Building a Boss Business Profile That Attracts Audiences on MyArea Network
Building a profile for your company on an online business directory is part of a smart digital marketing strategy. Spreading your online presence throughout the web provides a variety of benefits.
It gives your business extra online exposure, helps audiences find you, and provides a boost for your search engine optimization (SEO).
At MyArea Network, we encourage all businesses, especially locally-owned businesses, to grow their online presence by joining digital directories. We especially encourage businesses to join our directory because it adds extra benefits.
MyArea Network stands out from other online directories because we are hyper-local.
Our directory has a large, local and targeted network so businesses can use their profile to:
- Connect with thousands of active and engaged users in your area.
- Share status updates with local customers and clients.
- Promote events and specials to your community.
- Grow your online presence so more people can find you.
- Receive Google rich snippet search results. (MyArea Network listings appear as rich snippets in Google search results. So when people search for a business in Google, they will see a search result that includes information from the MyArea Network profile.)
To get all of these local business marketing benefits from our network, businesses need to have a complete and optimized profile listing on our site.
To help businesses get the most out of their profiles on our network, we’ve put together this guide. Use it to build a profile that will help you get the most exposure on our network and attract a bigger audience to your business directory listing.
#1) Create a MyArea Network Business Directory Profile
Before you can optimize your business directory listing, you need to create a profile. First, check to see if your business is already listed. (We occasionally create profiles for businesses that we know our audience will love.) Look up your business in your area network, and:
- If your business ISN'T listed on a MyArea Network: choose to “Add Your Business.”
- If your business IS listed on MyArea Network: view your profile and choose to “Claim Business Now.”
From there, create an account to manage your business profile. Once you set up your profile and have access to your business page, you can make the following changes.
#2) Optimize Your Business Profile Details
The first part of building a boss business directory profile is creating an interesting, useful, and engaging listing. Use these tips to create a listing that will attract more audiences on MyArea Network.
Provide The Most Up-To-Date Contact Information
First thing first, ensure that all of the information on your profile page is accurate. The last thing you want to happen is for an interested customer to find you, but be unable to connect with you. So double-check your information and make sure it includes your most up-to-date address, phone number, website, and hours.
Pro Tip: If you have multiple business directory profiles, it can be difficult to manage all of your listings. To make it easier, be proactive. Create a spreadsheet with all of your profile listings, and schedule time at least four times a year to review the listings for accuracy.
Link to Your Website
Always include a link back to your website on business directory profile pages. This link will direct users to your site where they can learn more about you. The link is also important because it provides SEO value for your website. Gaining links back to your website from other high-authority websites sends positive signals to search engines which helps increase your rankings on search result pages.
MyArea Network business profiles feature buttons to call, access directions and visit the company website. This is a great opportunity to guide interested audiences into connecting with your business -- so make sure your info is correct.
Pro Tip: It’s not enough to just have a Facebook page or a directory listing for your business. Every business needs a website if you want to present yourself as a professional, legitimate company.
Use Great Copy and Descriptions
Use your business description as an opportunity to introduce yourself to audiences. Explain what you offer, who you serve, and why you do it. This is your chance to connect with new customers, so don’t be generic. Use your brand voice and show your company’s personality. Also, be sure to include keywords that can help new audiences find you through search.
Set Relevant Categories
One way that new audiences can find your business is by searching. To help them connect with you through search, add the right categories to your business listings. Be as accurate as you can with your categories and avoid adding categories just so you appear more frequently in a search. You only want interested audiences to find you.
How to Update Business Details
Once you create a business directory listing on MyArea Network or receive an email that page has been created for your business:
- Log in to the area network where your business is listed.
- Visit your business’s page.
- Select Admin > Edit Business.
- Edit and save your changes.
(If you don’t see the Admin button, you may not be the owner of your business page. If so, please request to become the owner of the page or contact us with questions.)
Display Quality Photos
Digital audiences are very visual. So you can’t just tell them about your business, you have to show them. Fill your profile with high-quality photos so audiences can get a feel for what it would be like to experience your business. Share photos that document your events, walk audiences through your location and introduce your staff.
