time and streamline your reporting process by scheduling automated reports through BrightLocal. You can set the frequency and recipients, ensuring that clients receive updated reports regularly. Automation helps you stay organized and ensures that clients are consistently informed about their progress.

Step 8: Review and Discuss the Report with Clients

Don’t just send reports and leave it at that. Schedule regular review meetings with your clients to discuss the report’s findings, answer questions, and align strategies. These meetings provide an opportunity to strengthen your client-agency relationship and adjust strategies based on client feedback and changing goals.

Summary

Creating effective client reports with BrightLocal goes beyond data presentation; it’s about delivering value, fostering transparency, and building trust. By choosing the right metrics, customizing reports, providing actionable insights, and maintaining open communication, you can ensure that your client reports serve as valuable tools that demonstrate the impact of your local SEO efforts. BrightLocal’s features and automation capabilities make the process efficient, allowing you to focus on delivering exceptional results and client satisfaction.

In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of practitioner listings, offering insights into how they can enhance your online presence. Plus, we’ll delve into effective management strategies and show you how BrightLocal’s tools, such as Citation Tracker, can simplify the process. Whether you’re a medical practitioner, legal expert, wellness coach, or beauty professional, this guide will help you harness the power of practitioner listings to reach your target audience more effectively.

What are practitioner listings?

A practitioner listing is an individual Google Business Profile entry designed for public-facing professionals who belong to a larger business but offer independent services, such as lawyers, doctors, and hair stylists. It offers them the opportunity to establish a distinct online presence apart from the main business entity.

Practitioner listings offer a tailored approach to online business directories, enabling individual professionals to highlight their expertise and connect with potential clients seeking specialized services. 

Consider a scenario where your local dentist employs four dental practitioners, each with their own area of expertise. One dentist specializes in teeth whitening, while another excels in Invisalign braces. This is precisely what a practitioner listing is meant for—enabling each dentist to create a personalized listing that highlights their unique expertise and offerings.

What types of businesses are eligible for practitioner listings?

• Medical and Healthcare Professionals: Doctors, dentists, chiropractors, and other healthcare practitioners.
• Therapists and Mental Health Practitioners: Psychologists, counselors, therapists, and mental health professionals.
• Legal Experts: Lawyers, attorneys, and legal consultants.
• Wellness and Fitness Specialists: Yoga instructors, personal trainers, nutritionists, and wellness coaches.
• Beauty and Aesthetic Professionals: Hair stylists, makeup artists, tattoo artists, skincare specialists, and other beauty experts.
• Educational Tutors and Coaches: Academic tutors, life coaches, career advisors, and mentors.

What are the pros and cons of practitioner listings?

Practitioner listings can offer several advantages and disadvantages.

Pros

• Increased Visibility: Practitioner listings can boost the online visibility of individual professionals within a larger business entity.
• Personal Branding: Practitioner listings allow professionals to build and promote their personal brand, which can be essential for establishing trust and credibility among clients. Professionals can also keep this listing in the event that they move businesses/practices, allowing them to maintain their brand independent of their current business. 
• Customization: Each practitioner can customize their listing with unique information, such as hours of operation, services offered, and customer reviews, showcasing their specific expertise and services.
• Local SEO Benefits: Having separate practitioner listings can improve the local SEO for the business, increasing the likelihood of appearing in local search results.

Cons

• Management Complexity: Maintaining multiple practitioner listings can be time-consuming and complex, especially for larger businesses with numerous professionals. Ensuring consistency in information across all listings can be challenging.
• Potential for Confusion: Customers might get confused if there are multiple listings for a single business, each representing a different practitioner. This confusion can lead to misunderstandings or miscommunications.
• Risk of Negative Reviews: Practitioner listings can receive negative reviews, which may impact the overall reputation of the business. Managing and responding to these reviews becomes important.
• Dependency on Individual Practitioners: If a practitioner leaves the business or relocates, their listing may need to be updated or removed, which can be a hassle.

Effective management can help mitigate some of the drawbacks associated with practitioner listings. Let’s look at how some of BrightLocal’s tools can be utilized to efficiently oversee practitioner listings and address certain challenges linked to them.

How to Use BrightLocal to Help Manage Practitioner Listings

Citation Tracker

Citation Tracker can help you by automating the process of finding and auditing your citations, enabling you to quickly see where a business is listed, what data is displayed about the business, and where competitors are listed but your business is not. This is going to help you eliminate the challenge of ensuring consistency in information across all listings.

Start by creating a Citation Tracker report for the business. Once the report is set up, go to the Live Citations tab, and using the Site Type column, filter the Found Citations table to get a list of the niche directories. 

The aim here is to make sure that the most important existing niche listings for the business are correct and up-to-date. You can do this by clicking on the blue arrow in the Actions column which will take you to the citation where you can check that it has the correct information and make any changes. 

Next, go to the Competitors Citations tab and using the Site Type column, filter the table to get a list of the niche directories. 

If you notice that there are citations that your competitors have but you don’t, then it’s a good idea to go after them and level up the playing field. You can do this by clicking on the plus sign button in the Actions column which will take you to the site where you can then claim your listing. 

If you have a lot of citations that need claiming/building you can save yourself some time by ordering a Citation Builder campaign and we’ll do the hard work for you. 

The report should have also identified any existing practitioner listings (i.e. GBPs and niche listings), they will also be in the Live Citations tab. As mentioned earlier, customers might get confused if there are multiple listings for a single business, each representing a different practitioner. 

