Help Business Owner Guide

Business Owner Guide - Manage Your Business on WiserMap

Learn how to claim your business, respond to reviews, and build your online presence on WiserMap. This comprehensive guide will help you maximize your business visibility and engage with customers effectively.

Getting Started

Welcome, Business Owner!

Take control of your business presence on WiserMap. Claim your profile, engage with customers, and grow your business through authentic reviews and community engagement.

Why Use WiserMap for Your Business?

WiserMap helps you connect with local customers, build trust through reviews, and showcase what makes your business special. Join thousands of businesses already thriving on our platform.

Increase Visibility

Get discovered by more local customers

Build Trust

Authentic reviews build customer confidence

Grow Revenue

Convert browsers into paying customers

Business Dashboard Overview

Once you claim your business, you'll have access to a comprehensive dashboard that helps you manage your presence, track performance, and engage with customers.

Dashboard Features Include:

Review management and responses
Business analytics and insights
Photo and content management
Customer engagement tools

Business Claiming Process

Finding Your Business

Before claiming your business, you need to find it on WiserMap. Most businesses are already listed in our directory through public data sources.

Business Search Tips

  • Search by exact business name and location
  • Try variations of your business name
  • Search by address or phone number
  • If not found, you can request to add it

Step-by-Step Claiming Process

1

Find Your Business

Use the search function to locate your business listing on WiserMap

Search for "Your Business Name + Your City"
2

Click "Claim This Business"

On your business page, click the prominent orange "Claim This Business" button

3

Verify Ownership

Choose your verification method and provide required documentation

Phone Verification

Receive a verification code via phone call

Email Verification

Verify using your business email address

4

Complete Your Profile

Add business details, photos, and complete your profile setup

Congratulations! Your business is now verified.

Common Claiming Issues

  • • Business already claimed by someone else? Contact support with ownership proof
  • • Verification failing? Ensure phone/email matches business records
  • • Business not found? Request to add your business to our directory
  • • Need urgent access? Use our priority verification for established businesses

Profile Management

Essential Business Information

Keep your business information accurate and up-to-date to help customers find and contact you easily.

Location Details

Accurate address and location information

  • • Street address
  • • City, state, ZIP code
  • • GPS coordinates
  • • Service area (if applicable)

Contact Information

Multiple ways for customers to reach you

  • • Primary phone number
  • • Business email
  • • Website URL
  • • Social media links

Business Hours Management

Accurate hours help customers know when you're open and reduce frustration from unexpected closures.

Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Special Hours Features:
• Holiday hours override
• Temporary closure notices
• Seasonal hour adjustments
• Lunch break specifications

Photos and Visual Content

High-quality photos significantly increase customer engagement and trust in your business.

Exterior Photos

Storefront, signage, and building exterior

Interior Photos

Space, atmosphere, and customer areas

Product/Service Photos

What you offer and work examples

Review Management

Understanding Review Notifications

Stay on top of new reviews with our notification system that keeps you informed in real-time.

Notification Types

  • • New customer reviews
  • • Review response opportunities
  • • Photo additions to your listing
  • • Weekly review summaries

Notification Settings

  • • Email notifications
  • • Dashboard alerts
  • • SMS notifications (premium)
  • • Dashboard notifications

Responding to Reviews

Professional review responses show that you value customer feedback and care about their experience.

Positive Review Response Example

Customer Review

"Great service and friendly staff! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect for our date night."

Your Response:

"Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We're thrilled you enjoyed your date night with us. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!"

Handling Negative Reviews

Customer Review

"Food took too long and was cold when it arrived. Server seemed disinterested."

Professional Response:

"We sincerely apologize for not meeting your expectations. This doesn't reflect our usual standards. We'd love the opportunity to make this right - please contact us directly so we can address your concerns."

Review Response Best Practices

  • • Respond within 24-48 hours when possible
  • • Keep responses professional and courteous
  • • Thank customers for both positive and negative feedback
  • • Address specific concerns mentioned in negative reviews
  • • Offer to resolve issues offline when appropriate
  • • Use responses as an opportunity to showcase your values

Business Analytics

Understanding Your Metrics

Track your business performance with comprehensive analytics that help you make informed decisions.

