The greater your Domain Authority, the more likely you are to have a higher rank and stronger traffic. If an online business directory has a low to moderate domain authority like the example above, it means that the online business directory probably has a lower rank and not as much traffic. If an online business directory claims that they get tons of traffic and putting a listing on their local directory will turn a higher rank on search engine results pages, businesses should be aware that this may not be the case unless they are offering specific SEO services in addition to a listing on their online business directory.
I would keep an eye out for a directory that is making huge claims and asking for a lot of money to achieve but that has a low domain authority, and ask more questions before forking over any cash. If it is free, then it doesn’t hurt as bad if you don’t get the promised results.
Getting Started with Listings Management
There are a lot of online business directories out there. Too many. If businesses have the time (and $$) to add their local listing information on all of them, then that’s great! Businesses that don’t, don’t need to feel bad. It may be wise to pick the directories that offer the greatest return on time.
- Is the online business directory viewed by people in the US?
- Do people stay on the online business directory for a while or leave right away?
- How many pages on the online business directory do they look at or how much time do they spend on a local directory?
Where Should I List my Business?
Listing on both popular, general directories as well as vertical-specific/niche directories is the way to go. Surprisingly, niche local business directories are ranked high in Alexa, meaning that a fair amount of people use them in their business search. Also, if a business listing site isn’t viewed as often and it costs money to be listed on, it may not be worth the cost to create the listing. Some free online business directories are a better alternative if a business’s digital marketing budget is small. A good strategy to start would be to make sure the business is at least listed on the top 10, then start building downward.
Listing Automation
If time and budget allow, adding your business to more online directories on the web can be automated. Digital agencies and companies offer services that will automatically correct listings and push data to them (like we do with Listing Distribution). If you decide to go to this route, find out which online business directories the services will claim, update and/or push data through to directories that are on this top 100 list. If the online business directories are listed on the top or near the top of the 100, they are more likely to have more traffic and search engine sway (help influence your business to be found higher up on a search engine’s results page).
Other Helpful Business Listing Tips
- After claiming a social media page, keep it updated! Customers will expect you to periodically post things… otherwise, it looks like the business no longer exists.
- If the listing site has an option for customers to leave reviews, make sure your business is monitoring reviews on the listings sites and responding to them properly.
1. Google
Google’s Google My Business is a free tool for businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. By verifying and editing business directory listing information, you can help customers find a business through their local search.
Alexa Rank: 1
Business Directory Niche: General
Cost: Free
Why Businesses Should Be Listed On Google My Business
Businesses need to be listed on Google because it is a large online local directory, a large volume of users go through the site (175 million in a month in the US alone!). It can improve search engine page ranking, businesses can show up in local search with key terms, a business location can be easily found on Google Maps, and it’s a cost-effective form of local marketing.
2. Facebook
Facebook is a social networking website that doubles as a place to list your business. Companies can create business profiles that users follow to receive updates and specials.
Alexa Rank: 4
Business Directory Niche: General
Cost: Free
Why Businesses Should List on Facebook
It’s free to post a business on the site, and the millions of unique US visitors is more than enough volume to justify creating or claiming a business’ presence. Users can follow a company through updates or posts, and customers can post reviews about their experience with a business on Facebook. Because it is widely recognized as the most robust social network and has the largest user base, reviews and feedback on Facebook are essential content for local businesses.
3. Yahoo!
Yahoo! is a portal website that incorporates a search engine and a directory of websites organized in a hierarchy of categories. Yahoo! Local is the online business directory portion of the website devoted to business listings.
Alexa Rank: 5
Business Directory Niche: General
Cost: Free with paid package options
Why Businesses Should List on Yahoo
There are varying opinions as to how effective the local business directory listings are versus the price you pay for the service. Take a look at the Yahoo! Local directory website before you purchase—maybe even try searching for a few businesses that you frequently deal with and see how they appear in the directory.
4. Bing
Bing is a web search engine owned by Microsoft. Bing Places for Business is a portal where local business owners can add a listing for their business on the Bing network.
Alexa Rank: 9
Business Directory Niche: General
Cost: Free
Why Businesses Should List on Bing
For businesses with a target market in the US, Bing may be a good alternative—76.1 million visitors a month is a large volume of searches. Businesses may have a better chance of standing out by putting their listing on Bing since fewer people are advertising here than Google. This could be especially true if businesses decide to do pay-per-click advertising on Bing.
