Get Listed: 5 Sites That Will Publish Your Company or Personal Profile
The only thing better than cheap advertising is free advertising. Believe it or not, some websites can give you just that. If your company does not have a strong online presence on websites that have high search ratings, many potential customers will be inaccessible to you. While most ways of promoting your business will eat away at your profits, creating a business or personal profile on any of these five sites won’t.
1. Facebook and Instagram
While business profiles on some social media sites won’t appear as professional as others, they can still be a valuable tool to connect with your customer base. Instagram and Facebook both have direct messaging platforms where potential customers can reach you from the comfort of their smartphones. If paid promotion is in your business’s future, these sites have advertising options at a wide range of price points.
Keep in mind that a social media profile needs consistent upkeep and you’ll need some way of regularly producing content. An abandoned social media account will reflect poorly on your company, so aim to post regularly.
If you have the means and the content, consider creating a page that provides a constant stream of publicity. Some larger businesses even have dedicated personnel in charge of maximizing exposure through social media.
Linking your personal or company website to the profile and vice versa can help you create a network of online locations where your business can be found. Take Missouri Pharmacist Patrick Ladapo for example: By linking his social media profiles to his personal website, he creates a network of web pages that increase his visibility online.
2. LinkedIn
Standing at the crossroads of social media and business networking, Microsoft’s LinkedIn is both free to join and widely used. Unlocking some of LinkedIn’s exclusive features requires a monthly subscription. However, simply creating a profile for yourself or your business won’t.
Like other social media sites, LinkedIn pages tend to appear high in search results, giving your company more exposure. A LinkedIn profile can be especially valuable if interacting with potential employees or employers interests you.
3. Google My Business
I can’t count the number of times that I’ve used Google to find that one restaurant that will satisfy my takeout craving. While you may not be running a fine dining establishment, there are still high odds that your customers will be using Google to begin their search for businesses that will meet their needs.
A Google Business profile can provide credibility with its rating system and will often appear near the top of relevant searches. While not nearly as customizable as other web profiles, a Google Business profile can directly link your customers with the services you provide and even give directions to a storefront.
4. Bing Places for Business
Sometimes seen as Google’s nemesis, Bing receives far less use than its rival. Though with a whopping 6.7% of the global search market, there is no denying that a significant portion of the population uses Bing for their everyday internet searches. Prioritize a Google Business profile, but don’t forget to spend some effort building your brand across other search engines.
5. Yelp
A strong Yelp profile can improve the credibility of you or your business. Though company and storefront profiles are most common on Yelp, you can also create one if you’re a contractor or very small business. For example, those in law and medical fields may consider creating a Yelp page to separate their reviews from those of their firm or hospital. There is a good chance that your business is already present on Yelp, so go ahead and take control of it.
The sites listed above could be used to create a profile for almost any business or person. However, there likely exists a site that fits your niche better. For example, if you specialize in home renovation, Angi would be an ideal site to create a profile.
A smart way of finding a specialized website to host your business or personal profile is to analyze businesses or people with similar professional skills or goals to yours. The sites that they have created profiles on will likely be quality fits for you as well.
Remember that the goal of these profiles should be to direct potential customers to your business or personal website, so make sure to provide a link. A network of profiles can help build your online presence, so don’t hesitate to choose a few of the five sites listed above to create profiles on.