Want to make your small business more visible to customers online? This is where setting up local business listings in online business directories can be helpful. Not only do these local citations aid in search engine optimization (SEO), but they can also put you in front of online searchers in the right place at the right time.
If you’re just getting started with local business listings, here are the nine most important local business directories where you should set up business profiles:
Google Business Profile
Getting a local business listing set up on Google Business Profile (a.k.a Google My Business) is a must for small businesses. Google Business Profile allows you to claim your business on Google, and it displays important business information, including website URL, address, phone number, and more for customers looking for the services you offer.
Main Benefits of Google Business Profile
- It’s easy to use and get verified.
- It’s completely free to use.
- Reviews of your business are readily available to see and respond to.
- You can get insights into how your listing is performing monthly.
- Google Posts can be added to provide customers with additional information.
Bing Places
Even if you don’t realize it, Bing is everywhere. The second-largest search engine sees about one billion visits monthly, making it necessary for you to get your business information added to Bing Places for Business. On top of that, with the acquisition of LinkedIn and a partnership with Amazon, Bing is now making it easier for businesses to connect with more customers in more places online to compete with Google.
Main Benefits of Bing Places
- Bing considers how much your business is being discussed on social media.
- Businesses can add over 100 pictures to business listings.
- It pulls in reviews from other directories like Yelp, Trip Advisor, and Facebook.
Yelp
Yelp has over 178 million unique monthly users, making it one of the most common business directories available, and it likely comes to mind when you think of business reviews. By getting signed up with Yelp for Business, you not only make your business more visible to potential customers, but you can also gain valuable customer feedback through reviews.
Main Benefits of Yelp
- It’s easy to view and respond to customer reviews.
- There are targeted advertising solutions available.
- Call-to-action buttons can be added to your business page.
- Customer Success support is available.
Better Business Bureau
Getting accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives your business an extra vote of confidence from a trusted third party and can help improve your local search engine results visibility, as you’ll be listed in the BBB directory. It also means your business meets all of the BBB standards. Nearly 13 million customers use the BBB to find businesses they can trust, so make sure you’re one of them.
Main Benefits of BBB
- BBB pushes for up-to-date listings, so it’s hard to fall behind with data.
- The platform builds customer trust through full accreditation.
Over 2.8 billion users are on Facebook a month and over 1.8 billion use the social media site in some way daily, making Facebook is one of the most popular social media sites in the world. For businesses looking to expand where their local business listing information can be found, setting up a Facebook business profile is a smart idea. Best of all, this local business data can be found by major search engines.
Main Benefits of Facebook
- Analytics show what demographics are interacting with your page.
- You can gain insight into your competitors’ reach and performance.
- Facebook Ads are relatively cheap to set up and manage.
Foursquare
If you run a brick-and-mortar storefront, a great way to interact with customers while getting your business information listed online is to create a listing on Foursquare for Business. This local directory allows customers to check into your business whenever they visit and displays how many have checked in over time. For customers, Foursquare functions almost like a social media site, where they can see where their friends went and the businesses they frequent most, making it easier for new customers to discover you.
Main Benefits of Foursquare
- It allows users to leave comments and reviews.
- Foursquare tracks how often users check into your business and when.
- The directory shows you how much traffic your profile is getting.
- Targeted ads are available through Foursquare Ads.
- You can offer exclusive promotions through Foursquare Specials.
Nextdoor
Nextdoor is a social media platform that operates like a town hall, connecting members of the same community. Conversations on Nextdoor can range from real estate to local sports, but over 25% of discussions involve recommendations for local businesses, so being found on the site is beneficial. While Nextdoor might not be available everywhere, one in four households in the U.S. is currently active on the site. If your city supports it, this local directory can be a game-changer for your local search marketing efforts.
Main Benefits of Nextdoor
- It shows the trends of active consumers in your area.
- Nextdoor enables you to engage in discussions with your target market.
- You can post local ads and promotions directly to local users.
Yext
If you’re looking for a way to get your local business information in more places online—without having to do the work of setting up and verifying everything on your own—Yext is the perfect solution. With Yext Listings, you take control of your business profile across more than 150 global services, allowing you to ensure your listings are correct and consistent across the web. While the service does come with a fee, the immediate payoff of being able to manage all of your listings in one place is hard to deny.
Main Benefits of Yext
- It allows you to manage your listings across almost every major directory.
- Your business information will be listed with Amazon Alexa and other voice assistants.
- It runs multiple algorithms to ensure consistency and monitors the performance of your listings.
- Yext compiles analytics from other directories like Google Business Profile together in one hub.
Need help managing your local business listings? Local Search Fuel by Hurrdat is designed specifically to help small businesses claim, update, and manage their local listings. Get started today!