One of the greatest things about our digital age is that we have a wealth of information at our fingertips at any time. For consumers, this instant ability to have questions answered about a business they’re interested in is vital in their purchasing process. So when businesses have inaccurate information online, consumers become frustrated and upset. Having accurate, updated information online is an important aspect of SEO, digital marketing, and your businesses’ online presence.
1. Consumers Will Stop Coming
In the online world, trust is important. A huge part of a business’s online presence is about building a relationship with the consumer. When consumers are confronted with inaccurate information online, that trust starts to fade and the relationship suffers. In fact, 80% of consumers said they lose trust in a business if they find inaccurate information online. It would be like a friend changing their phone number and not telling you. It makes them feel unimportant and lied too. This mistrust will cause them to turn to other businesses, and 68% of consumers will stop using a local business if they find incorrect information online. Make sure your information, from pricing to contact info, is all accurate and up to date.
2. It Leads to Bad Experiences
Have you ever really been craving a certain food, only to arrive at the restaurant and find they don’t actually have it? These types of bad experiences caused by incorrect or outdated information can be detrimental to businesses. In the past 12 months, 71% of consumers have had a bad experience due to incorrect information found online. Online reputations are vital these days, and a negative experience can have real consequences. Bad experiences don’t just mean consumers don’t come back. These days it means bad online reviews, which can really hurt a business’s reputation and sales.
3. It Pushes Consumers to Your Competitors
Think of inaccurate information online about your business as a roadblock to sales. In this digital era, consumers want things quickly and easily. 93% of consumers say inaccurate information online leaves them frustrated. This frustration will push them towards your competitors. To put it simply, if you have incorrect information about your business online not only will you lose sales, your competitor will likely gain them.
4. It Means Consumers Can’t Find You
Visibility online is important these days. That’s why SEO agencies work so hard to get a business’s name out there. But there is no point in getting noticed if consumers can’t get to you. It’s extremely important to make sure your location, contact info, and other vital info are out there online so that consumers know where you are and how to get to you. 40% of consumers said they would give up looking for a business if they couldn’t find an accurate address online. So make sure that people not only see you but that they know where you are.
5. It Signals That You Don’t Care
One thing we always stress to our clients is that regularly updating information and content is a signal to users (and search engines!) that you’re invested in maintaining a relationship. Everyone has that friend that never texts back or stops communicating for months at a time. Don’t be that person. If you move locations or change your phone number let your consumers know so that they feel they’re in the loop. Leaving outdated or inaccurate information online, when it can easily be changed, just makes consumers feel like you don’t care about them or their business. And if consumers think you don’t care about them, they won’t care about you.
Final Thoughts
A business’s online presence is everything these days. In our fast-paced digital world, it’s easy to keep consumers updated so make sure you do. Consumers have a lot of options and so don’t send them running to your competitors by not updating or correcting your business’s info online. Update your social media regularly, make sure directories have your correct contact info, and ensure your Google My Business listing is accurate! Our SEO packages make sure that all of these crucial tasks are maintained, so you can focus on running your business. Contact us today to see how we can help.
