Bing Business Portal is the newest competition for Google Places and has been launched by Microsoft to replace Bing Local Listing Center. Business owners can create their listings by phone or using a PIN that’s sent through conventional snail mail. The content should then go live within 1-2 business days, but Microsoft is working on speeding up that process .
What is Bing Business Portal?
According to Searchengineland.com, the following is what you can do in the Bing Business Portal:
- Claim, create, verify, and manage local business listings
- Identify key search categories where you want your listing to appear
- Customize listings with enhanced details such as logos, photos, and more
- Create a mobile Web site (and free QR Code) so customers can learn about your business on their mobile devices
- Create a custom menu (restaurants and bars) for inclusion on a mobile menu
- Create Deals (coupons) and promote them for free on Bing (both PC and Mobile) and Facebook
- Authorize other users to manage your listings
Why Should Businesses Use Bing Business Portal?
More and more customers are searching Bing to find businesses and services in their local area. Claiming your business listing enables you to provide the most up to date and accurate information that can help increase your visibility on Bing and make it easier for customers to find you. According to Bing, the Bing Business Portal makes it easy for you to:
Get Found
Verify your business listing to ensure prospective customers can find, contact, and visit your business. The details you provide can help modify how your business appears in the Bing algorithmic search results.
Highlight Your Strengths
Add photos, logos, contact information, payment types, menus, and other business details that help your business stand out from other local listings.
Get Customers
Create deals to entice customers to visit your business. Your deals will appear in Bing search results on both mobile devices and PCs. You can even publish deals to Facebook!
In summary, Bing Business Portal is another tool for business owners to use to help promote their business or service and improve their search engine optimization. The cost is free, so setting up an account on Bing Business Portal makes good sense.