If you don’t know already it is very important to setup your local business listing on local and mainstream search engines. Well since Bing came out I thought I would go there and get StepForth’s listing. So I visited the Bing Local Listing Center and tried to add my company’s local listing but I ran into an annoying wall a little ways into the process that was a real let down; they didn’t bother to tell me that only the USA is supported at the moment.
January 30th, 2013 Update: Great news! You can now add your Canadian business easily and free to Bing Local via Nokia.
If you are in the USA the process to get your local listing is straight forward – at least as far as I got. Just go to the Bing Local Listing Center and log in with your Microsoft Passport (or create one) and if the system does not find a current listing it will allow you to create one. Well StepForth does not have one yet according to their system so I was directed to the listing local listing creation page. When I got to the creation page and began to fill out the submission form I was rebuffed by a big pet peeve of mine… the system knew I was Canadian (it is noted in the header of the page) and yet the only way to add a listing was to enter a State and Zip (see screenshot).
I realize this is a nitpicky post but I am fed up with oversights in this regard. I mean how hard can it be to say “I am sorry but Bing Local Listings is not supporting Canada right now – click here to be notified when it becomes available” instead of finding out later on that it only supports the States? Thankfully the form is not long, so I don’t discover this fact after entering a ton of information, which I have experienced all too often. Come on Microsoft! Get with it!
Mini-rant complete. Thank you for listening.
Getting a Business Listing in Bing Canada – Update – July 2nd, 2010
Hi everyone, when I was at SMX Advanced a few weeks back I spoke with Eric Gilmore from Bing and asked him what was happening with Bing Canadian listings. Unfortunately, his answer was not positive. What I interpreted from his round-about explanation was Canada would only have access at the same time the rest of the world was and that it was all a matter of priorities (they are focused on a new roll out of Bing Webmaster Tools right now). That said, he was sure we would be happy when it did come – gee thanks. A VERY displeasing answer in my opinion, but it is what it is. – Ross Dunn
Article History: Originally posted June 26, 2009
Update #1: July 2, 2010
Very frustrating that this is still the case… I think some local Canadian companies are paying to provide this content so they can lock in customers. I hope I am wrong…
This is ridiculous and not exactly building loyalty with Canadian’s. At least you can still bypass it by just putting in an incorrect location and at least be somewhat listed.
Reminds me of Marvin the paranoid android in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: “Here I am, brain the size of a planet…”. Here Microsoft is, incapable of making the effort to put other countries in the system! I’ve been trying since they brought out their Places system and I think it’s just stupid!
I agree this is very frustrating. My web service is US based and they said “make sure you add your listings using this process” but neither Bing nor my website service thought of that additional 10% market north of the border.
It’s been almost two years since this original post and to my knowledge it appears this problem was never resolved. Same goes for Yahoo Local. If you’re Canadian you’re pretty much SOL. I tried doing what they said registering with Business Finder on Yeloow Pages.ca which apparently feeds the listing info to Bing and Yahoo. Unfortunately it has not worked for me. My listing shows up on Yellow Pages search engine, but nowhere on Bing or Yahoo where it counts. I’m very frustrated. Luckily Google Places works like charm. If anyone has an updated solution to get a Canadian Business listed on Yahoo Local, Yahoo Maps and Bing I would love to know. Thanks.
As far as I know Aug 2012 it is still not setup… too bad.
Really irritating that my competition is on Bing local, but I am not!
Get with it Microsoft.
I have had the same Yellow Pages.ca experience as Mike. And I, too, have beat my head against the proverbial brick wall trying to figure out how to get our Canadian company listed. It’s now mid-November 2012 and if anybody, anywhere, can figure out how to accomplish this, and would communicate this to me, I would be very grateful – and I promise you will find a way to return the favour.
Thanks.
Hello Melanie, I took a look at your website and there are some very basic elements missing which would greatly increase your chances it would be included in local pages. I also have the answer to getting into Bing Local FINALLY. Please drop me a line (250-385-1190) and we can talk. Anyone else out there still listening to this thread? If so, note I will have a followup with the full details on getting a Canadian business into Bing Local written in a new post tomorrow (Wednesday) or on Thursday. Cheers! Ross Dunn
Looking forward to it Ross.
I just ran into this same snag with Yahoo local: I’d love to hear if you’ve heard any news in this regard. I don’t find your post nitpicky at all. I am constantly feeling like we small Canadians are left standing in the middle of the road wildly waving our arms in the air yelling: “Halloooooo! We’re over here!!!”
That was over 2 weeks ago Ross. Any results yet?
Ross,
I can’t seem to find this follow up article on your site that you promised in your last comment. Where can we find it?
Hi Earl, my sincere apologies. My intention is to have it online this week and it will outline the process with screenshots all the way to photos of the snail mail i received to confirm my location. Sorry for the wait. I will save you from the excuses. Thanks for the interest!
Awesome sauce. I have been following this thread for almost a year. I can’t wait to see what you have Ross.
Awesome sauce. I have been following this thread for almost a year. I can’t wait to see what you have Ross.
Hey Ross, you said you know how to get Canadian businesses into Bing local now…? Please share.
FINALLY got back to this thread after 2 months away (sorry, but the world got in the way), and am still wondering how to handle this Canadian problem. Ross, you said you had a solution, which we are all eager to hear. Can you share it with us now? You also invited me to call you, which I’ll do tomorrow. Thanks.
I have been frustrated with Microsoft for years over this issue, probably explains why Google is the leading search engine as I concentrate my efforts there. I will watch this thread and look forward to seeing what Ross has come up with.
So can be place our Canadian Business listing on Bing yet? Just wondering, eh!
Hello everyone! I am terribly sorry this took so long but I have been living utter chaos lately. Anyways, here is a new article with the entire process of getting into Bing step-by-simple-step. Finally they got their ass in gear! It only took 4 years :-/
http://www.stepforth.com/blog/2013/get-listed-on-bing-local-canada/
And Melanie, I am sorry we didn’t connect. Now that I see your message I know who Ashley said called the office. I was a bit bewildered I must admit
Just the same I would welcome hearing from you anytime. Hopefully I can be there to answer next time!
Thank you very much Ross, worked perfectly and I look forward to having my sites on Bing places, finally! Only verification option they gave was to mail the card but I am ok with that, whats another 3 weeks!
All the best!