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Social media websites are no longer for geeks and early adopters.  If you are reading this, you have likely heard of Facebook.  Celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, athletes like Tracy McGrady and journalists like Rick Sanchez from CNN all use Twitter.  You can share your favorite videos with your friends on YouTube.  How can a busy business owner cut through the noise without spending hours keeping up with their social media pages?

Interestingly, you have several options that do not have to be life consuming.  Many services already post general information about your business and all you need to do is register to make sure it is accurate.  And if you are concerned about Search Engine Optimization for your website, all of these services can help.  These are four that are sure to make a difference.   

1.  Google Local Business Center

Google is by far the most popular search engine and one of the most innovative companies on-line.  When someone is looking for a service and Google it, local business results with a map appear at the top of the list.  Register your business and you increase your chances of landing on this list.  Simply go to the Local Business Center to register.  Make sure your correct contact information is listed, including your website so you can be easily found.  Also be sure to enter a few keywords that describe your business so that you have a better shot at the top of your customer’s searches.

2.  Yahoo! Local

Yahoo! is still relevant and their local pages will drive traffic to your website.  Just go to Local Yahoo! and scroll to the bottom of the page, then click on “Add a Business”.  Please note that if you have a Yahoo! account, log in first so you are contacted when the updates are made.  As with Google, make sure your basic contact information is correct.  Yahoo! asks for keywords too, so make sure you enter a few. 

3.  Yelp!

Yelp! certainly is not as big as the others, yet the user experience is excellent!  For you as a business owner, go to http://biz.yelp.com to register.  They have a great Business Owner’s Guide that will walk you through your experience, including some of their enhanced features.  You can have Yelp! widgets for your website, indicating the number of reviews you have received and a few other cool features for business owners.  Reviews of your business can be left by anyone but they cannot remain anonymous, reducing the likelihood of spammers or competitors leaving negative reviews.  In fact, over 60 percent of all reviews on Yelp! are at least 4 out of 5 stars.  These are some of the reasons Yelp! is quickly becoming a favorite tool among social media mavens.

4.  Manta

This is truly a set it and forget it type of site.  The creators of Manta aggregate Dun and Bradstreet, Hoover’s and Moody’s data about your business; then allow you to update it as needed as long as you are a member.  People can leave comments about your business, however it is not an easy process to do so.  I mention this service because it tends to rank highly in searches.  Registering is pretty straight forward and the link to get started is on the top of the page, just below the login fields. 

Visibility is only one part to running a successful business.  Establishing credibility with your customers is another.  As Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI, says, “Visibility plus credibility equals profitability.”  Allow these four services to build visibility for you so you can focus on maintaining your credibility so you can rake in the profits!