Pro Tip: It pays to hire a professional photographer to capture your business in the best light. Using professional photos instead of lower quality images positions your business to be more trustworthy and of a higher value.
Looking for a photographer? Use our directory to find a photographer who can perfectly and professionally capture your business. Our photographers also make it easy for your to share your photos on your website. We provide a photo display widget that can be easily added to your site to create full-page or side-bar galleries, as you can see in the Pop Texas example below.
How To Add Photos
Once you create a business directory listing on MyArea Network or receive an email that page has been created for your business:
- Log in to the area network where your business is listed.
- Visit your business’s page.
- Select Admin > Upload Photos.
- Select Browse and select the images from your computer.
- Select Upload. Wait for images to load before clicking out of the page. Images will then appear in a slider at the bottom of your profile page.
How To Add a Cover Photo
A cover photo is the featured image at the top of your profile. Choose the image that best represents your business and upload it as the cover image.
- Log in to the area network where your business is listed.
- Visit your business’s page.
- Select Admin > Set Cover Photo.
- Select Browse and select the image from your computer. (The best size for a MyArea Network featured profile image is 850 x 315 px).
- Adjust the box to capture the best part of your image
- Select Save Thumbnail Position.
#3) Create Interactions & Connections Through Your Profile
In addition to developing and optimizing your profile so more people find your listing, you also want to use it to build connections and initiate connections with your audience.
Share Updates and News
Once your profile is live, don’t set it and forget it. Use it to share updates and news with your followers. Anytime you have a new special, promotions, offering, or new blog post, share it with your followers.
How To Share Updates and News
To share an update on your MyArea Network business profile:
- Log in to the area network where your business is listed.
- Visit your business’s page.
- Scroll down to the “Plug Updates” section.
- Add messages, photos, and links. (You can choose to post as the business or from your personal account.)
Post Events
The MyArea Network audience often uses our site to find things to do in their area. Use this as an opportunity to connect with local customers. Create an event listing on MyArea Network anytime you host a special event, open house, training session, or fundraiser.
How To Post Events
To add your event to your area network:
- Log in to the area network where your business is listed.
- In the footer, select to “Post Your Event.”
- Choose to post a “Premier Event” or “Basic” event.
- Add your details and save the event.
Add Your Daily Specials
Restaurants and bars can leverage their business directory profile on MyArea Network even more by adding your daily and nightly specials. Add your information, and your business listing will appear in our round-up of specials that are categorized by day-of-the-week.
How To Add/Edit Daily Specials
To add and edit the specials on you MyArea Network profile:
- Log in to the area network where your business is listed.
- Visit your business's page.
- Select Admin > Edit Specials.
- Add the specials for the appropriate day and save your changes.
Ask Customers To Write Reviews
MyArea Network is more than a business directory listing site. We are also a review site. All of our business listings allow customers to leave star-ratings and reviews. As mentioned above, a rating for a business may also appear in search through rich-snippet results on Google. You should encourage your customers to leave reviews for your business on MyArea Network as reviews have a strong effect on a customer’s willingness to do business with you.
Encourage People to Connect with Your MyArea Network Profile
Reviews are just one of the ways that audiences can engage with your profile page on MyArea Network. Users can also select to “connect” with your business and receive notifications about your updates. So encourage fans and customers to follow your page by using your social media platforms, email communication, or direct requests to lead them to your page.
Connect Your Website to Your MyArea Network Profile
Another way to spread the word about your MyArea Network Profile is by adding a link to your directory listing on your website. Use an icon which similar to other social media icons and add it to your site to help your fans find your profile.
#4) Boost Your Business Directory Visibility Even More
These tips will help you improve your profile so you can attract organic attention from local customers and clients. But if you want to attract an even larger audience, you need to work on other marketing strategies to support your online and community presence.
MyArea Network can help you boost your business directory profile and influence in your area to get more eyes on your business. We specialize in growing the visibility of businesses in their local communities by offering:
- Digital marketing solutions
- Photo promotions
- Event marketing
- Display advertising
- Text marketing
- Email marketing
- Remarketing campaigns
- Social media marketing
- And more
To learn more about how we use local connections and media to help businesses grow and expand, schedule a free consultation with one of our local marketing experts.