If there are practitioner listings in the report, now is a good time to see how they could be strengthened and any confusion minimized. 

For example, if the business has many practitioners that specialize in different aspects, then it could be a good idea to strengthen each individual listing, to help the company’s visibility for various search terms.

For example, a law firm might have someone specializing in criminal law and someone else who specializes in family law. Updating their practitioner listings to reflect these specialisms will not only minimize confusion but also help those listings rank for more specific searches. 

If there are several practitioners it might be worth running Citation Tracker reports for each one of them to get a deeper look at what niche citations exist and could be claimed to further enhance search visibility.

Google Business Profile Audit

Setting up a Google Business Profile Audit report for the business will help you to understand what primary categories competitors are using for your chosen search terms. 

You’ll see a tab for each of the search terms/keywords that you entered when setting up the report at the top of the table. The table in each keyword tab shows you the top 10 businesses that rank for each search term and where your business comes in that list. It also shows you the primary business category that each of your competitors is using in their Google Business Profile (GBP). 

If the majority of competitors are using the same category but you have something different and you want to rank for the search term, then you might want to consider updating the primary category on your GBP. 

This is also a good place to see if any individual practitioner GBPs show up in the top 10 local search results and if they might be improved by updating their GBP category as well. Just like you did before, now is a good time to see how they could be strengthened and any confusion minimized. 

For example, updating practitioner GBP categories to reflect their specialisms will not only minimize confusion but also help them rank better for more specific searches. 

Local Search Grid

To dig a little deeper and further enhance the business and practitioners’ GBPs, you can run a Local Search Grid report for each search term and see what secondary categories competitors are using. 

Similar to GBP Audit, look at which primary and secondary categories your competitors are using and see how your business and any practitioners match up. 

Conclusion

Practitioner listings offer a unique opportunity for professionals across various fields to showcase their expertise and connect with potential clients in a personalized way. While they come with both advantages and challenges, effective management can help harness their full potential.

Citation Tracker, Google Business Profile Audit, and Local Search Grid offer powerful solutions to streamline the management of practitioner listings, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and improved visibility in local search results.

By leveraging these tools, you can not only enhance your online presence but also provide a seamless experience for clients seeking specialized services. Practitioner listings are a valuable addition to any professional’s digital marketing strategy, and with the right management approach, they can be a game-changer in reaching a target audience effectively and building a strong online reputation.

How to add a brand new listing

1. Go to https://www.golocal247.com/ and click on the “Get Listed Today” button on the main page.
   

2. You will be directed to the page asking for detailed information about your business. All mandatory fields will be marked with an asterisk. Fill in as much information as you can, then at the end of the page, select the necessary checkboxes and click the “Submit Your Free Listing” button.
   

3. Your submitted listing will then be reviewed by the site’s moderators and published after approval. On average, it should take no more than 24 hours.
   

4. You can manage your listing by logging in via this link: https://www.golocal247.com/user/login.
5. Once logged in, click “My Businesses” from the menu on the right.
   

6. You will see the listing that you have added—just click on the business name.
   

7. You will see the main summary of the business information. Click the “Edit Business Information” button underneath it.
   

8. Upload your logo and double-check the contact person’s name and surname or remove it altogether if you don’t want this to be visible on the listing.
   

9. Once you click “Update,” it will take another 24 hours for the information to be reviewed and published. 

What is the Google Business Profile Community?

The community (most often referred to as ‘the forum’) is a support message board hosted by Google. It’s a place to ask general and specific questions about Google Business Profiles. It’s also, and this is its most important purpose, the place where concerns may be escalated for manual review by Google. For most, this is the final place to get action on a concern that affects their business.

What types of questions are asked?

Some questions are relatively simple, like where to find an element in a listing, like “where can I find my Business Profile ID?” or how to update categories. Others get more involved, like how something should be done to comply with Google’s guidelines. But the most detailed questions are from those whose listings have been suspended and are seeking reinstatement (“Google is claiming profile is not eligible for display,” or “Kindly remove this suspended tag; we are following your guidelines”).Those threads often require documentation and photos, and may become rather lengthy based on the information needed.

What are the most common topics on the forum?

These are the primary topics I see most often:

• A listing has been suspended, and reinstatement was denied. These can usually be appealed, but sometimes business owners either have questions about the process, or they are told to contact the specialist team.
• Short-term issues based on current problematic elements. At this time, verifications are a hot topic.
• A listing has been negatively affected by an attack, and reporting the situation didn’t get the desired response. 
• Reviews are missing or were never published.

Who answers forum questions?

The forum is staffed by volunteers from around the world. Some log in occasionally to help out as they can, and others do so quite often. Those who give the most time and who demonstrate the widest range of knowledge are designated by Google as Product Experts (PEs). There are four levels, from Silver (new but knowledgeable) to Diamond (have demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the platform). PEs at these Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond levels may escalate issues to the Google team for manual review. 

Forum volunteers have a wide range of knowledge, of both Google resources and their applications, and workarounds to ongoing problems. They are often given access to the newest information from Google on current bugs, as well as hearing about new innovations. As a result, they often have the best solutions to new issues. 

It should be remembered that Product Experts are not Google employees, so they don’t have access to user accounts to make changes, updates, or fix issues. They can, though, help by suggesting solutions or escalating to Google when needed. 

