Some online business directory companies use questionable business tactics to get your business. Pay attention to the invoices you receive and make sure you’re paying for services you’ve requested and agreed to receive. This is advice that can be applied in many aspects of life, but today we’re talking about bills that you might receive from business directory or online listing companies.
Watch for Unplanned Directory Invoices
There are more times than I can count where we’re working with a business or organization on their online presence and they mention how they are already paying for a online listing service. But they don’t know who this service is or what they are doing for them. Often times it isn’t much, but costs a lot.
Most online listing directories offer listings free of charge. There may be paid options, but more often than not, the free version meets the desired needs. If you are paying for something make sure you know what you are paying for, what they are providing, how much it costs, and what you are getting from doing this (measurement, reports, and proof; it’s rare).
We’ve seen some directories use questionable billing tactics. A recent example provided by a client spurred this message. A business that we work with received a quarterly invoice for $963.00. They sent this invoice to us questioning if we knew anything about the invoicing company. Thankfully they questioned it because it was not something they signed-up for and if this had been setup for reoccurring payment they would’ve paid $3,852 for the year! After looking at the information in the listing it wasn’t even correct, so they would have paid almost $4k for incorrect information in one, single online directory. Ouch.
These invoices may look legitimate. Often you will actually receive some sort of service or listing, but at what cost? My best advice is to be aware and know what you are paying for constantly. If you’re unsure. Ask. Please.
Online Listing Management
At Vivid Image we provide an online listing management service to help manage MANY online directories. We avoid listings that require payments to display information. It is beneficial to your online search results to have numerous, correct online listings. This can be overwhelming to manage, which is where we can step in to save you time and provide efficient, effective services.
Remember watch your invoices and make sure you recognize the company and know what you’re paying for or ask questions. Need help managing your online listings? Contact us today.
