In their heyday, MapQuest was the leader of navigation. But with the rise of smartphone GPS services like Google Maps, MapQuest struggled to keep up. Eventually, losing the majority of its market share. And even though a few people’s parents are still printing out MapQuest directions, the once bleeding-edge tech company is now a subsidiary of Verizon.

Subsidiary or not, MapQuest’s directory tool for businesses isn’t just a useful platform for increasing your business’ visibility; it’s a major asset for boosting SEO, brand awareness, and attracting coveted local search traffic.

As a business, you need to take advantage of any tool that’s going to drive digital crowds — and ultimately physical customers — to your business.

What is MapQuest for Business?

A platform formerly used exclusively for navigation services now offers a listing tool that provides businesses the key benefits of its location-centric expertise, helping companies drive revenue, build brand awareness, and improve local search SEO.

A note: it does cost money through Yext to manage your MapQuest listing. MapQuest offers plans based on the size of your business, and many plans come with additional tools, resources, and support.

How to Create a MapQuest Business Listing

So let’s get down to the nitty-gritty details: how to set up a business listing through MapQuest.

• First, you’ll select your business type: one-location, multi-location, or agency.
• Next, enter details like business name, phone, and your name.

MapQuest—through its partnership with Yext—then provides a free initial scan that clues you in on missing info on your business listing on the 50+ leading directory sites. To improve optimization, correct the inconsistent or incomplete details across the various business listing sites and boost your score.

Directly through MapQuest for Business, you can fix or update any missing, old, or inconsistent information across sites by verifying details on one comprehensive form, helping you to effectively control your business’ online rep, improve your ability to appear in search results, and ultimately, get found by potential customers.

Be detailed, consistent, and accurate in the info you provide. Include links and high-res photos. Inconsistent business info listed across the web can harm rankings and SEO.

• To finalize details and fix errors, select your plan based on needs and budget.

If you want to list your business only on MapQuest, it’s $3/week, billed annually. A premium advanced package — 100% optimization across all the major business listing sites — is $19/week.

• Finally, you’ll checkout using payment details and place your order.

After sign-up, listings are processed and MapQuest will send a confirmation email with any further steps. You will be notified when listings are live — which should only take a few minutes. From there, can change and alter any needed info. Voila!

What are the Benefits of a MapQuest Business Listing?

MapQuest has been around the block. As one of the oldest and most popular navigation platforms on the internet, it continues to boast a large usership built by its digital legacy; more than 27 million people are using it each month to find businesses (and directions). That a lot of potential clicks — and a lot of potential eyes — that could find and engage with your business. And that’s not it’s only advantage. Here are four other ways it can benefit your business:

MapQuest Means Exposure

MapQuest gives local businesses what they desperately need—exposure. Because it offers businesses access to one out of every six people on the web, a listing through MapQuest can help more searchers find your business.

Local SEO Loves Location-based Businesses

MapQuest is tailored to local businesses and geographically targeted, so it appeals to and receives a lot of local search traffic (it’s a powerhouse of navigation, remember?) With that model, it can help your business identify and capture your target audience: potential customers in your area.

Stand Out Online

Even though listing with MapQuest (and unifying info across other business listing sites through MapQuest) costs money, the paid plans come with access to tools, support, and resources that can help you further optimize your listing and get potential customers engaging with your business.

Find Customers Faster

Even though MapQuest is not one of the most widely used business listing tools and appears to be an antiquated navigation tool of internet past, in reality, it’s a key platform for accessing and capturing local search traffic and improving your business’ SEO. Simply stated, it’s more than worth the effort and money to use. At the very least, the more listings (and the more detailed and consistent they are), the better off your business will be. You want to be where your potential customers are.