Local listings: More visibility for your business

Do you want your company to appear where your potential customers are searching? Then you should understand why local listings are indispensable today.

These digital entries on platforms such as Google Company Profile, Apple Maps, Yelp, Facebook, or specialised portals like TripAdvisor or Jameda contain all the vital information: name, address, telephone number, opening hours, website, and reviews. They ensure that you can be found directly for local search queries such as "hairdresser nearby" or "best pizzeria in your city". This increases your local visibility, builds trust and attracts new customers - even before they visit your website.

In the digital era, as a local business, you can't ignore local listings - they are your bridge between online search and real customer contact. If you want people to find you, trust you and buy from you, then you need strong local visibility.

A perfect example of this is Google Maps: over 2 billion people use it every month, which is one in four people worldwide. If you have a well-maintained profile there, you can benefit from millions of local search queries. Google Maps has long been more than just a navigation service - it's your digital shop window that creates trust and makes you visible.

You can choose between two types of listings:

• General directories, such as Google Maps, Bing Places, or Facebook, are open to all industries and have a vast reach.
• Industry-specific platforms such as Jameda (for doctors), TripAdvisor (for catering and tourism) or ProvenExpert (for service providers) - they specifically address your target group.

If you maintain your entries regularly and optimise them with local and regional keywords, you will not only increase your local visibility but also your ranking in search engines. This way, you will be found exactly when your customers need you.

Google business profile in focus - your key to local visibility in Germany

If you want your business to be found on Google - precisely when potential customers are searching for offers in your area - then you should definitely use your Google business profile. This free tool functions like a digital business card, but with significantly more power: you can utilise it to manage your online presence in Google Search and on Google Maps, thereby enhancing your local visibility in Germany.

What you can enter:

• Opening hours, including special times and public holidays
• Reviews that your customers can leave directly
• Photos & videos of your business, your team or your products
• Posts & offers, e.g. promotions, events or news
• FAQs & attributes, such as "barrier-free", "WiFi available" or "run by women"

Why is this so important for you:

• You appear at the top of relevant local search queries - often even before traditional websites
• Customers can call you directly, plan a route or visit your website
• Reviews and images create trust and encourage purchase decisions
• You gain valuable insights, e.g. how many people have seen your profile

A real-life example: A hairdressing salon in Dresden regularly updated its profile - with up-to-date images, real customer reviews and weekly posts about special offers. The result: In just three months, enquiries via Google Maps increased by 40 %. The "Book now" buttons and quick responses to reviews were particularly effective, conveying proximity and professionalism.

Why local listings are so valuable for you as an entrepreneur

If you want your business to appear at the top of local searches such as "bakery nearby" or "hairdresser Radebeul", then local listings are your key to better findability. Around 46% of all Google searches have a local intent - in other words, people are specifically looking for offers in their neighbourhood. Suppose you are present with consistent NAP data (name, address, phone number) and optimise your profile with relevant local keywords. In that case, Google will classify you as particularly relevant and reward you with a better ranking.

Build trust with real reviews. Positive customer reviews are worth their weight in gold. They show potential customers that you are reliable and provide social proof of your quality. The more authentic reviews you collect, the more clicks and visits you'll get —and the stronger the bond with your customers.

Show what you have to offer - visually and invitingly. Professional images and virtual tours give interested parties a real impression of your business before they even enter it. You can integrate this content directly into your Google Business Profile - it increases the length of stay and makes your offer more tangible.

Use the data provided by Google. You get valuable insights: How many people see your profile? How often do they click on "Route", "Call" or "Website"? This information helps you to make targeted optimisations - for example, adjusting your opening hours or publishing targeted posts that really resonate.

Mistakes that you should definitely avoid with your local listings

❌ Incomplete or outdated information. If your listing is half-finished - with missing opening hours, an incorrect telephone number or an outdated address - it looks unprofessional. And that puts potential customers off. Studies show that 70% of consumers switch to the competition if the information is contradictory.

❌ Don't respond to reviews Reviews are public - and so are your responses to them. If you don't respond to feedback at all, you come across as distant or disinterested. A friendly response, even to criticism, shows that you take your customers seriously and are actively working on improvements.

❌ Inconsistent data on different platforms. If your company name, address or phone number appears differently on Google than on Yelp or Facebook, it's not just the user experience that suffers. Google will also classify you as less trustworthy - and this can significantly worsen your ranking for local search queries.

Best practices for your strong local listing

✅ Consistent NAP data (name, address, phone number) Make sure your business data is exactly the same on all platforms - even small differences like "street" vs. "St." can negatively impact your ranking for local searches. Google loves consistency. Consistent information sends a clear signal of trust - both to search engines and to your customers.

✅ Regular updates and posts. Keep your profile lively. Update your opening hours, upload new images and use posts to share promotions, events or news. An active profile is displayed more frequently and ensures more interactions - especially with local search queries that are directly targeted at your offers.

✅ Actively ask customers for reviews. Many satisfied customers will only leave a review if you ask them directly - preferably shortly after a positive experience. A friendly request by email, QR code or in a conversation can work wonders. Important: Stay authentic and don't promise any rewards - genuine reviews count.

✅ Use location-based terms such as "hairdresser in Radebeul" or "best pizzeria in Dresden" in your description and posts. These local keywords help Google to categorise your profile better - and ensure that you appear at the top of relevant search queries.

Measuring success: How to analyse the impact of your listings

A well-maintained local listing is only really effective if you regularly check its impact. Various tools and metrics are available to help you do this:

Google Insights: What users really do

You can obtain detailed statistics via your Google company profile - for example:

• Clicks on website, call or directions
• Search terms that users used to find your company
• Time and frequency of interactions

This data shows you how visible your profile is and which content works particularly well.

Tools for monitoring reviews and rankings

For a more in-depth analysis, you can use specialised local SEO tools:

• Localo: Tracks your local rankings, analyses reviews and gives you AI-supported optimisation tips
• XOVI: Monitors your positions in local search results for different cities and keywords
• Thunderbit: An AI web scraper that allows you to capture rankings and competitor data automatically

These tools help you to recognise trends, react to changes and improve your visibility in a targeted manner.

Conclusion: Small measure, big impact for your local visibility

Your local listing is much more than a digital address book - it is the foundation of your local online presence. If you regularly maintain your Google business profile with up-to-date information, meaningful images and honest reviews, you can make the difference between "being found" and "being overlooked".

By targeting local keywords and optimising your profile for local search queries, you will rank better on Google, build trust and attract more customers directly from your local area.

A small measure with a big impact for your business.