As someone who owns or manages a small business, you know how challenging it can be to create success.
Starting a small business is a huge achievement for many people, but the management of it can be a massive obstacle to growth as the years go on. All small businesses have common challenges to overcome, whether small or large.
Some of these are things like building a brand, hiring the right people, and developing a robust customer base. The good news is that many of the common challenges that small businesses run into can be alleviated or lessened through the use of business information.
For those who aren’t privy to the term, business information encompasses many different things. It includes contact information like email addresses, phone numbers, and physical locations. It also consists of ownership information, management data, and other details about who is running the show. Finally, it gets into business credit, industry, and several other details.
Small businesses and the digital world
Why is business information important for small businesses? There are a host of answers to that question. But first, let’s consider the world your business exists in today. It’s one where almost everyone has a smartphone available to look up immediate information.
Based on a report by Visual Objects, over 75% of consumers head to the internet to find out details about a business before they visit in person. As a small business, optimizing your online presence has never been more important than it is today.
At this point, you might be wondering how you do that. Several strategies work well for anyone in charge of a small business. A few options include:
- Making sure that every instance of the company’s name, phone number, and address are accurate and identical across all listings, citations, and websites.
- Focusing on getting a good spot on Google Map Packs to ensure customers are attracted to the business.
- Optimizing your Markaaz Dashboard listing so it displays up-to-date and accurate business information, which makes ranking easier.
- Collecting reviews to boost the relevance and prominence of your business among potential customers.
When all the business information about your company is accurate, you’re far more likely to bring in customers, get needed lending, and have other opportunities presented to you. It’s something that can have a positive impact on every aspect of your small business.
Now that we’ve delved into what business information is and why it matters, we want to focus on how business information can help your small business. Having this information will show you why keeping accurate information online is something that should always have a priority for your company.
The many ways accurate small business information can assist your company
As a small business, you want to be sure that you can easily be found by potential customers. Accurate business information is the number one way to succeed at this task. Your Markaaz Dashboard, Google My Business, Crunchbase, D&B, Owler, and other online profiles should contain only the most up-to-date and legitimate information.
This means that you should either be updating this information manually on a regular basis (for example, on your Markaaz Dashboard) or investing in a service that does this for you. The first may be less expensive, while the latter makes the process quick so you can focus on other parts of your business that require attention.
By ensuring your small business information is accurate, you can benefit in various ways. Below, we’ll delve into some of the ways that business information can be a huge blessing for your current small company.
Check how correct your small business data is on the Markaaz Small Biz Info Quiz!
It creates legitimacy
While the algorithms behind search engines aren’t public knowledge, experts in the field of SEO note that they often validate how legitimate your business is by looking at information about your business across multiple websites. If you have a different name, address, or phone number across these websites, it makes it seem as if you are less legitimate.
On the other hand, when these things all line up and provide the same data, search engines see your business as more legitimate. This means that your sites will be prioritized above others that do not have fully accurate information. There are a host of benefits to having accurate information, such as more business, more leads, more traffic, and better organic search rankings.
It can bring in local customers
Some business information, such as phone number, address, and name, is used to determine if your listing shows up when someone makes a local search. If you have conflicting information across different sites, you might not pop up in a search and certainly won’t be ranked very highly. Those who don’t have this information on their social media and website will also not show up.
Taking advantage of the ability to share business information will ensure your business is listed when someone looks for the products and services you offer in the area that includes your business’s physical location. This means you can expect to get more customers and do more business than a company that doesn’t provide this information.
It can help you acquire funding
There is a plethora of sites that let potential investors find information about small businesses that need financial help. For instance, Crunchbase provides various details about companies, from their address to the number of employees, websites, and news and activity. When searching for a company, investors can look at a summary, financials, investments, people associated with the business, and more.
If you are not providing the most accurate information on every site, you could end up in a position where someone chooses not to lend you money to grow. An investor who sees several addresses, conflicting information about the number of employees, or different names for the owner will be warier about moving forward.
On the other hand, if all your information is accurate and complete, it makes it more likely that you will find the funding you desire. This is just another example of how business information can be a huge boost to the success of your company, no matter the size or what industry you are a part of.
With your corrected business information on the Markaaz Dashboard, you can directly apply for customized financing options through our partner Nav – without leaving the Dashboard!
Everything you need for your application is stored on the Dashboard when you find your business and set up your account, including your essential business documents, which you can store in our digital Vault.
Final thoughts
Small business information is something that every company should take advantage of. It can help customers find you, ensure you rank high on search engines, and even impact accessing and retaining funding you need to grow and find higher levels of success. However, just having information put up and then never thinking about it again isn’t the best strategy.
Instead, it’s crucial for you to ensure all your business information is accurate and up to date at all times. This is something that can be done manually, or you can make use of a paid service that makes the updates for you after you share updated data. Either way, it’s an important part of getting the most out of your business.
Whether you want more customers or need an influx of cash to grow, accurate small business information will get you there. Prioritizing accurate information will give you an edge over competitors and ensure you reach the heights you desire. There are tons of benefits to business information online, so make sure you take advantage of that fact.
Join the Markaaz Dashboard to update, maintain, and correct your small business information.