Guide for business owners
Keep your business facts the same everywhere
Use the exact same business name, address or service area, phone number and website on every listing and on your own site. When your facts match, it's easy for search engines, AI apps and customers to tell that every listing is you.
By Hypher. Published .
In three steps
Write your facts down once
Name, address or service area, phone, website and hours, exactly as you want them to read.
Find every listing
Search for your business name and your phone number. List every site that shows you.
Fix them, biggest first
Start with Google, Apple, Bing, Facebook and Yelp. Then the sites for your trade.
Why does it matter if my listings differ?
Search engines and AI apps compare what different sites say about you. When the facts match, they can tell all those listings are one business. When they don't, they may show the wrong phone or hours, or show two businesses where there is one. Customers trust a listing less when it's wrong, and they may not call twice.
Which listings matter most?
- Google Business Profile
- Apple Business Connect, for Apple Maps and Siri
- Bing Places
- Yelp
- Sites for your trade, like a wedding site for photographers or a contractor directory
Where do the small sites get my facts?
Many smaller directories copy their facts from data companies, like Data Axle and Foursquare. Some of these let a business check and correct its listing for free. Fixing the source can fix the copies over time.
What if I move or change my phone number?
Update every listing in the same week, starting with Google. Keep the old number forwarding for a while if you can, and mark the old address as moved, not closed.
Do small differences matter?
"St." and "Street" are fine. Your business name and phone number should match exactly. If you're a service-area business, don't show a street address on one site and hide it on another.
How does Hypher help?
Your Hypher page shows the same facts you give your other listings, and links to your website and social pages so search engines can tell they're all you. See what members get.
Questions people ask
Do I need to be on every directory?
No. Get the big ones right, plus any that matter for your kind of business. A few correct listings beat many wrong ones.
Can I use a tracking phone number?
If you do, keep your main number as the primary number on your listings, and add the tracking number as an extra one where the site allows it.
Should I pay a listing service?
You don't have to. You can claim the main listings yourself for free. A paid service can save time, but check what happens to your listings if you stop paying.
This guide is general advice, not a promise of results. Google, Bing, Apple and the AI apps change how they work often. If something here looks out of date, tell us.