Online digital service White Pages Connect reports the majority of pubs have no or incorrect key details online about their business.
White Pages Connect (WPC) – a subsidiary of Sensis – allows businesses to publish and update details across a large number of information sites at once.
This includes all the most popular search engines (Google Business, Bing), social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, more), directories (White Pages, and 13 more), apps and maps (including Google, and HERE and Navmii, used by most car manufacturers).
Online searches have become the default method of finding information for many segments of society, and consumer businesses such as hotels may need to monitor details in multiple sites, beyond their own website.
Google reports a 300 per cent growth in searches for business that are ‘open now’ – and Sensis data shows 80 per cent of (overall) businesses do not have their opening hours online.
Amongst pubs and hospitality businesses, 69 per cent are missing a combination of details, such as hours or phone number.
A surprising 17 per cent of businesses do not even detail their location, particularly on Facebook (75 per cent), followed by Google (71 per cent).
WPC suggest businesses are losing customers by not having correct hours of operation available, especially given Australia’s penchant for public holidays; there are 30 different state and national holidays throughout the year, including three different dates for both the Queen’s birthday and Labour day.
WPC Executive GM Stephen Palmer says it’s “staggering” how many businesses have a problem with incorrect or missing hours.
“By having incorrect details about your business online, you frustrate customers and can lose business as a result. The risk of this increases significantly over the holiday period.”
White Pages Connect offers one-stop information and social media management through its client portal. WPC clients must have an active White Pages listing product in the relevant geographic territory.