Many clients ask me about online business listings, like Yellow Pages, trade websites, and social media pages. Are they worthwhile or just a waste of time and/or money? To put it plainly, the vast majority of online directory listings are generally a waste of time, especially if you are looking for traffic to your website.
If you go back a few years, businesses would willingly list their websites in any and every directory listing service out there in the hope that it would boost their SEO. But these days Google and some other search engines do not always count these listing services as a ranking factor.
Google does recognize some external links (also known as backlinks) as an appropriate listing metric, but Google really wants to see only the most relevant and trustworthy websites linking to you, and most online listing directories do not fall into this category. So which ones do?
Established, well trusted directories are always worth listing your business on. You may not get much traffic to your site, but they will provide a reference to your business. Many directories dominate the top positions on Google for search phrases, so if you are listed on those trusted directories, there is a small chance of earning traffic.
Automate Your Listings
You can use an online tool such as Brightlocal to acquire backlinks from business directories automatically. The system will check your existing directory listings and manually add you to new ones, and it will also allow you to correct any incorrect listings. Service like these can save lots of time for only a few dollars a month.
Free Directories
Generally a waste of time and effort, the monthly traffic of free directories is very small and their Domain Trust Score is always zero, meaning that Google will ignore them.
Paid Directories
Directories that charge fees really need to be avoided. Google advises that you should NOT pay for links to gain rankings, and this may negatively impact your positions.
Some Directories can be worthwhile
Google looks for a healthy ‘backlink profile’ when deciding how far up the search rankings your website shows. Links on trusted directories will add positively to that profile. Below is a list of websites where you should list your business, but make sure that your basic information – business name, address, email, phone, opening hours etc. are all perfectly correct as this information needs to match across all directories that you choose to use. Any differences in spelling or format may confuse Google.
Google My Business
A Google My Business listing is the first place where you should list your business. Note that you often need to verify your listing, which can take a few days to a few weeks, but it’s worth the wait. You can use your ‘My Business’ listing to create news posts, add images, create special offers, get reviews, and much more. Read more here.
Facebook Business Pages
A Facebook Business Page is free and easy to set up. You can use it for free and paid promotions plus you can regularly link to new articles or pages on your website to drive traffic.
Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages is a free listing service that can be worthwhile, but you can expect sales people to call you regularly to upgrade your account!
Hotfrog
Hotfrog is another online directory that’s worth taking time to create a free listing.
Chamber of Commerce
Your local Chamber of Commerce should have a directory of local trusted businesses. There is normally a fee to list your business, and they may have other advertising programs and events that you may be interested in. Great for local tradesmen and businesses.
Supplier ‘Where To Buy’ Listings
Draw up a list of your suppliers and investigate if they have a ‘where to buy’, ‘approved installers’ or another such directory on their website. Some may not even provide a link to your website, but still very worthwhile for traffic to your site.
Professional Memberships
If you qualify for these types of organizations and memberships, or have the prerequisites to join, they will definitely add credibility to your business as well as a possible backlink.
Social Media
You should ensure that your business has a profile on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and such. They won’t necessarily boost your SEO profile, but your posts on these channels can be linked back to your website, and having links here will add to your website’s authority.
For more help and advice on business listings and profiles, feel free to talk to Gleneden Ridge Design.
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/should-you-use-online-directories-promote-your-business-chris-giles/
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