Also, it should be remembered that PEs are volunteers, so being polite and responsive really helps your case. Providing requested documents, photos, and other proof will help get your problem resolved efficiently. Interaction with PEs may save your business, so working with them should be a top priority.

What should users keep in mind before posting?

First make sure you’ve exhausted all efforts on your side. Have you reported that fake review? Have you contacted Support and received their response? Has Google published a resource page, and did you follow their directions? Many issues can be addressed using Google’s resources, so that’s always the best place to start.

On a more personal level, keep in mind that those who respond are volunteers, not Google staffers. Their goal is to help businesses, so the more information you provide, the easier it will be for them to provide accurate responses.

Also, Product Experts cannot access individual account information, so they cannot make edits or reinstate listings. Instead, they help answer user questions, offer guidance, and escalate to Google when there are no other options.

What should be included in the title of a post?

The best way to attract help is to include your specific concern, like ‘My listing was suspended.‘ More helpful is if you mention further details, like ‘Profile has been suspended because it does not meet the eligibility criteria.’ Laying out the details in the title helps Product Experts understand what’s going on before they start working on your situation. 

This post’s title was very specific about their question:

That’s not always the case. This post’s title didn’t offer any clue to what they needed help with, and their message content was a duplicate of the title. Not the best way to request help.

For this post to be answered appropriately, information will be requested, like what they mean by “block,” what listing this affects, and what they hope to achieve by posting.

What details should appear in your first post for an issue?

Be as specific as possible, outlining the problem, explaining what’s been done so far, and the results you’ve seen that were not what you’d expected. Then offer details about your listing, noting the title, the address (even if it doesn’t show on the listing), and the Case IDs of any prior communications with Google. A link to the listing is also helpful. If you’ve applied for a reinstatement, you will also be asked for supporting documentation and photos, so have those ready.

If the listing has suffered a review attack, it’s especially helpful if you offer the suspected cause, and links to proof (like social media posts or news coverage).

What you should not add to your first post

Because those who respond are volunteers, being polite and succinct definitely helps. Also, you want to include details, but only those that pertain to the actual situation; extraneous information may not help, and walls of text are difficult to read. Posting in capital letters isn’t helpful either. 

What happens next? 

In their response, a Product Expert may ask more about the initial situation, request to see your supporting documentation, or may even answer your question right away. Many times they provide a final answer, and that will be the end of that thread. But if they escalate a concern, you must be patient and wait for the response. A smart move is to keep an eye on the listing you mention; you may see action before the PE gets back to you.

If you don’t receive the response you expect, you may want to ask the PE if there’s anything more you can do, or any further documentation you can provide. While Google’s word is final, you may want to offer further proof or circumstances to better illustrate the situation. In the end, though, the PE’s response is usually final.

What happens if I don’t hear back?

Google’s response times vary depending on many factors. If you don’t see a response from the PE within a week, respond to your post asking for an update. Again, you should also be keeping an eye on your listing in case Google takes action before you’re notified.

The Google Business Profile forum can be a wealth of information, whether helping with research, or solving concerns outright. But getting an answer in the forum is not always guaranteed. By posting your question in a concise but detailed manner upfront, replying with additional details or supporting documentation as requested, and being polite toward the volunteer who’s helping you, you’ll strongly increase your chances of getting a response and a resolution to your concern.

So, how does one optimize an Apple Business Connect (ABC)? The process is not entirely straightforward, but it is fairly easy compared to verifying a listing on Google Maps. Once verified you might be asking yourself questions like:

• Just how much effort should you be putting into optimizing your Apple listing? 
• What do you do when you can’t edit the information on an Apple listing? 
• Does Apple Maps even matter compared to Google Maps?!

Well, wonder no more… let’s dive into it!

Before You Start, You Need to Get an Apple Maps Listing

If you are not already integrated with Apple culture and don’t have an Apple ID, you will need to create one. Then use that to proceed with claiming your Apple Maps listing or to create a brand new listing.

Once you have the Apple ID, go to businessconnect.apple.com and login. From this dashboard, go to “Locations” in the side menu, then click “Add” in the top right, then search for your business by name and follow the prompts to put in all your business information (name, address, phone number.) From here you can either select an existing listing or create a new one.

How to Add or Claim an Apple Maps Listing

Claim Your Listing

You can also claim a listing right from Apple Maps by clicking “claim this place” on the top or bottom of the listing, then following the instructions on the web page that opens. 

Once you have the listing created you will then need to verify it. Verifying an Apple business listing is pretty easy. They give you two options:

• Verify via phone call (instant)
• Verify via official document review (takes up to 5 days)

Typically verifying via phone is the fastest way to verify, but this only works when you are claiming a listing. If you created a new listing, you must verify via document review. The types of documents Apple asks for are utility bills, phone bills, insurance policies, etc.

How To Optimize Your Apple Maps Listing

Optimizing an Apple business connect listing is a lot like optimizing a Google Business Profile or Bing Places listing. All of the following fields are available to edit in the dashboard:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Business Categories
• Open hours
• Logo (1024 X 1024px) and banner image (1600 x 1040px)
• “About” description (max 500 characters)

Pay very close attention to your business category and make sure it’s the most appropriate one, as that has a clear impact on the types of searches you will show up for on Apple Maps.

Where do reviews on Apple Maps come from?

Unlike Google, users are not able to leave reviews directly on an Apple listing. Instead, Apple pulls reviews from third-party websites including Facebook and Yelp. Sometimes they attribute the source, and sometimes they aggregate it and show an overall rating. Either way, to optimize your Apple Maps listing fully, you need to get reviews on other websites to improve your review score on Apple Maps. 

