Business aggregators replace business websites
Actually, for excellent online presence you need both options nowadays. However, in a couple of years the situation might change..
The article briefly.
There are some major business aggregators like Google My Business, Apple Maps Connect, Microsoft Bing places etc. which are being developed actively. Probably, in a couple of years there will be no need to develop a business website, because keeping business listings up-to-date on major business aggregators will be really enough for comprehensive online presence.
The article in full. With analytics and proofs.
A couple of weeks ago we prepared a list of 20+ online catalogs where you can submit business profiles free of charge.
We have already mentioned that creation of your business profile in online aggregators generates traffic, boosts online presence, adds trust to your brand among users. Additionally, business listing in online catalogs is one of search engines ranking factors. So, in case you still don’t have Google My Business, Microsoft Bing Places and other business catalogs’ business listings, do your best to create or update your profile now.
Why is creation and keeping the profile up-to-date recommended? The reason is that, probably in 3-5 years you will no longer need to develop a website because managing some profiles on business aggregators will be enough. Let’s see:
Current situation about online presence
How digital landscape of business aggregators and catalogs looks now:
- There are a lot of industry-specific business catalogs and aggregators, for instance, DesignRush, Clutch etc.
- There are some major universal business catalogs and aggregators like Google My Business, Apple Maps Connect, Microsoft Bing Places etc. Any business can submit listing for free here, no matter what niche it operates in.
- Aggregators and business catalogs are mostly at the top of search results. Briefly, it is so because aggregators and business catalogs are capable of offering more value to a user than a single website of a company. Read a detailed review about why business catalogs are at the top of search results.
- Major players like Google, Apple, Microsoft are developing mentioned platforms as parts of their ecosystems actively.
Let’s talk more specifically about the 4th point. The thing is that major players are interested in engaging internet users in the parts of their own ecosystems. For example, Google wants users to see Google Ads banners, then find goods and services via Google Search using Google Chrome browser, select goods on Google Merchant, then share products’ video reviews on YouTube and rate the producer or seller on Google Maps. Ah, do not forget that you need to claim a Google My Business profile to be able to reply to reviews and be visible on Maps and have a special snippet in Search.
This may be a particular case, however it describes the situation well enough. No doubts that this tendency will develop in the future and the number of services offered will grow.
Surely, when you submit business listings to major aggregators nowadays, putting down a website’s URL is a “basic” box. Anyway, even now such platforms as Google My Business and Yahoo Small Business offer a possibility to create a custom professional website in case you don’t have one.
Submit business profile to an aggregator
In our opinion, everything mentioned is a beginning of a tendency when there will be no need in your own customly developed website. Keeping a business profile on aggregators will be enough. To sum up, we would like to recommend you to create your business listings on business catalogs and aggregators right now. Probably, older profiles with some years of reputation will have better rankings in the future. Here is the article wtih 20+ business aggregators, catalogs, listing services to get your business listed. Hope this helps!