What are Data Aggregators and What Do They Do? Explained

Data aggregators are tools that enable businesses and marketers to collect, process, and derive insights from multiple data sources. In the era of big data, businesses and marketers rely on vast amounts of information to make informed decisions. Data aggregation is an essential component of the big data age, allowing companies to gather, assess and gain insights from various sources.

Exploring the world of data aggregators, this blog post will examine their functions, how they work, who uses them and why they are essential for many industries. We will also discuss some popular data aggregators available in the market today.

As you continue reading about what are data aggregators and what do they do?, you’ll learn how your business can benefit from using these tools effectively. Furthermore, we’ll provide guidance on selecting the right aggregator that aligns with your unique needs and objectives.

What are Data Aggregators, and What Do They Do?

Data aggregators are essential players in the digital marketing landscape. They collect, verify, and distribute local business information across various platforms. This article will explain how data aggregators work and why they are important for businesses, marketers, entrepreneurs, SMBs, and eCommerce companies.

1. One of the most common uses of data aggregation is customer data collection. By aggregating data from social media platforms, search engines, and other sources, businesses can better understand customer preferences, behaviours, and needs. This information can then be used to improve marketing campaigns, product development, and customer service.

2. Another everyday use of data aggregation is travel data aggregation. Companies like Google Analytics and others collect data from multiple sources to inform users about flights, hotels, and other travel-related services. This data can be used to help travellers find the best deals, plan their trips, and make informed decisions about their travel arrangements.

Types of Data Collected

Name: The official name of the business.
Address: The physical location of the business.
Phone Number: A contact number for customers to reach the business.
Email Address: An email address for customer inquiries or support requests.
Opening Hours: The days and times when the business operates.
Social Media Profiles: Links to any social media accounts associated with the business (e.g., Facebook, Twitter).

Data Collection Methods

Data aggregators use various methods to collect this information from multiple sources:

Crawling public records or government databases containing registered businesses’ details.
Gathering data from online directories like Yelp or Yellow Pages.
Mining user-generated content on social media platforms where users might mention specific businesses.
Receiving direct submissions from businesses who want their information included in these databases.
Partnering with other organizations that have access to relevant data sets

Next, we’ve thoroughly described the data aggregation method.

Data aggregation method

1. Collecting Business Information

The first step in the data aggregation process is gathering information about local businesses from multiple sources. These sources may include public records, such as government databases or telephone directories, user-generated content on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and proprietary data provided directly by business owners through websites or registration forms.

2. Cleaning and Verifying Data

Once collected, the raw data must be cleaned and verified to ensure its accuracy before being sold or leased to other companies requiring this information. This involves removing duplicate entries or outdated details while also cross-referencing with other reliable sources for validation purposes. Some data aggregators use advanced algorithms combined with manual verification processes conducted by their team of experts to maintain high-quality standards.

– Data Standardization

Name: Ensuring consistent formatting of business names
Address: Correcting address inconsistencies (e.g., “123 Main St.” vs. “123 Main Street”)
Contact Details: Updating phone numbers and email addresses if necessary
Social Media Profiles: Linking relevant social media accounts associated with the business

3. Distributing Verified Data

The final stage involves selling or leasing the verified data to companies requiring local business information. These may include online directories like YP.com, local-mobile applications, mapping and GPS companies such as TomTom, or even search engines like Google that use this data to compare against their own databases for completeness.

What Are the Four Major Data Aggregators?

The four major data aggregators in local search are:

1. Infogroup (now Data Axle)
2. Acxiom (now part of IPG Mediabrands)
3. Localeze (a Neustar company)
4. Factual (acquired by Foursquare)

These companies collect business information such as name, address, phone number, website URL, hours of operation, etc., which is then distributed to online directories and search engines.

Data Aggregator Partnerships

In some cases, data aggregators establish partnerships with other organizations to expand their reach and provide more comprehensive services. For example, a digital marketing agency specializing in SEO might collaborate with a data aggregator to ensure its clients’ business information is accurately represented across multiple platforms.

API Integration

To facilitate the seamless sharing of information between different systems, many data aggregators offer API (Application Programming Interface) integration options. This allows businesses and marketers to easily submit updated details directly from their website or CRM system without having to manually enter the same information on multiple platforms.

Overall, by understanding how data aggregators work – from collecting raw business details through cleaning and verification processes before distributing them across various channels – you can make informed decisions about leveraging these services for better online visibility and customer engagement.