Once you verify your listing, check it out on an iPhone/iPad or via the Maps App on Mac to see where Apple is pulling reviews from. That will let you know which platform you need to focus your review efforts on.

Check for Duplicate Listings on Apple Maps

One of the reasons Apple created Business Connect is to allow business owners to take control of their own listings, but also take some of the burden off Apple to clean up their results. Apple has a serious problem with spam and fake listings—I mean, how many variations of “Chicago locksmith” can actually exist in one city?

With spam listings, comes the risk of duplicate listings for your business you may not even know about, that are just floating out there in the Apple Maps ether. These listings get automatically created by Apple or added to Maps by user suggestion. Either way, identifying and removing these is critical to making sure your customers see the right information for your business.

Using Apple Maps on an iPhone or via DuckDuckGo.com, do a search for your business and then search for other versions of that name that could possibly be on Maps.

For example, if your business is “Elizabeth’s Law Firm”, do additional searches for names like “Elizabeth’s Law Firm LLC”, “Elizabeth’s Law Firm New York”, and “Lizzy’s Law Firm” (the old name of the business). Then search all phone numbers and addresses associated with your business. It’s important to check old phone numbers and old addresses in case outdated listings still exist.

If you identify any duplicates, you will need to claim those duplicates and then contact Apple Maps support to get the old listings removed. You can contact support right in the dashboard—click your initials in the bottom left corner then click “contact support”.

Does Apple Maps really matter?

Google has a clear monopoly on the search market, dominating a stark 92% of all searches, according to the search engine market share counter. This popularity spreads to Google Maps, as studies show around 67% of all smartphone users use Google Maps over any other maps app; this includes iPhone users. 

Recent reports, including one put out by Business Insider, are citing a shift in public opinion when it comes to Apple Maps. People are starting to use Apple Maps more than ever before as they see the value Apple has been adding to the tool in recent years. The maps app itself is preferred by tons of people; for example, this Twitter user raves about how the UX/UI is so much better compared to Google and over 4.8 million people saw it. 

Beyond this shift, there are millions of people in the world who only use native iPhone apps, so they have been using Apple Maps since day one, and stuck with it during its awkward teenage years. Plus, those who use Siri and other Apple-connected products, are going to be served local results based on information from Apple Maps. 

Poll: Are Businesses Using Apple Business Connect?

Read More

So, if you are wondering if Apple Maps is worth optimizing, just ask yourself if iPhone and Apple customers are worth optimizing for. (Don’t think too hard—the answer is yes!)

Apple Maps Protects User Privacy More Than Google

More people are switching to Apple Maps every day due to the advanced privacy the app boasts. Apple has done a lot to convince the public they care about protecting the privacy of its users on Maps, including using end‑to-end encryption, obscuring the user’s location when searching, and not retaining a history of user locations. This is why search engines like DuckDuckGo use Apple Map results instead of Google, especially considering Google has been called out for getting way too granular with user location data.

Google seems to ask for more and more personal information every time I sign in, and incognito mode seems to know where I am located no matter how many times I deny access to my location. Online privacy is a hot-button topic these days, and Apple is ahead of the game when it comes to protecting users’ data (or at least seeming like they are).

Is Apple Maps the way of the future? 

Beyond privacy, Apple is pumping money into new features on maps too, in order to compete with Google. Cnet reports “The iPhone is getting offline maps for its Maps app this year. That means you’ll be able to access any map you’ve downloaded, even if you don’t have Wi-Fi or a cell signal.” New features like this will help Apple maps stay trending up in usage. Even if they won’t surpass Google anytime soon, they can take a bite out of that market share over time. 

Despite the fact that tens of millions of people are using Apple maps, and more are switching every single day, BrightLocal reports that 58% of businesses have not claimed their Apple Maps listing!

58% of businesses have not claimed their Apple Maps listing

Could they be missing a trick?

5 months after Apple Business Connect relaunched, we've delved into how both businesses and consumers are using Apple Maps. https://t.co/YbH6mzIu00

— BrightLocal (@brightlocal) June 1, 2023

You really have no excuse to ignore Apple Maps. Millions of people are already using it, it’s continuing to grow in popularity, and you need to control the information Apple is showing about your business (or your client’s business) to the world.

While many aspects of listings management are the same across each of those four platforms, they do differ in some areas. Understanding the quirks of each local listing service can be a real timesaver. Plus, this insight can help you to feel confident that you’ve optimized each listing for maximum visibility, SEO benefit, and usefulness.

To help you build a clear picture of best practice across Google Maps, Apple Maps, Bing, and Facebook, we’ve compiled a list of the most commonly asked questions for each. Read on for the answers. 

How should I craft a business description?

Our Business Listing Trust Report found that 94% of local consumers have turned to a business information site to find information about a local business within the last 12 months. The business description will be one of the first things local consumers see—and if they are new to you, it could be the first impression they have of your business.

Your business description tells the reader about your business. Think of it as an elevator pitch. It outlines what you do and the products or services you offer. Right away this tells the consumer if you’re a potential match for their needs. The description may also confirm your niche, any areas that you specialize in, and any awards or industry accreditations that you hold.

Within your summary, you may also share something of your business history, such as the year you were established, or how long you have been serving the local community. 

Google

Your Google Business Description is a space to share meaningful information about your business with Google local search users. It forms part of your wider Google Business Profile and is accessible via the Local Pack and Map listings.

