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The post Best Practices for Referencing Your Business Location Online appeared first on HostGator Blog . Advertising your business online can get confusing. With so many available options to promote your business online like Google My Business, social media and your own website, it can be difficult to know where to start. When you have a local business, there is another layer that you have to consider when promoting your business online: your address . As you go along building your online presence for your brick and mortar business, you need to take that extra step to ensure that your business location is listed in every possible place. After all, the more people that know your address, the more people that can come visit it. While you should list your business’ information online in as many places you can, the list below contains websites that your contact information and location should be listed on at the very least. Google My Business Google My Business is an essential place to reference your business online. Basically, Google My Business allows you to manage how your business looks in Google search results. With Google My Business you can manage your business’ maps, knowledge graphs, online reviews and even your organic search results – which will all lead to more traffic (online and foot) to your business. The added bonus of setting up and continuing to update a Google My Business listing is searchers will start seeing your business information appearing in a knowledge panel. A knowledge panel allows a potential visitor to quickly see your business information like your address or phone number. This easy-to-use knowledge panel will greatly increase the accessibility of your business to customers by providing a way for customers to quickly contact you and visit your business. Social Media While not the most obvious, social media is one of the easiest places to reference your local business online. After all, the platforms are readily available (and you’re hopefully already using them), you just need to input your business’ contact information into them. To start, you will want to ensure that you’re choosing the business versions of your favorite social media platforms, like Facebook Business Pages and Instagram for Business. This is important because these business versions will have “About” pages. Your contact information will live on your “About” page. On your “About” page you have the opportunity to list not only your address and phone number, but also your additional social media channels and hours of business. This information will be vital in gaining and retaining customers that you connect with via social media.   Online Directories Online directories might be one of the most underutilized places to reference your business online. Often sorted by industry, online directories offer a place for your business to be listed among your business peers. For example, someone searching for a plumber might come across a online directory for plumbers where they would then find your business, listed by city. Many online directories are free to submit your business to, so there is no additional cost, it will just take time submitting your business to these sites. An additional bonus of listing your business in these online directories is it gives you quick backlinks .   Review Sites Before people give you their business, they are most likely going to search for your business online to see what other people have said about you. They will look to review sites to give them the information they’re looking for, so you will want to ensure your business is listed there. Make sure that you’re listed on places like Yelp , and other review sites for physical businesses. Like online directories, review sites give potential customers another chance to find your business, as well as giving you additional backlinks . One thing to note about listing your business on review sites is to monitor your reviews . It won’t matter if your business is listed on these review sites if you only have poor reviews.   Business Website Although listed last in this article, having a business website is the most important online place that your contact information and business location can live. Why? Because you own it. As you design your website , include your location and contact information in an easy-to-find place, ideally on its own contact page. Your contact page should include your phone number, email address, physical address and an interactive map of your location. You will also want to ensure that all of this information is linkable for your mobile visitors. When your contact information is linkable, it becomes more accessible to mobile users. For example, think about someone someone who is on their way to your business. With linkable and clickable contact information, a customer can visit your website, click your address and be prompted to open your address in the map so they can easily visit you. Or they can click on your phone number and they’re immediately prompted to give your business a call. Besides your contact page, an additional place to list your contact information address would be the footer of your website. This provides a quick and easy way for customers to find your location without them having to go through your menu of pages.   Help Customers Find Your Business Online Accessibility is key when it comes to local businesses. With the rise of online retailers offering goods quickly online, the last thing you want to do is provide another barrier for potential customers to visit you in person. You want to make sure that customers can quickly find your address so your business can be easily visited. 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