September 10, 2020
How & Why To Be Listed On The Major Location Information Directories
With 87% of the search market share, Google is indisputably the world’s leading search engine. Google maintains its own database of location information, and uses that information to power services like Google Search and Google Maps.
Besides location information like store hours and address, Google also hosts ratings & reviews, shows business offerings, and gives directions.
Businesses can update their information in Google’s database through Google My Business (GMB), changing the information directly in GMB on a location-by-location basis. Businesses with multiple locations often opt to use a listings management service like PinMeTo Listings to manage location data in bulk.
Waze
(Child directory of Google My Business)
Waze is a GPS navigation software app owned by Google, with more than 25 million monthly users. Waze works on GPS-enabled smartphones and tablet computers, and provides turn-by-turn navigation information for drivers, along with user-submitted travel times and route details. Waze has more than 25 million monthly users, as of May 2018.
It’s especially important for locations who expect customers to arrive by car to update their business information on Waze.
Since Waze is owned by Alphabet – Google's parent company – its location information data is collected from Google My Business (GMB).
Facebook is the world's largest social networking site, with over 2 billion monthly users as of 2019. Facebook is increasingly used as a local business search engine: 600 million users visit Facebook business pages every day, and 52% of people say they’ve discovered a brand through Facebook (also from 2019).
To position yourself ahead of this trend, it’s important to keep your local pages on Facebook updated with accurate information and in-sync with your other listings.
Facebook is the world's largest social networking site, with over 2 billion monthly users as of 2019.
(Child directory of Facebook)
Instagram is not only a tool for individuals, but also for businesses. The photo-sharing app offers business accounts for brands to promote their products and services. According to Instagram, more than 1 million brands worldwide use Instagram to share their stories and drive business results.
Instagram users can tag locations in their posts. Making sure you’re listed on Instagram will take advantage of this free viral spread.
Since Facebook owns Instagram, updating your location information on Facebook will keep you updated on Instagram as well.
Apple Maps
Apple Maps is the map service provided by Apple, and is the default map on all iOS devices. It’s used for local search and navigation, and also features business reviews.
It’s estimated that 3 out of 4 iOS users use Apple Maps on their iOS devices, and in 2019 Apple claimed that there were around 900 million active iPhones and 500 million other devices including Macs, iPads, Apple Watches, etc. Keep your info updated and accurate on Apple to be visible to these users.
Apple allows you to directly update location info one-by-one on Apple Maps Connect. For brands with multiple locations, for whom this would be an extremely time-consuming process, it’s possible to update your listings on Apple Maps in bulk using an Apple Business Listing Data Provider like PinMeTo Listings.
Bing
Bing is Microsoft's search engine. With 6% of the world's search traffic, Bing is the 2nd most popular search engine in the world, after Google.
Listing your brand’s locations on Bing ensures that your brand's location info is accurate for the millions of people who will be searching using Bing or Bing-connected devices.
You can list your locations on Bing through Bing Places, or use a listings management tool like PinMeTo Listings.
Listing your brand’s locations on Bing ensures that your brand's location info is accurate for the millions of people who will be searching using Bing or Bing-connected devices.
Foursquare
With a community of over 55 million users worldwide, Foursquare is the leading location-based social network. Foursquare users can access details about local businesses and leave recommendations, tips, check-ins, and more.
Foursquare is also a data provider, and sells its data on 7 billion-plus locations to over 150,000 apps and services, including Snapchat, Uber, Twitter, and Instagram. Keeping your info regularly updated on Foursquare will ensure that your brand is visible on these apps and services.
Information on Foursquare can be updated in Foursquare Manager, or by using a listings management tool like PinMeTo Listings.
TomTom
TomTom is a global leader in navigation and mapping products, and the creator of the first Portable Navigation Device.
TomTom provides data to several car manufacturers, Trivago, Huawei, and to Uber in 300+ cities, which in total results in more than 8 million people relying on TomTom data.
It's especially important to list your brand on TomTom if customers drive to your locations. Business information on TomTom can be updated using a listings management tool like PinMeTo Listings.
HERE
HERE Maps are used by millions worldwide through mobile apps, social networks, and are in 3 out of 4 cars equipped with an in-car navigation system.
It's especially important to connect your brand to HERE through PinMeTo if customers drive to your locations.
Business information can be updated on HERE using a listings management tool like PinMeTo Listings.
Factual
Factual is a location data company that merged with Foursquare to create the independent leader in location-based technology and data for global brands, advertisers, publishers, and agencies.
Connecting your PinMeTo account to Factual ensures that your brand will be visible on the thousands of apps, sites, and services that use Factual and Foursquare location data.
Trustpilot
Trustpilot allows people to share and discover reviews of businesses, and gives companies the tools to turn consumer feedback into business results.
You can list your brand on Trustpilot directly, or by using a listings management tool like PinMeTo Listings.
Listing your brand on Trustpilot ensures that people who want to review your services or locations can do so, which will help optimize your brand's reputation management efforts.
Huawei
Huawei is a global provider of information and communications technology, infrastructure, and smart devices, and as of August 2020 has an 18% market share of mobile devices in Europe.
Listing your brand on Huawei ensures that your customers using Huawei devices can easily find you.
Huawei’s location information comes in part from TomTom, and in part from its own database. You can update both using a listings management tool like PinMeTo Listings.
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