The first thing to know about crafting a strong Google Business description is that you only have 750 characters to work with. That means your text should be clear, descriptive, and succinct.

Your description shouldn’t contain details of current promotions or sales, nor should it refer to prices. Instead, this space should tell the reader about your business history, your unique selling points and the products and services you offer. No links are permitted and your description must abide by Google’s guidelines, which include no harmful or offensive content.

You should aim to include keywords in your description which reflect your service and location. As ever, avoid keyword stuffing and write for a human, not a search engine. 

Apple Maps

You’ll need to create an Apple Business Connect listing for your business information to show up on Apple Maps, Apple Wallet, Siri, Safari, and other Apple properties. Business information is collated under a ‘place card’. The max character count for the business description is 500 characters.

Apple recently upgraded how listings are managed to allow businesses to provide a wider range of text-based information, including a brief about section. You should aim to include at least a primary keyword in this field to enhance your search visibility.

You’ll also need to confirm basic details such as the company name, website, opening hours and services to create your listing. You can add photos and logos, share detail of promotions and special offers, choose a category, and add a link to your business app in the App Store. One quirk of Apple Maps is that you can reposition your business pin to better reflect your physical location—so be sure to check that you’re happy with where it’s placed.

Bing

If you already have a Google Business Profile description you’re happy with, you can import that information directly to Bing Places. If not, once you have claimed your business listing on Bing, you’ll need to manually input your details. Whether you choose to import your Google Business Profile info or create a new listing, your details will then appear on Bing Maps and in search results.

Your business description should accurately describe what customers can expect from your service. Bing suggests listing the services you offer, providing driving directions and outlining any affiliations, awards, or specialities.

Like Google, Bing’s local algorithm is based on relevance, distance, and popularity. That means you should aim to include keywords in your description to tick the relevance box. While research shows that adding keywords into your business name can increase search visibility and traffic, Bing warns that adding the location to the business name or keyword stuffing would trigger a spam filter and see the name automatically standardized.

Because Bing Places requires a physical business address, virtual office locations won’t be able to create a Bing Places listing. 

Facebook

Your Facebook Page provides two different sections in which to add your business description. The actual description field should be kept short and sweet at just one to two sentences. However, there is also a separate ‘About’ section where you can add supplementary details such as how long you have been in business, what you specialize in and your business values.

Your page information will be visible on Facebook but Page information is also indexed by Google so it could additionally appear in search results. 

Should I use phone tracking numbers or URLs in my listing?

Google

Google users can call your business from your listing on both Google Search and Google Maps. Google is currently trialing a feature called call history with certain businesses in the USA and Canada. Anyone placing a call to a business with call history enabled will be forwarded to a unique number for that business, which can later be tracked via Google Business Profile. Details of those calls are then kept for 45 days. 

Google doesn’t expressly forbid the use of call tracking numbers. It says that the phone number provided must connect to the individual business and shouldn’t redirect the user to anywhere other than your specific business location. You must also have direct control over the number, and it shouldn’t be a premium rate number.

It’s advisable to use the tracking number as the primary number and then your actual number as a secondary number. 

Apple Maps

Like Google, Apple Maps doesn’t specifically forbid the use of a phone tracking number or call tracking URL—it simply says the phone number should connect to the business location.

Even without a third-party tracking tool, the Insights portion of your Business Connect dashboard will provide some basic information in the form of the number of calls made to your business. Keep in mind this only tracks the calls made by those tapping on the number given in your listing, not those who manually dialed.   

Bing

Bing also doesn’t have any restrictions prohibiting the use of call tracking numbers or URLs. Like Google, it’s advisable to use the tracking number as the primary number and then your actual number as a secondary number. 

Facebook

There’s no rule against adding a call tracking number to your Facebook page. You can enter the call tracker as your business number in the profile or website URL to your Page profile. As an alternative, some call tracking tools can integrate directly with your Facebook Business account. If you’re coupling your organic Facebook Page with social media advertising, Facebook also offers its own call tracking solution with call ads.

How frequently should I update and optimize my listing?

Google

Your Google Business listing is likely the very first thing that local search users will come across on Google. It’s therefore important that it’s always up-to-date and optimized. You should update your listing as often as necessary to reflect any changes to your business offerings:

• Planning special opening hours due to a seasonal event? Update your listing.
• Changing your opening hours due to customer demand? Update your listing.
• Closed due to a private function? Update your listing.
• New products or services added to your offering? Update your listing.
• Different phone number? Update your listing.
• New service area now offered? Update your listing.
• New payment methods now accepted? Update your listing.
• Outdoor seating now available? Update your listing.
• Takeaway or curbside pick-up now available? Update your listing.

Optimization isn’t something that you can fit neatly into a box. Given the importance of your Google Business profile, it’s something that you’ll need to dedicate ongoing time and resources to. Each time a new review is received, you’ll want to quickly jump on and leave a response. Likewise, you should aim to upload new photos regularly and share a Post at least once a week, if not more frequently.

Apple Maps

This question is especially pertinent to Apple listings as Apple is known for the pride it takes in the accuracy of its Maps information.

It advises that your listing should be updated ‘often’ so that all location-related details remain accurate. That includes amending opening times if they change, along with sharing details of new special offers or promotions as they launch. Other tips include uploading seasonally appropriate images at regular intervals, for example during the holidays or at Easter.

