Google might be the biggest search engine on the planet today but there are plenty of other players in the game too. When we talk about search engines, Bing needs a special mention, since, it currently holds the number two spot, and is right behind Google on the registry rankings.
As a business owner you CANNOT leave any stone unturned in your quest to reach out to the maximum number of people online. By not signing up on Bing’s Places for Business, you are leaving out a huge number of potential clients that prefer Bing over Google.
Bing’s market share has been on a steady rise over the past few years and a recent survey shows that the search engine’s popularity has increased by 7.24% in the UK and 6.91% in the United States. Hence, by not being on Bing, you are missing out on a sizable volume of clicks.Luckily, you do not need to be Houdini to sign up on Bing’s business listings, nor do you need any special SEO training. The process is quick, easy and free for all. We have compiled a step-by-step guide to help you create your Places for Business listing. Plus, we have a few tricks up our sleeves that we will be sharing with you along the way. So, let’s get started!
Claim Your Listing
a. The first step is to claim your listing on Bing. Head over to Bing Places and get the process started. If you have never listed a business on Bing before, this is where you need to begin. Otherwise, skip to the Profile Optimization section and get on with it. b. If you have to search for an existing business on the Bing listing, you could either search by Name and Location or by using the registered phone number. We recommend using the prior since there is a risk of pulling up the wrong phone number. c. If your business pops up, simply click on “Claim this Business” and get it over with. If there is no such option, click on “Create New Business” and follow the steps that come up. d. But first, you need a Microsoft account in order to sign up. If you do not have one don’t worry, since a prompt will lead you on to the signup page. You can also create an account right now by clicking this link here. Upon signing up, you will be guided on to a five-step processthat will ask for your- Basic Profile Information
- Categories and Description
- Contact Details
- Photos
- Business Hours
#1. The trick here is to select multiple categories for your business and then picking one of these categories as ‘Primary’. Make sure to add a well-composed description of your website and add a link to your website’s About Us page here.
f. Next up is Contact Information. Make sure that your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) matches all the other citations.Add links to your website, Facebook page, email ID, Twitter handle, additional phone numbers and EVERY other social media page that you own.
g. Adding photographs is next in line. You need to upload at least three photos to prove that your business exists. You can always upload more photos later on. Most businesses do not have optimized photos online. This is your chance to move ahead of the pack. Like Categories, DO NOT FORGET to set one image as ‘Primary’.
#2. We recommend using the company’s logo as the primary image. If you do not have a logo yet, a clear picture of yourself is the next best thing. We cannot stress enough on the importance of uploading your own photograph, since, people like accountability when trusting someone online with their money.
h. Adding appropriate working hours is important. If you offer your services for an extended period, include that as well. However, NEVER trick people into believing that you are open for business when you are not.
You can now submit your listing!
Verify Your Listing
Although Bing offers numerous avenues for verifying your listing, we recommend verification over the phone, since, it takes the least amount of time. You can also go old-school with the postcard verification method, but the process is rather time-consuming.Keep your registered phone number handy before proceeding for verification, since the automated call comes in almost instantly. Enter your six-digit verification code, and you should be prompted by a Verification Successful pop-up message upon entering the pin correctly.Just because your listing is verified does not mean that it is published. You will receive a written communication from Bing via email confirming the dates by when they expect to publish your listing. You should set up a calendar reminder for the date and time mentioned in the email and check back to ensure that the listing is active as per schedule. If you follow these steps correctly, you should have a verified listing within two weeks! If you are interested in listing your website on Bing, Google, Facebook, Oath (Formerly Yahoo!) and 12 other related directories, schedule a consultation with us today!