And though data aggregators are powerful tools for businesses, marketers, and entrepreneurs to collect data from various sources quickly and efficiently. It is critical to comprehend who takes advantage of these services and how the collected data can be utilized.

Who Uses Data Aggregators?

Data aggregators have a significant part in the digital marketing environment, supplying precise and up-to-date local business data to multiple sources. These platforms include online directories, local-mobile applications, mapping and GPS companies, as well as search engines like Google. Let’s take a closer look at each of these users:

Online Directories

Yelp, Yellow Pages (YP), and other similar online directories rely on data aggregators to populate their databases with comprehensive listings of businesses in specific locations. By using data from aggregators, these directories can ensure that they provide accurate contact details for businesses while also keeping their listings updated.

Local-Mobile Applications

Apps such as Foursquare, which help users discover nearby restaurants or attractions based on their preferences and location, also benefit from data aggregator services. The app developers use this information to offer personalized recommendations tailored to individual user needs.

Mapping & GPS Companies

The accuracy of business information is essential for mapping and GPS companies like TomTom. They use the aggregated data to update points-of-interest (POIs) within their systems so drivers can easily find nearby gas stations, hotels or any other required destination without hassle.

Navigational Apps Like Waze & Google Maps

Digital Marketing Agency: factorialdigital – SEO Experts You Can Trust Waze and Google Maps also utilize data aggregators to ensure their users receive accurate directions, traffic updates, and local business information. This helps improve the overall user experience by providing reliable navigation guidance.

Search Engines

Even search engines like Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo use aggregators’ data to enhance their databases. By comparing this aggregated information with their existing records, they can identify discrepancies or missing details to provide more comprehensive results for users searching for local businesses.

Next, let’s explore the advantages of utilizing a data aggregator.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Data Aggregator?

Utilizing data aggregators can provide numerous advantages for businesses, marketers, and entrepreneurs in terms of improving their online presence and reaching more potential customers. This section will examine the advantages of utilizing a data aggregator service.

A. Enhanced Visibility Across Multiple Platforms

Data aggregators distribute your business information to various platforms such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and mapping services like Google Maps. This widespread distribution ensures that your business is visible on multiple channels where potential customers might search for similar products or services.

B. Improved Local SEO Rankings

Citations are crucial for local SEO rankings, as search engines use them to determine the relevance and authority of your business within its specific location. By submitting accurate information through data aggregators, you increase the number of citations pointing back to your website or listing, boosting your ranking in local search results.

C. Consistent Business Information Online

Inaccurate or inconsistent information about your business across different platforms can lead to confusion among potential customers and may even hurt your reputation. Data aggregators help ensure that all listings display consistent details about your company by verifying the accuracy before distributing it across various channels.

D. Time-Saving Management Solution

Manual Submissions: Without using a data aggregator service, businesses would need to submit their information manually on each platform, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors.
Automatic Updates: Data aggregators often provide automatic updates, ensuring that any changes made to your business information are reflected across all platforms in a timely manner. This saves you the hassle of updating each listing individually.

E. Increased Customer Engagement

An accurate and consistent online presence allows customers to find your business more easily, leading to increased engagement through reviews, ratings, or inquiries about your products or services. In fact, a recent study by Visual Objects, a platform that lists design and creative agencies, has revealed that 76% of customers check a company’s online presence before physically visiting it.

F. Competitive Edge Over Rivals

By leveraging data aggregator services, businesses gain an edge over their competitors, who may not have invested in this marketing strategy yet. With improved visibility on multiple platforms and higher local SEO rankings, companies using data aggregators stand out from the competition by reaching more potential customers searching for their offerings online.

How Can I Use a Data Aggregator for My Business?

By submitting accurate and up-to-date information to multiple platforms, you can ensure that your target audience finds the correct details about your company across various channels. To maximize the effectiveness of a data aggregator, we will discuss how to use it for your business.

1. Choose the Right Data Aggregator

The primary move is picking a suitable data aggregator dependent on elements, for example, dependability, client service quality, ease of utilization and pricing choices. As mentioned earlier in this article, some popular choices include Neustar, Data Axle (formerly Infogroup), Foursquare, YP Network, and GPS Network.

2. Submit Accurate Business Information

To make the most out of using a data aggregator for your business marketing efforts, it’s crucial to provide accurate information about your company when submitting it to these platforms. This includes:

Name: Ensure you consistently use the same name across all listings.
Address: Provide complete address details, including street number/name/suite or unit number if applicable.
Phone Number: Include the local area code along with phone numbers so users can easily contact you without confusion.
Email Address: If possible, share an email address where customers can send inquiries directly instead of relying solely on website forms or social media messaging systems, which may not be monitored regularly by staff members at smaller businesses, especially during peak times.
Website URL: Include the complete and accurate website address so users can easily access your site for more information about your products or services.
Opening Hours: Provide up-to-date opening hours to avoid any confusion for potential customers trying to visit or contact you during business hours.