If any of your ‘good to know’ information changes—such as the addition of new accepted payment methods—your Apple Maps listing should be updated right away. 

How to Optimize an Apple Maps Listing

Read More

Bing

As with Google and Apple Maps, you’ll need to update your Bing Places listing as soon as anything changes. That means any adjustments to business hours, payment options, services and so on should be reflected in your listing right away.

For optimization, in addition to keeping all business data current, you should be proactive about requesting reviews, responding to reviews across all review platforms (because Bing pulls in review data from sources such as TripAdvisor), and upload new images regularly. Don’t forget to add details of any special offers or promotions to Bing when updating your Apple Maps profile or creating a Google Business Post about the same.

How to Optimize a Bing Listing

Read More

Facebook

Almost half (48%) of local consumers turn to Facebook when they need local business information. That means you should update your listing as soon as anything changes within your business—ideally when you apply the updates to your Google, Apple Maps and Bing listings.

Once your initial page optimization has been dealt with (such as choosing your URL, filling in about information and uploading your logo and cover image), ongoing optimization will revolve around posting updates and building engagement. Aim to share new content (such as blog post snippets, curated content, video, and images) around two to five times per week. 

How do abbreviations affect NAP consistency?

We’ve already touched on this above, but it’s worth repeating that NAP consistency matters. Even knowing that, you may be unwittingly creating slightly different citations, simply by using street name abbreviations when creating new business listings. It’s all too easy to fall into the habit of using St. rather than writing out street in full, or Ave. instead of avenue. But does it matter?

Google

Google’s algorithms are smart enough to understand abbreviations, so you don’t need to worry if you have accidentally used Apt. and apartment interchangeably, or have inputted Rd. instead of road, or Expy instead of expressway in some of your business listings. You can find a complete list of all abbreviations and variations that Google normalizes here.

Apple Maps

Apple Maps pulls business information from lots of different sources and in turn, is used by a range of other platforms. It’s therefore best to be consistent with your NAP and if you do abbreviate some part of your street name, continue with that format across all other listings. 

Bing

The Bing Maps API can handle abbreviations in street names—so, like Google, it’s smart enough to recognize Ave as avenue or St. as street. 

Facebook

You can use abbreviations when inputting NAP on Facebook. Just keep in mind that the information you input will form part of your wider online collection of citations so you should always aim for consistency.

Where do suggested edits and external edits come from?

In accurate information about your business can hinder your local search visibility. It can also damage your relationship with local consumers who are known to become frustrated when presented with inaccurate information online. That means any changes made to your business listings must be accurate. However, you may notice that sometimes, those changes are made without your input. The reason for that is some listings sites allow consumers to make or suggest edits to business listings, even if the consumer isn’t associated with that business. 

Google

Google search users can suggest edits to business listings directly from the search results. They can suggest changes to important details such as the business name, opening hours, contact information, web address and location. They can also suggest the business be marked as closed, is non-existent, no longer open to the public, a duplicate or report a legal problem.

Apple Maps

Apple Maps users can report an issue with any business listing on Maps by clicking ‘More’ on the listing. They can then report an incorrect name, address, website, or phone number, tell Apple the location on the map is wrong, or that the opening hours are incorrect. Users can also tell Apple that the business is closed, in the wrong category or that there are multiple issues with the listing. 

Bing

Bing search users can suggest an edit directly from the local business listing in search and maps. The edit option is identical to that presented on Google, with consumers able to mark the business as permanently closed or suggest changes to the business name, location, contact information, and opening hours. 

Facebook

The new Facebook Page experience doesn’t allow users to suggest edits. They can report an issue with your Page however, such as flagging your listing as being fake, a scam, or conducting unauthorized sales. While these won’t directly impact on your listing information, they could still be damaging to your business. 

Why do publishers change the business data I supplied on my listings, and how can I prevent this from happening? 

To keep their listings accurate, listings sites will gather information about local businesses from a range of sources. They may use that information to push updates to listings they believe to be incorrect.

Google

Google uses a wide range of sources, including licensed content and suggested edits submitted by consumers. It uses this data to update listings as it deems necessary and will do so at any time. Any updates will then show across Search, Maps and other Google properties. You will be notified if Google has updated your listing and can then choose to edit those updates, apply them, or discard and replace with your own information. 

Apple Maps

Like Google, Apple Maps collates business data from a range of sources—including places like Yelp and TripAdvisor. Traditionally, Apple Maps allowed business owners only very limited input (this has changed with the recent launch of Apple Business Connect) meaning it has historically been dependent on information gathered elsewhere.

If your information isn’t consistent across the web, information gathered from those other sources could find its way into your listing. An old phone number or street address on a forgotten Yelp listing could be added to your Apple Maps listing because that’s what Apple Maps is being told is accurate by Yelp. To avoid this issue, you’ll need to be on top of your citation management and ensure all listings contain up-to-date information. 

Take Control of Your Listings with Active Sync

Learn more

Bing

As with Google and Apple Maps, Bing crowdsources local business information from a range of sources. Your business may even be listed on Bing Maps before you claim it. As with other listings sites, Bing’s own data may conflict with your actual listing details, which may prompt changes to be made. If your listing does show incorrect information, you’ll need to ensure you have first claimed and verified your listing. You can then log in and correct any inaccuracies. Again, to prevent incorrect information being pushed to your profile, you’ll need to ensure that you regularly review your business information across all listings you’ve created. 

