Be Discoverable: The Most Important Thing Every Small Business Should Do (and it's free)

87% of consumers go online to platforms every day like Google, Bing, and Yelp to get information about a business (e.g., address, hours, phone number, website, etc.). Therefore, it’s in your best interest to make sure your business is showing up online. For small businesses looking to boost online visibility and drive traffic, being active on key search platforms is crucial.

Claiming Your Online Business Listings

Your business can appear on hundreds of sites and apps online, but here are the top five platforms every business should know about to increase visibility online.

Google Search/Google Business Profile

Google dominates global search traffic, so it’s important that your business has a strong presence. Your business listing will provide key information about your business and allow it to show up in local search results, as well as Google Maps and Google Reviews. You can also add photos, printable coupons, and much more. Register your business online at https://business.google.com/us/business-profile/ or call Google Business Profile Support at 1-844-491-9665.

Bing Places for Business

Yahoo used to be a major player in the search space, but its role has changed. Today, Yahoo search results are actually provided by Microsoft Bing. So, when you optimize for Bing (via Bing Places for Business), you're also optimizing for Yahoo by default. Similar to Google Business, Bing has a couple of advantages—it’s easier to rank on, and when AI-generated search platforms like ChatGPT uses web search capabilities, it pulls information from Bing in addition to your website, Meta, etc. So, by optimizing your Bing Places listing, you increase the likelihood of your business being surfaced in AI-generated search results. Add your business to Bing here: https://www.bingplaces.com/.

Apple Maps / Apple Business Connect

Apple Maps is the default navigation tool for iPhones, which makes this platform especially relevant for brick-and-mortar businesses. This platform allows you to add hours, photos, and promotions, and integrates with Siri search. Manage your profile here: https://businessconnect.apple.com/.

Facebook Business Page (Meta)

Social search is growing, and many users search directly on Facebook for businesses (fun fact: Facebook is the #3 most popular review site on the web). Reviews are tied to profiles, which builds trust, and engaging reviews and responses can help drive organic reach on the platform. To create a Facebook Business Page:

1. Log into Facebook using your personal Facebook account (you must be logged in to create/manage a business page).

2. Go to: facebook.com/pages/create or, from your homepage, click Menu → Pages → Create New Page.

3. Enter Your Business Info: page/business name, category, and description (up to 255 characters).

4. Add images: usually your logo as the Profile photo (170x170 px recommended) and a banner image like your storefront or a promotion for the Cover photo (1640x856 px recommended).

5. Click “Create Page.” Facebook saves changes in real-time as you fill in info, but hit "Save" or "Create Page" to confirm.

6. Once you’ve created your page, you can:

   • Add business details: Hours, location, phone number, website, etc.

   • Create a @Username: (e.g., @JoesPizzaNYC) to make your page easier to find.

   • Invite friends: Start building your followers.

   • Create your first post: Welcome message, promo, or intro video.

   • Set up messaging: Enable Messenger to chat with customers.

Yelp

Yelp is the second most popular review site on the web. 200 million people use Yelp every month to find local small businesses. Yelp reviews are a trusted resource, with many users checking reviews before making a purchase decision, and responding to consumer reviews on Yelp is important for any business. That said, in my opinion, businesses should be cautious in engaging with Yelp due to its review filtering system, strict solicitation rules, potential for negative feedback visibility, and pressure to pay for ads, all of which can impact your reputation and financial investment. Proceed cautiously or avoid it altogether, but if you’re set on claiming your listing, head over to: https://business.yelp.com/.

Instagram (Meta), LinkedIn & YouTube

Instagram is important for visually driven or younger-audience-oriented businesses (e.g., fashion, food, beauty) but requires a lot of maintenance in regards to content creation and posting, so I typically save building a presence on these platforms for the next phase of marketing. Ditto LinkedIn, where it’s essential for B2B businesses, consultants, and service providers to have a LinkedIn Company page, but posting regularly is what it’ll take to get your content seen. Lastly, as the second largest search engine, YouTube (owned by Google) also requires significant content creation (e.g., tutorials, product demos, or behind-the-scenes content). However, its SEO-friendly titles, tags, and links to your site will help boost your business’s profile online when you have the resources to consistently populate it with relevant content.

PRO TIP: Even though you might not be ready to commit time and resources to these platforms, claim your @Username across all channels ASAP just to have it locked down, or else someone else will.

A Few Other Tips

1. Don’t forget to add your listing to your local Chamber of Commerce and tourism websites.

2. Keep a document of your log-in information for each listing, and the information you used (e.g., business description, hours, etc.) so you can easily duplicate it across each platform.

3. Regularly check on your listings (especially those with customer reviews) and update your information at least once every six months.

If you need help, have any questions, or would like to work with us, please contact me directly at ashleigh@yourpowerhour.com.