Outdated and incorrect business data misleads consumers

With smartphones increasingly the digital tool of choice when it comes to searching for information about businesses or services, a new survey from Yext, the global Location Data Management leader, has exposed critical inaccuracies in important online business data.

The survey, carried out amongst more than 2,000 UK consumers in October 2016, reveals that as many as eight in ten encounter incorrect information about a business when searching online. Tellingly, nearly half (43.2%) of the consumers in the survey said that this was not a rare occurrence.

In fact, a Yext scan of business listings across the UK found that 65% of large UK businesses have incorrect addresses listed online. The problem is not restricted to large organisations, as 67% of smaller businesses have incorrect addresses listed. The incorrect information doesn’t stop there – 33% of large businesses list incorrect phone numbers, and 61% of small businesses face the same challenge.

34% of UK consumers reported that the piece of information that was most often incorrect was opening hours, with approximately the same percentage identifying products and services information as the most often inaccurate piece.

Consumers were very clear about where they consider the responsibility for accurate location data to lie. Just under half (49%) blamed businesses themselves, clearly expecting businesses to ensure their important details are kept updated. Only 20% of survey respondents thought that this was the responsibility of the search engine or app where the incorrect data was showcased. This perception of responsibility signifies a key reputational risk to businesses with out-of-date information.

“Consumers rely on mobile search to get the information they need quickly, and they expect it to be reliable. Our research has shown that businesses with out of date location information online are risking their relationships with customers and their revenue,” said Jon Buss, Managing Director for UK and Northern Europe at Yext. “Our research shows that UK businesses are falling behind the US, with twice as many incidents of incorrect information displayed, so they need to address this issue urgently.”

The data also show that mobile phone use in looking up businesses is on the rise, with 73% of 25-34 year-olds saying they are more likely to use a smartphone rather than a desktop device.

Yext addresses the challenge of incorrect business data with its award-winning Location Cloud, which allows companies to manage location data across their websites, mobile apps, internal systems and over 100 maps, apps, social networks, directories and search engines including Google, Apple, Facebook, Bing, and Yelp.

Source: Yext