Facebook

Unlike the other platforms, Facebook actually trusts your data and doesn’t (to the best of our knowledge) make any changes itself.

Do I need to add EXIF data to my business photos?

Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) data provides useful meta data about each image—such as the time and date taken, location taken, and the camera used. 

Google

Adding EXIF data isn’t thought to help your Google rankings, but it can make it easier for you to search for and organize specific images. That could make it easier to manage your local business listings.

Apple Maps

Apple Maps does support EXIF data. It can use the location data from EXIF to pinpoint the location the photo was taken on a map. 

Bing

In its webmaster guidelines, Bing says it can extract information from images, so adding EXIF data to pictures uploaded to your site could theoretically help with your local search visibility. 

Facebook

Facebook has confirmed that it collects and processes EXIF data. This includes collecting data specifying the date the photo was taken, and the type of device used. While it doesn’t state that it uses location information, the fact that it can process EXIF data suggests that it could be a worthwhile addition. 

Conclusion

Your business listings are an invaluable asset to your local business. They have the power to boost your search visibility, aid in new-to-you consumer discovery and provide local consumers with the information they need to find, locate, and buy from you. 

With thousands of listings sites and directories out there, staying on top of the latest trends, new features and best practice thinking can be a time-consuming task. In this post, we’ve provided answers to some of the most frequently asked questions to help you keep on top of your local listing management tasks.

Got a question not covered here? Send it to us via Twitter, or ask in our Facebook group, The Local Pack.

What is schema?

In layman’s terms, schema is code you can add to a website to tell search engines specific things about a business and its website content.

Schema is also a type of structured data. Structured data means that the data is organized, or structured so that search engines can understand the data better.

Why do SEOs use schema on websites?

Many wonder why schema matters in local SEO. SEOs use schema for at least two reasons:

1. To make things more clear to search engines, as we covered above
2. To try to get rich snippets and stand out more on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Sometimes search engines use structured data to show more tidbits of information to users on search results pages. These are known as rich snippets.

The example below shows how a search result can look that is using FAQPage Schema and how it can look when it’s not using FAQPage Schema. You can see how valuable schema can be if it results in rich snippets.

Getting Started with Schema

Schema markup can get very complicated, especially if you are not a web developer, so here are some general schema templates you can use for local SEO.

There are many documented SEO benefits of schema. Some schema types will help you get rich results on search engines, while others will not. Some schema types may help with rankings and CTR, while others may have no impact. Because of this, I recommend researching each schema type before deciding whether or not it’s worth the time and effort to implement.

I also recommend reading through Google’s Structured Data Guidelines before implementing any schema on a website. Some of these guidelines, such as the ones listed below, are very important to be aware of:

• “Don’t mark up content that is not visible to readers of the page. For example, if the JSON-LD markup describes a performer, the HTML body must describe that same performer.

• Don’t mark up irrelevant or misleading content, such as fake reviews or content unrelated to the focus of a page.”

Google even has many schema templates that you can use.

Now that we’ve covered all of that, let’s get into the good stuff!

Schema Mapping for Local SEO Websites

How do you know what type of schema to use on web pages? What type of schema is best on the home page? And what about location pages?

It all depends on what page you are going to add the schema to.

No. In a Webmaster tool session, @JohnMu stated that each page should have unique schema detailing the primary topic of the page. So if the page is about the services you offer, do services markup, if a location then local biz, if homepage, local biz or Org (if parent company).

— Martha van Berkel (@marthavanberkel) January 29, 2019

Here’s a simple chart you can use to guide you on what schema types might be good to use and what pages to use them on.

Schema Templates for Local SEOs

Below you can find schema templates for each page type that you can customize and use.

Don’t forget that these are just templates and that you will need to customize each one before using them. If you are not sure how to do this, I recommend hiring an SEO that can code a bit or a web developer.

Home Page (Organization) Schema

The Home Page is by far the most important page on a website. It usually carries the most weight in SEO as well. Search engines will want to know what the business name is, where it’s located and, what the business does. You can teach the search engines this information by using Organization Schema.

Organization Schema Template for Home Pages

About Us Page Schema

The About Us page is also quite important. Users find this page valuable because it can help them to get to know the company better and build their trust in it. How many times have you not done business with a company because you didn’t know enough about them? I have!

AboutPage Schema Template for About Us Pages

FAQ Page Schema

A FAQ page helps educate your users, but also reduces customer support inquiries. You can use the FAQPage template on your FAQ pages, or any page that contains FAQs on it.

FAQPage Schema Template for FAQ Pages

Our Team Pages

Pages that display team members and their roles also help build trust with users. It also shows your team you are proud of them. Usually, it’s best to have a parent page that lists all team members, but also child pages so that each team member has a dedicated page about them.

This isn’t necessary for all types of businesses. At the very least, I recommend listing founders and management on these pages.

Multiple Person Schema Template for Parent Team Member Pages

Person Schema Template for Child Team Member Pages

Contact Us Page Schema

A Contact Us page is critical if you want to be contacted! Adding ContactPage Schema tells search engines the correct contact information for the business.

ContactPage Schema Template for Contact Us Pages

Service Pages Schema

Service pages can help you rank for the services you offer. They also help users convert if you do them right.

If you offer multiple services, I recommend having a parent service page that lists all of your services. The parent service page should link to child service pages. The child service pages should go into detail on each service that you offer.

