Local Series: Getting Your Business Listing Setup in Search Engines (Part 2)

If you missed Part 1 of Getting Your Business Listing Setup in Search Engines start there first.

The verification process can sometimes be the most challenging part of setting up your local business listing in search engines. The process can be easy and at the same time difficult for numerous reasons. Below we share with you the various ways to verify your account and what we have often experienced when setting up listings on behalf of our clients during the verification process.

GOOGLE (this listing will also show up in Google Maps)

Creating a listing: We recommend you use a general email account with your company domain name. For example, marketing@companyname.com. You do not need a gmail account to setup your listing on Google. Google prefers you use an email address with the company domain in it as further verification and legitimacy of your listing.

Easy way: phone call. Google will typically place a call within minutes that will give you a PIN number. The PIN number will need to be entered during setup, this is the key step to get your listing verified. We have experienced both never receiving a call and a PIN number left on voicemail. The good news is Google will let you request a PIN again. If this does not work you will ultimately be left without the call option and going the route of the slow way – postcard verification.

Slow way: postcard. You’ll need to keep an eye out for the postcard, it will be small and look like junk mail so be paranoid. This postcard will contain your PIN number. It can take up to 2 weeks to receive the postcard so make sure you have kept your login information handy and in a safe place.


View a 45-minute video on How-To set up your business on Google.

BING (aka Bing Business Listing Center)

Easy way: phone call. This process is exactly like Google’s except that Bing provides you with the PIN number and you enter it over the phone when they call you (versus receiving the PIN over the phone and entering it online).

Slow way: a letter or postcard will be sent. It takes almost two weeks to receive the letter. It is typically dated just a couple days after you’ve submitted your local listing.

YAHOO! (aka Yahoo! Local Listings)
http://listings.local.yahoo.com/

Yahoo! sends an email confirmation as verification of your listing. Keep in mind this email will be sent to the person who is listed as the contact in the contact information you filled in, which should also be a general email address for your company.*

*Keep in mind that Yahoo! is no longer a search engine. Currently they are still maintaining their local listings and offer a basic and an enhanced listing (you pay for it).

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