4.8
Average Rating
+0.2 this month
156
Total Reviews
+12 this month
2.4k
Profile Views
+18% this month
89%
Response Rate
-3% this month

Key Performance Indicators

Customer Engagement

  • • Profile view trends
  • • Review velocity
  • • Photo engagement
  • • Click-through rates

Reputation Metrics

  • • Review rating distribution
  • • Response rate to reviews
  • • Review sentiment analysis
  • • Competitive benchmarking

Weekly Performance Reports

Receive comprehensive weekly reports showing your business performance and growth opportunities.

This Week's Highlights

New positive reviews
+8
Profile views
412
Review responses
6/8

Marketing & Promotion

Optimizing for Local Search

Improve your visibility in local search results and attract more customers to your business.

SEO Best Practices

  • • Use relevant keywords in business description
  • • Include location-specific terms
  • • Add service-related keywords
  • • Keep information consistent across platforms

Local Optimization

  • • Accurate address and contact info
  • • Local landmark references
  • • Service area definitions
  • • Community involvement mentions

Encouraging Customer Reviews

Build a strategy to naturally encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews for your business.

Review Request Templates

Email Follow-up Template

"Hi [Customer Name], thank you for choosing [Business Name]! If you were happy with your experience, we'd greatly appreciate a quick review on WiserMap. It helps other customers discover us and helps us continue providing great service."

In-Person Request

"We hope you had a great experience today! If you have a moment, we'd love a review on WiserMap. You can find us by searching for [Business Name] on their website or app."

Business Updates and Announcements

Keep customers informed about new services, special offers, and important updates.

Special Events

Promote sales, events, and special occasions

Hour Changes

Update holiday hours and temporary closures

New Services

Announce new offerings and capabilities

Advanced Features

Best Practices Guide

Learn proven strategies and guidelines to maximize your business presence and build customer trust on WiserMap.

  • • Review response strategies
  • • Profile optimization tips
  • • Customer engagement best practices
  • • Community building techniques
Read Best Practices →

Social Media Integration

Connect your social media accounts to cross-promote and share customer reviews.

  • • Facebook page sync
  • • Instagram integration
  • • Twitter updates
  • • LinkedIn business page

Advanced Analytics

Deep insights into customer behavior and business performance metrics.

  • • Customer journey analysis
  • • Peak traffic times
  • • Competitor benchmarking
  • • ROI tracking

Multi-Location Management

Manage multiple business locations from a single dashboard interface.

  • • Centralized management
  • • Location-specific analytics
  • • Bulk updates
  • • Team member access

Troubleshooting

Common Business Owner Issues

I can't access my business dashboard

Follow these steps to regain access to your dashboard:

  1. Verify you're using the correct email address associated with your business
  2. Reset your password using the "Forgot Password" link
  3. Check if your business verification is still valid
  4. Contact business support if the issue persists
My business information is incorrect

To update incorrect business information:

  • Log into your business dashboard
  • Navigate to "Business Information" section
  • Make necessary corrections and save changes
  • For major changes (name, address), verification may be required
  • Contact support for assistance with verification documents
I'm not receiving review notifications

Check your notification settings:

  • Verify your email address is correct in account settings
  • Check spam/junk folder for WiserMap emails
  • Review notification preferences in dashboard settings
  • Check dashboard notification settings
  • Whitelist notifications@wisermap.com in your email
A fake review was posted about my business

Report suspected fake reviews:

  • Use the "Report Review" button on the specific review
  • Provide detailed explanation of why you believe it's fake
  • Include any supporting evidence if available
  • Our moderation team will investigate within 48 hours
  • Do not respond to suspected fake reviews publicly

Business Support Contact

Our business support team is specially trained to help business owners succeed on WiserMap.

Priority Support
  • • Dedicated business support line
  • • Faster response times
  • • Account manager for large businesses
  • • Phone and email support
Support Hours
  • • Monday-Friday: 8 AM - 8 PM EST
  • • Saturday: 10 AM - 6 PM EST
  • • Sunday: Emergency issues only
  • • 24/7 online support portal
Contact Business Support

Related Business Resources

Review Writing Guide

Learn how to write effective reviews and understand the review system

Read Guide →

User Guide

Complete guide for users on how to discover and review businesses

Read Guide →

Platform Features

Explore all the features and capabilities available on WiserMap

Explore Features →

Ready to Grow Your Business?

Take the next step and claim your business profile to start engaging with customers today.

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