Example:

• Parent Service Page: HVAC Services
  • Child Service Page: A/C Repair
  • Child Service Page: A/C Installation
  • Child Service Page: A/C Maintenance

Multiple Service Schema Template for Parent Service Pages

Service Schema Template for Child Service Pages

In the past, a business could add review markup about their business to pages on their website with the aim of getting review stars to show up in Google’s SERPs. That markup could have been added directly by the business or embedded via a third-party widget.

As of September 2019, Google will no longer display rich review snippets for “self-serving” reviews for businesses.

Google considers reviews as “self-serving” if the business itself has chosen to add the markup to its own pages, about its own business.

Do you need to remove self-serving reviews from your website? No, you don’t need to remove them. Google just won’t display review snippets for those pages anymore. Google even said: “You won’t get a manual action just for this.”

But there are times where the Review Schema may still show up, so you may add Review Schema if you’d like.

One study showed that by getting review stars to show up on your own website results, “can boost CTR by as much as 35%”.

Location Page Schema

On location pages, I recommend using LocalBusiness Schema. This is a great way to tell search engines which pages on the site are location pages and what locations they represent.

You can also link to each Google Business Profile that matches a location page from LocalBusiness schema with the “hasMap” property.

For the “hasMap” field, you can use BrightLocal’s Place ID Finder to find the CID number (aka Ludocid) for the Google Business Profile you want to link to.

In addition to this, instead of using LocalBusiness as the schema itemtype, you can choose a more specific schema itemtype such as Dentist or AccountingService.

Check out Phil Rozek’s great schema itemtype list to see which one fits your business best.

How do you use this list? Well, in the schema template do you see “@type” : “LocalBusiness”?

You would simply replace “LocalBusiness” with one of the choices on Phil’s list like this:

If you have time, check out Phil’s article on how to choose a more specific schema itemtype for your local business.

LocalBusiness Schema Template for Location Pages

Service-Area Pages

Service-area pages are pretty much the same as Location pages. The only difference is that service-area pages are for service-areas that a business travels to for business, but doesn’t have a physical office in. So the schema code would be very similar, but instead of listing a business address, it would list a service-area.

In the schema example I shared, it lists a city as the service-area. But you can use a country or state like so:

LocalBusiness Schema Template for Service-Area Pages

Schema for Blog Articles

Educational content is usually found in the blog section of a website. You can use schema to tell search engines about the topic, author, word count, date published, etc.

You can also use “BlogPosting” or “NewsArticle” instead of “Article” if you want to be more specific.

Article Schema Template for Blog Content

Implementing Your Schema Markup

As I mentioned before, you may need the help of a developer to implement schema code.

If you are working with WordPress, there are a couple of plugins that you can use instead of the templates I’ve shared in this article.

• Yoast
• RankMath
• Schema Pro

What Format to Use

At this time I recommend using the JSON-LD format because that’s what Google recommends.

“In general, Google recommends using JSON-LD for structured data if your site’s setup allows it, as it’s the easiest solution for website owners to implement and maintain at scale (in other words, less prone to user errors).”

Where to Place the Code

You can add schema code anywhere on a website; in the head, body or footer section. Search engines should have no problem reading the code.

I usually place it in the <footer> just to make sure the more important scripts like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, etc. can run with no issues in the <head>.

Testing Your Schema Markup

Once you have added the schema code to the website, you will need to confirm that you have implemented the code correctly by using a Schema Validator tool.

Enter the URL of the website that you installed the script on under the “Fetch URL” tab. Or you can copy and paste the script under the “Code Snippet” tab.

Wrapping Up

We covered a lot of different schema types today! I hope that this article helps inspire you to include more schema into your SEO processes when appropriate.

In this guide, we’ll cover how to edit an existing Opendi listing or add a completely new listing to the platform.

How to Add a Brand New Opendi Listing

Opendi operates across various countries. You will see all country variants on the main page here: https://www.opendi.com/. Each selection will redirect you to the relevant country’s domain.

1. Select the country your business is located in.
   
2. Click the “Create a free listing” button at the top right corner:
3. The first step is to add the business name, description, and the name of the person that potential clients can contact:
4. Next, you need to add the address, phone number, email address (you can choose to show it publicly or keep it hidden), and website URL.Note: It is best NOT to add the state to the address field. Once the listing is published, the site will automatically match your business with the relevant state based on the zip code.

5. Next, add the opening hours:
6. The next step is the selection of the business category. You will need to pick a suitable category from the provided choices. Unfortunately, it is not possible to add custom categories:
7. The final step will ask you to review all provided information. If you are happy with the entered details click on the blue button at the bottom of the page (for some reason, the text will always be displayed in German, but it means “Entry confirmation”):
8. You will see the submission confirmation and request to verify the new entry:
9. Head to your email inbox, locate the email from Opendi, and click on the verification link:
10. That is it! Your listing is confirmed. It will be reviewed by the site’s moderators and published live after their approval:

How to Update the Existing Opendi Listing

Unfortunately, Opendi does not have a dashboard where you can log in to manage your listing. They also do not have a function that will allow you to claim the listing. However, if your business is already listed on Opendi you can update it. 

1. Go to https://www.opendi.com/ and select the relevant country.
2. Search for your business either by name or category + location:
3. Once you find the relevant profile, click the “Edit listing” button that should be located right next to the address details.If you do not see this function, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and the button should be there, right under the map: 
4. This will direct you to the page you typically see when trying to add a brand-new business. Therefore, you can follow steps 3 onwards from the above section (how to add a brand new listing).