5. Instagram
Instagram is a social network and platform for mobile photo and video sharing. Users can take pictures and videos, and share them either publicly or privately via the app. They can also use hashtags to appear in popular or niche categories.
Alexa Rank: 20
Business Directory Niche: General
Cost: Free
Why Businesses Should List on Instagram
Whether your business should list on Instagram’s platform depends on the industry of the company and what type of product or service they offer. Businesses may or may not want to spend the time to create a profile on Instagram. It is free but is a platform that has strong visual appeal and is not ideal for all businesses (unless they get creative). Instagram is the ideal platform for brands that have a unique product that can be showcased through strong imagery.
6. Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking service where users send and read and post short messages, also known as “tweets.” Users can tweet messages, links, and images to their followers, or use #hashtags if they want to be found by that word or phrase.
Alexa Rank: 22
Business Directory Niche: General
Cost: Free
Why Businesses Should List on Twitter
Local businesses can put advertisements on Twitter, connect with potential customers, network, tweet about sales to followers, and so on.
7. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social networking website for the business community. Registered members can link to networks of people they know professionally. It can also be a way to grow your professional network.
Alexa Rank: 28
Business Directory Niche: General
Cost: Free
Why Businesses Should List on LinkedIn
Depending on the type of company and product or service offered, businesses likely want to spend the time to create a profile on Linkedin. Creating a listing is free, and potential applicants and vendors alike can find businesses here. My advice would be to go on the site and look around for similar businesses. If competitors are on there, businesses should likely follow suit and make a profile. A Linkedin profile appeals to most businesses.
8. Zillow
Zillow is a real estate and rental listing marketplace that gives consumers data and knowledge to find a home and connects them with the local agents who can help them. The site provides value estimates of homes, notes changes in value over time, shows aerial views, and displays prices of comparable homes in the area. The site has a “Find an Agent” local business directory where homeowners can perform a local search of agents that includes agent type and service needed. Users can also leave reviews on their agents within the agent directory.
Alexa Rank: 50
Business Directory Niche: Real Estate
Cost: Free for homeowners, agents and other real estate professionals pay a fee
Why Real Estate Businesses Should List on Zillow
Zillow is a niche local business directory for real estate agents. Real estate agents may want to check out the directory, or at least be aware of it. Zillow’s website gets an astonishing 25 million US visitors a month. Zillow’s living database consists of more than 110 million US homes. In 2015, ComScore reported that Zillow, Trulia, and Realtors made up 68% of the online real estate listings website market share.
9. Yelp
Yelp is where users can publish reviews about local businesses. Yelp also trains small businesses how to respond to reviews, host social events for Yelpers (a.k.a. Yelp reviewers), and provides data about businesses including health inspection scores.
Alexa Rank: 64
Business Directory Niche: General
Cost: Free
Why Businesses Should List on Yelp
Contrary to popular belief, Yelp isn’t just for restaurant reviews. With 36.3 million unique visitors, the Yelp site sees a large volume of local customers. Since a business can list themselves on Yelp’s local business directory for free, it is a good idea to get a business listing up on the site and let people leave reviews.
10. TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is a travel website company where users can leave reviews of places they’ve gone to. Users can also book rooms, find flights, find things to do, and reserve tables at participating restaurants. TripAdvisor operates websites internationally in over 25 countries.
Alexa Rank: 118
Business Directory Niche: Travel
Cost: Free to businesses
Why Businesses Should List on TripAdvisor
Since TripAdvisor is a travel site, this site makes the most sense to list a local business if they are a hotel (motel and bed and breakfast, as well), vacation rental property, restaurant, or local attraction/destination. To list a business on TripAdvisor’s local directory, the site has specific requirements per category. If a business meets the requirements and is a hotel/vacation property rental/local attraction and the cost on the sites make sense for them, then the size of visitors and traffic the site receives make it a good option to consider.
In conclusion
Why not take advantage of the tools that you already have at your fingertips? If you want to have a high-performing website and business you have to be competitive and get in front of potential customers! If you need help, Contact the Valley List and our professionals will get the work done when you don’t have the time to do it.
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