Social media campaign programs are ubiquitous, but many have hidden fees and requirements. I have my “go to” programs that we spend time and money on to ensure our clients get exactly what they need, but I still like to test platforms occasionally to see how they measure up.
The Story
As a matter of routine, I test several sites that use their own domain or sub domain to create social media campaigns that advertise “in-house software” to scan and run tests on your website. I do this to see if they’re actually running their own software as advertised or if they’re just relying on someone working out of his or her bedroom with third party tools.
Recently, I tested a site designed to show you what directories your site was on and which sites had your listing information. Using catchphrases like “get your business on Google,” it was flashily branded to make it seem like it ran original software.
I completed the form only to find that the program used a third party platform called Yext, which offers white label services to generate leads for certain businesses.
The form took me through several steps, culminating in a Yext-generated list that showed me which directories I wasn’t part of. To glean this information, I had to deal with four pop-up ads and a video I couldn’t close. My results page had some important directory information from top vendors like Google Plus, Bing, and Yahoo. But I also had information from an India-based directory. According to this program, I had to sign up for ALL these directories to make my business more accessible via internet search.
We want our businesses to show up on directories. But more isn’t always better. You wouldn’t want your ice cream shop listed in a directory for car dealers, for example. Listing incorrectly may even hurt your search engine rank.
White label services have their place—we use them to do our initial research. But it’s our in-house team that analyzes the information and designs an SEO strategy and plan to organize what online directories you need in order to benefit your companies online presence.
In my opinion, there are some services you just shouldn’t white-label, and a service that submits your site to multiple directories is one of them. Choosing such a tool can expose your business to several issues, including:
- Poor listing quality
- No control over client’s listings
- Limited access
- Duplicate listings
- Incomplete listings
- Negative comments you can’t control
- Incorrect images, logos, etc.
- Poor linking scores for spam-y directory sites
The absolute best listing is the one that the client or a professional creates—one you have access to and can totally control.
Optimize Your Business Listings
If you need optimized business listings, have an agency create them for you. They’re equipped to produce quality listings with optimized links and content, and they’ll only create listings that pertain to your specific services or practice areas. An agency will save you time and money in the long run.
Here are some great tips and stories I came across on one of my favorite sites:
- Why Is Local SEO Important
- Why Your Business Does Not Rank
- Top 5 Issues Wrecking Local SEO
Categorised in: SEO, SEO Insights, The Shoreline Blog, Web Marketing Tools
This post was written by Shoreline Content Team