3. Monitor Your Listings Regularly

Once you’ve submitted your business information to a data aggregator, monitoring your listings regularly across various platforms is essential. This will help you identify any discrepancies in the details and promptly make necessary updates. Tools like Moz Local, BrightLocal, and Whitespark Citation Finder can help track and manage local citations effectively.

4. Respond to Customer Reviews & Engage with Your Audience Online

Data aggregators share not only basic business information but also customer reviews from different sources on their partner websites/apps/platforms, which may influence potential clients’ decisions regarding whether they should engage with a particular company/service provider/retailer, etc., based upon feedback received by others who have had similar experiences previously at said location(s).

Therefore, it is crucial that businesses respond proactively to both positive and negative comments left online by consumers while maintaining an active presence via social media channels where possible since this helps build trust among new visitors discovering them through search engine results pages (SERPs).

Data aggregation can benefit companies in acquiring knowledge about their patrons and the competitive environment. Selecting the correct data aggregator requires assessing which characteristics and functions they offer that will satisfy your requirements.

What Should I Look for When Choosing a Data Aggregator?

Choosing the right data aggregator is crucial to ensure your business information is accurately and consistently represented across various platforms. You should consider several factors when selecting a data aggregator, including reliable customer service, an easy-to-use platform, and competitive pricing options.

Reliable Customer Service

An essential aspect of any good data aggregator is its ability to provide prompt and effective customer support. Issues may arise with your business listing or submission process; therefore, it’s vital to have access to knowledgeable professionals who can help resolve these problems quickly. You can evaluate the quality of their customer service by reading online reviews from other businesses or reaching out directly with questions before committing.

User-Friendly Platform

The ease of use of a data aggregator’s platform plays a significant role in how efficiently you can manage your business listings. A user-friendly interface allows you to submit updates and monitor progress without encountering unnecessary obstacles or confusion. It also helps save time by streamlining processes such as bulk submissions for multiple locations. BrightLocal, for example, offers an intuitive dashboard where users can easily manage their local citations.

Competitive Pricing Options

Different data aggregators offer varying pricing structures based on factors like the number of locations submitted or additional features provided (e.g., analytics). Compare providers and their packages to ensure you get the best value for your investment, including any additional fees charged for premium features. You might find some companies offering free basic services but charging extra fees for premium features like enhanced visibility on search engines.

Tailored Solutions & Flexibility

Choosing a data aggregator that can cater to your business needs is essential. Some providers may offer tailored solutions for different industries or company sizes, ensuring you receive the most relevant and effective service.
Flexibility is another crucial factor, as your business might evolve over time. A good data aggregator should be able to accommodate changes in your listing information or even expand its services if needed.

Data Accuracy & Consistency

When using a data aggregator, your primary goal is to ensure an accurate and consistent representation of your business information across various platforms. Choosing an aggregator with a demonstrated history of providing reliable and precise listings is essential. Moz Local, for instance, focuses on verifying and cleaning up any inconsistencies before submitting the data.

Coverage & Reach

A data aggregator’s efficacy is determined by its capacity to spread your enterprise info over a variety of outlets, such as web indexes, local-mobile apps, mapping platforms (e.g., TomTom), and search engines (Google). It’s important to evaluate which platforms each provider covers so you can maximize visibility and reach more potential customers.

Considering these factors will help you make an informed decision when choosing the right data aggregator for your business needs. By selecting one that aligns with these criteria, you’ll be better positioned for success in improving visibility and customer engagement through accurate listings management.

Conclusion

After reading this post, you should better understand what data aggregators are and how they work. Data aggregators collect information from various sources to create a comprehensive database that can be used by businesses, marketers, entrepreneurs, SMBs, and eCommerce sites to improve their online presence.

Using a data aggregator saves time and resources while ensuring accurate and consistent information across multiple platforms. Popular data aggregators include Google My Business, Yext, Moz Local, and BrightLocal.

If you’re looking for an effective way to manage your business’s online presence across multiple platforms, factorialdigital is the perfect solution! factorialdigital is an all-in-one platform that provides automated listings management on over 70+ directories, including Google My Business. Sign up today!