People can now use Alexa to search for local businesses

Thanks to a new partnership between Yell and Amazon, potential customers can now search for businesses in their area just by asking Alexa. All it takes is a simple: 

“Alexa, I need a local plumber’’ or ‘’Alexa, can you recommend a local hairdresser in Manchester?”

This new partnership gives even more exposure to the 2.5 million small businesses that have registered their details with Yell. 

Claire Miles, CEO of Yell, explains: “This arrangement with Amazon – and its fantastic cloud-based voice service Alexa – now makes it even easier for end consumers to ask for local business information straightaway.”

But in fact, Amazon isn’t Yell’s first smart speaker partnership. Households that have a Siri, Google, or Microsoft Cortana powered smart speaker can also search for businesses just by asking for the service they want in the location they need. 

With over two thirds of the UK households interacting with their voice speaker, this new move goes to show how important it is to have your business registered with services like Yell and Google My Business.

What’s more, signing up to these services offers more than just exposure. When users search for businesses via their smart speaker, the host can also tell them details including reviews, opening hours, and – for smart displays – company images. 

When you consider the fact that 66% of the population look for social proof such as reviews before they use a service or make a purchase, registering your business with these kinds of platforms is a failsafe way to build trust and – as a result – increase your customer base.