| Jan 3, 2017 | | 4 min read

Once Lost, Now Found: Getting Listed on Vendasta’s Big Four

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You may not be aware of it now, but it’s likely that you’ve suffered at the hands of incorrect business listings.

We’ve all been there. Carefully finding and selecting a business online, entering its address into our GPS and driving there to find that the business doesn’t exist at that location after all. Confused, frustrated and a little road raged, we go back online and search out another business whose location is correct, and spend our hard-earned money there instead. Don’t let your customers lose out on business because of incorrect listings—claim and correct them instead!

Whether they’re aware or not, businesses can hold up to 300 listings to their name on the internet, and when these listings’ NAP (name, address, phone number) data are inaccurate, they lose 75% of consumer trust. Seems overwhelming, right? Wrong! With over 800 listings claimed and corrected monthly as a Digital Agency, we at Vendasta have the inside scoop, and we’re ready to serve it up to you!

Just how many online business directories are there? We have compiled a list of the top 100 in America!


Out with the old, in with the new

Haven’t you heard? Phone books are out and listing directories are in! As tech-savvy generations age and account for larger percentages of our population, target customers are continuing to shift further away from paper and toward digital. Did you know 63% of people under 40 never use phone books to find local listings (RingCentral)? Without being listed and listed accurately online, businesses miss out on a huge demographic of potential customers in the up-and-coming 80-million Millennial generation (Forbes). But don’t worry, phone books aren’t completely irrelevant. If you still have old ones kicking around, there are some great uses for them.

The Internet’s hottest spots

With 85% of consumers browsing online to find local businesses, it’s more important than ever to be showing present and accurate NAP data in the internet’s hottest spots, and destroy all incorrect business listings (Yelp). At Vendasta, we believe in honing in on The Big Four: Bing, Yelp, YellowPages and Google. Accounting for 85% of all search traffic and providing businesses with access to 314 million monthly users, these are the listings you want claimed, corrected and working in your favor for free.

(1) Bing

Bing is a big up-and-comer in the digital world. This engine now accounts for 30% of all searches performed online (Mashable). That’s a huge amount of traffic for local consumers looking for goods and services your customers can provide. Accessible from Bing Places, getting a business online is as easy as one, two, three!

(2) Yelp

Traditionally known as a review platform, Yelp has evolved into a one-stop-shop for businesses to manage information and reviews, as well as post photos, promotions and events for customers all under the roof of one little listing. Yelp is a huge draw to businesses because it has so much to offer and so much traffic! With up to 36.3 million monthly users looking for reputable and trustworthy businesses, wouldn’t it be great to get found on Yelp? Get your customers started now.

(3) YellowPages

Aptly named for its predecessor, YellowPages (or YP as we more affectionately know it), has taken over where the original Yellow Pages left off. With a built-in user base from its paper days, YellowPages has already wormed its way into customer hearts and become a reliable source for listing information. On top of all that, YP has some of the highest US local search numbers in the game, making it the perfect place for mom and pop shops to get found by 27 million users. Get started here and get YellowPages working for those local businesses of yours!

(4) Google

“Just Google it” has become a common phrase in most of our daily lives, so it should come as no surprise that its listing source, Google My Business, makes our Big Four. Unique to the other three, Google’s demographic reaches far beyond the female decision makers, 45+ age group, and $60,000+ income earners using Bing, Yelp and YellowPages. In fact, part of Google My Business’ draw is that its listings are seen by everyone who uses Google. With up to 175 million monthly users across every demographic, that’s a pretty big draw.

Not only does Google My Business get you found in searches, but on Google Maps as well! Accounting for 78% of mobile travel usage, if a business isn’t on found on Google My Business, there’s a good chance it’s not getting found in real life either (Marketing Land). Don’t send customers driving around in circles; get your businesses on Google my Business now.

Accuracy really is everything

Now that we’ve talked about where to be listed online, let’s talk about how business information should be listed online—100% accurately! Customers trust Bing, Yelp, YellowPages and Google to give them the correct information they need to find the business they’re looking for, and when the information is incorrect, customers lose major trust in the brand. Not only can inaccurate business listings and inconsistent NAP data diminish your brand, but did you know it can also affect search engine optimization (SEO)? Yep, you read that right! Listings with false locational information are the #1 negative local ranking factor when it comes to SEO (Entrepreneur). So, not only can false listing data make it hard for customers to find you physically, but online, too.


As you can very well see, being present and being accurate where it matters most in online listings is crucial to survival in today’s dog-eat-dog digital world. Vendasta’s Big Four could be just what your customers need to avoid inaccurate business listings and get their business found online and in real life. But first, you need to get them there!

Don’t want to do all the heavy lifting? Let our Digital Agency do it for you! Get a demo to see how we can help.

About the Author

Celine Martin (B.Comm) is a former Digital Content Creator and current Culture & Engagement Manager at Vendasta. Interested in all things business and marketing, her vast experience includes customer service, communications and business strategy.

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