Urban Edge Properties increases engagement by 339% in GMB customer actions and 155% increase in impressions on Google Search using Milestone's local optimization solution and reviews module
Urban Edge Properties saw Google list its properties as "permanently closed" at the onslaught of the COVID-19 shutdown when in reality many of its centers' tenants were open and operating. The company had not claimed or optimized any online listing platforms for its portfolio leaving listings open to the threat of pirate claims or Google assuming operations based on customer feedback. Further, the company did not have the time or staff to work through claiming 55 properties across 21 channels. Claiming and managing its listings would allow the REIT to listen to customer feedback, engage when necessary, and ensure that property information was correct.
The Solution
Milestone deployed a comprehensive local strategy to improve awareness online and increase website visitors and online orders:
Milestone Local: 55 shopping mall locations were optimized to build awareness and engagement online which started with UNAP consistency across all channels. The local listings and GMB profiles were optimized with key features such as hours, short names, descriptions, and more, and similar tactics were used to improve the Bing & Yelp local listings of the client.
Milestone Reviews Module: The client employed Milestone's Reviews Module to manage their online reputation by tracking reviews across all channels and responding to them. This helped in increasing engagement and customer trust.