Business Owners: Take Advantage of Your Patch Listing

When Wayland Patch launched in December 2010, a team of folks blanketed the town collecting information on local businesses.

The result was the Wayland Patch Directory, a database where readers can find information about local businesses including hours, forms of payment, general descriptions and photos.

Readers are already finding out about your business through Wayland Patch, so why not take some control of what they find?

All users can add events taking place at local spots, rate the business on a scale of one to five stars and add a review. But owners of local businesses get extra bonuses when they claim a listing.

Claim your listing

Business owners get special advantages on Patch beyond what the average reader receives. Anyone can post events, announcements and photos on Patch, but business owners who claim their listings get more options and more access. And the best part is it's free.

This is a particularly great tool for businesses that don't have a webpage. Your visibility on the Internet is critically important in today's web-based world. Even if you do have a website, it can't hurt for your business' name to be in even a few more places on the Web.

Below are detailed instructions on how to use the tools that come with claiming your listing. Check out the handy "how to" video included with this article, as well.

1. Create a username and password for Wayland Patch. Click the "Join" link in the upper, right-hand corner. You can use your business name as your name.

2. Search for your business listing in the Patch Directory, and click on the “Do you own or manage this location? Claim it!" on your listing.

3. Fill out the form that pops up asking for your name, contact information and proof of ownership. The form is so Patch can verify that you have the right to claim the business. It's there to protect your business from someone claiming it who shouldn't have that access.

In a few days, someone from Patch will contact you to verify your authenticity. You’ll then be approved as the business owner. Once approved, you’ll have a “Manage Your Listing” link on the top of your Places page. Click the link to be taken to your dashboard.

Dashboard

From the dashboard, you can make changes and updates to your listing. On the left side of the dashboard, you have several options:

• Your Stats
• Edit listing
• Manage Photos & Media
• Reviews
• Free Tools
• Paid Tools
• Contact Sales

Your Stats

Here you can see how many users have rated, reviewed or follow your listing. You can email your customers to seek out more reviews, and link the Patch Directory listing to your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Edit Listing

Add photos, website information, hours of operation, contact information and more under the Basic Info tab. Some of this information cannot be changed, but you can request a new description if you think your business is inaccurately described.

Choose "Extra Info" to add information like the founding date of your business, what kinds of payments you accept, if there's street parking or a lot, and more.

Manage Photos & Media

Here you can add and edit photos and choose which image is featured. If you have video or PDFs, you would add that here, too. Every listing must have at least five photos with it. If you don't like the five photos we've included, upload five of your own.

Reviews

You can see what people have to say about your business.

Paid Tools

You can upgrade your listing with a professionally made video profile (you can upload your own videos for free), add a message from the owner and become a featured business on the Places page for a fee. You can learn more about these options and how to get in touch with a sales team member.

Have your customers engage and rate your business, and talk with them right on Patch!

If you have any questions, reach out to your Patch editor, Brooklyn Lowery, through email at brooklyn.lowery@patch.com or by phone at 508-344-7464.