Have you received a report claiming that there’s incorrect or missing information about your business online? Some agencies resort to sending these reports to tow company owners claiming that they aren’t listed on certain online directories. These reports contain the “results” of a scan of your business’s directory listings performed through a company called Yext.
These scans are inaccurate, and are commonly used as a misleading sales tactic.
Yext’s PowerListings scan (or PowerNetwork Scan) tells you that your towing company isn’t listed on sites like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, along with a handful of other sites (most of which are very obscure and you’ve probably never heard of). However, despite their claims of your towing company not being listed on Google, if you perform a quick search you’ll probably find that your business shows up, along with your correct contact information.
This Yext PowerNetwork “Report” was sent to one of our members as a sales tactic.
Why are agencies sending these reports to me?
Most of the time they hope that you’ll see a bunch of red X’s and get scared that you’re missing out on business because you aren’t listed on a bunch of obscure directory sites. Don’t be afraid to do a little research. You’ll quickly see that most of the sites on the list after the first few are not major search engines. When’s the last time you used FourSquare to search for a towing company? Never.
What is a PowerNetwork or PowerListings Scan?
As part of its services for small businesses, Yext submits its clients’ information to a network of online directories. Yext calls its own brand of directory listings “PowerListings.” Some agencies will perform a “PowerNetwork Scan” for your business through Yext. The results appear in a grid so you can see which sites you’re listed on and which sites have accurate information about your business. It’s no surprise that there are often more than 50 “errors” detected with your listings…but they aren’t really errors at all. Most of them are from Yext branded directory sites that nobody ever visits to search for a towing company.
I was told that there were 60+ sites where my business isn’t listed. Isn’t that bad?
The short answer is no. The main search engines and directory sites listed (i.e. Google, Bing, Facebook) are definitely important in helping you get found online. However, you can easily create listings on these sites for free. As a matter of fact, TowingWebsites.com sets you up on these sites for free with your membership because we realize they are an important part of your online presence. If you look closely at the other 50+ sites that are provided on their PowerNetwork scan report, you’ve probably never heard of most of them. Don’t worry, most people haven’t. That’s because nobody is searching on those sites for a towing company, and that’s why we focus our efforts on the sites that truly matter. The ones that are going to get you the most cash calls!
Actual sites that are part of the Yext PowerListings Network. How many of these have you heard of?
What If I Want to Be Listed On All of Those Directories?
If you really want to be listed on all of Yext’s branded networks, you can sign up for their “Standard” package and they’ll distribute your listing to all of their affiliated directory sites. The cost for this starts at $350/year per location. But there’s a catch…
What Happens If You Don’t Renew Yext?
If you fail to renew Yext, the data they’ve sent to their directory sites will be subject to change. It could revert back to the original information, and you’ll lose the ability to update it unless you create accounts at each directory site individually. Additionally, your “enhanced content” will no longer appear on those listings. This could include your bios, products, hours, and photos.
What Should I Do If a Marketing Agency Sends Me a Yext Report?
If a marketing agency, or a Yext salesman, sends you a PowerListings or PowerNetwork Scan Report you can forward it to us for a free manual review! One of our team members, an actual person, will review your important listings on sites like Google, Facebook, and Bing to ensure your data is correct. We wouldn’t recommend you waste money to be listed on sites that won’t generate cash calls when that money can be used on real marketing efforts that generate real results.
