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Local Listings in 2025: New Trends and Best Practices for Better Visibility

An open lap top and tablet on a table with a person pointing to a hovering image of a local listing.

Being part of a franchise means strong brand recognition. Customers who trust your brand are more likely to seek out your locations wherever they go, knowing they can expect the same level of quality and service.

However, maintaining that trust goes beyond just delivering great products or services—it requires consistency in every interaction, including how your business appears online.

Accurate and detailed local listings play a major role in reinforcing that trust. Local listing management is a fundamental part of online marketing, especially for franchise businesses. With more and more people searching for businesses near them, you must have accurate and detailed information in order to stand out in local search results.

Several trends and best practices are shaping the future of local listings, making it easier than ever to increase visibility and connect with the right customers. Let’s take some time to explore these together.

The Increasing Importance of Local Listings

Local listings are online entries that include important information about your business, such as your name, address, phone number (NAP), hours of operation, and other pertinent details. This information appears in search engines, social media sites, and online directories.

For franchise businesses with multiple locations, local listings help people nearby find your business. These are potential customers who are actively looking for the services you offer. Search engines like Google continue to prioritize local businesses in search results. Plus, consumers are increasingly using mobile devices to find businesses nearby. If your franchise’s listings are incorrect or inconsistent across platforms, it can lead to confusion and lost opportunities.

Trends Shaping Local Listings in 2025

In 2025, maintaining accurate and consistent local listings will become even more important. Here are some of the shifts we are already starting to experience.

Increased Focus on Consistency Across Multiple PlatformsAccuracy and consistency are non-negotiable. This is because search engines and online directories continue to reward businesses with consistent NAP information. Whether it’s on Google Business Profile, Yelp, or social media platforms, keeping your franchise’s information uniform makes your business more visible and improves search rankings.

The Presence of AI in Local ListingsAI tools help automatically update listings and identify discrepancies. this makes it even easier to keep information up to date. For franchises, this means less manual work and fewer chances for errors. As a result, your business stay competitive with other businesses in local search results.

Voice Search OptimizationAs voice search becomes more prevalent in 2025, optimizing your local listings for voice queries will become even more important. Many people now use devices like smartphones and smart speakers to find local businesses, asking questions like, “Where is the nearest coffee shop?” or “What are the hours for the nearest auto repair shop?” Making sure your business is correctly listed on popular voice search platforms like Google Assistant and Siri will help your franchise get found when customers use voice search.

Reviews and User-Generated ContentCustomers trust reviews when making decisions, and search engines do too. Positive reviews on local listings better your franchise’s reputation and increase click-through rates, while negative reviews can hurt visibility. Managing reviews, responding to feedback, and encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews should be a part of your local listing management strategy moving forward.

Best Practices for Local Listing Management in 2025

To make the most of your local listing management efforts in 2025, follow these best practices:

  • Verify Your Listings: Make sure that every location of your franchise’s business is properly verified on all platforms, including Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Bing. Verified listings are more likely to appear in local search results.
  • Keep Information Updated: Regularly check and update your franchise’s NAP, business hours, and other relevant details.
  • Eliminate Duplicate Listings: Duplicate listings can dilute your online presence and confuse potential customers. Identify and remove or merge duplicate listings to maintain a clear and authoritative business profile.

Enspire for Enterprise: Your Local Listing Management Partner

Enspire for Enterprise specializes in local listing management to help franchise businesses increase their online visibility. We make sure your business is listed correctly and consistently across multiple platforms, so you can reach the right customers at the right time.

Improve your franchise’s visibility in 2025! Contact us today to learn more about how we can manage your local listings and help your business get found online.