"Hey Siri, Find My Local Business"

By MSW -
If you have an iPhone you are probably very familiar with "Siri", your "intelligent personal assistant." As a consumer, you may be asking her where the best local Mexican restaurant is, where the local plumber can be found, or what is happening in your area this weekend.

As a business owner, you are probably paying close attention to where your business is ranking in Google for your desktop or mobile searches, but are you also paying attention to how Siri (or a comparable digital assistant) is treating YOUR business?


So what is Siri?


Siri is a built-in "intelligent digital assistant" that enables users of Apple iPhone 4S (and later), as well as newer iPad and iPod Touch devices, to speak natural language voice commands in order to operate the mobile device and its apps.

A study conducted by Pew Research Center shows that 68% of American adults now have access to a smartphone, and among teens, 73% now own a smart phone . So where do you stand on Siri and other mobile search assistants? More and more people are turning to Siri rather than a traditional internet search engine for local business recommendations.  If you do not understand how Siri’s mobile search operates, you could be missing out on a great opportunity.




A study commissioned by Google and conducted in 2014 by Northstar Research, concluded that voice search was used to ask for directions more than any other tool. Correct map placement not only helps your business come up on Google and Bing’s search page when searching locally, but they are a must when a mobile user is asking their phone for directions. When you ask your phone for directions or where the closest gas station, restaurant, store or service is, the cellphone towers relay your area to your phone. Based on your location, local businesses are then searched according to proximity, rank and other factors; these factors, as well as location, determine what results you see.

Tips to Help Hour Business with Siri


  • Have a GREAT Google Map Listing - Populate your local google map listing with your complete address, telephone number, website address, and ensure you are listing all of the goods or services you provide at your business location.

  • Get Your Business Listing on Apple Maps Connect - This can help Siri find your business for people using Apple Maps.  You'll need an Apple ID to list your business and you can setup an account here - mapsconnect.apple.com.


  • Get Listed in Directories - Siri can find your information in a variety of ways, so getting on as many listing directories as possible can help.  Many Siri users ask for "the closest" result and by being on several local listings, Siri may suggest your business as a result.

  • Listing Consistency is Key - Use the exact same business address, telephone and other business information on every listing.  If you use different information for local directories, Google (and Siri) may have trouble deciding on whether or not you are two different businesses.  Check to make sure your listings all match up with your website and social media pages as well.

  • Claim Your Local Business Listings - Many directory websites have an option to "claim" your business listing.  Often, this listing has been automatically generated and all you need to do is "claim" it as yours.  Here are examples of websites where you can claim your listing:
    •  Google 
    •  Yelp 
    •   Bing 
    •   City Search 
    •   Foursquare 
    •   Yahoo 
    •   Super Pages

  • Encourage Positive Feedback and Get Reviewed! - Siri uses reviews and ratings when determining businesses to recommend. Encourage your customers and clients to post positive reviews with as much detail about your business as they can, and ask them to give your business a high rating. Siri’s database does not refresh daily, so just be aware that it could be one to thirty days before new reviews affect your search result position

Siri and smart phones are just one more tool to consider when planning your internet marketing strategy.  Understanding how Siri works and how it finds results to questions is a good step toward being the first result she finds when asked about your business sector.  Play around a little bit and see how your business is doing with Siri.  Another alternative is to give MSW Interactive Designs a call. We can answer your questions about Siri, and help your business get found!

~ Loren McNabb, Social Media Coordinator

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 




www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492


Info@MSWInteractiveDesigns.com

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