What is a business directory?

A business directory is an online list of businesses within a particular niche, location, or category. One way local businesses can get found by online searchers is through inclusion in business directories.

Today, Google is inserting itself between consumer and local business websites much more often.

You need look no further than Google My Business conversion points, AMP, and featured snippets for proof.

So it makes sense to get your local business information into the places people are already going to find businesses like yours, rather than simply hoping they'll find you in search results.

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Getting your local business' NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information listed on directories, online business listing sites, and citation sites helps to improve visibility, but backlinks from these sites can also have a benefit to SEO. Here are a few things to make sure your company listing has in it once you add it to a directory:

  • Consistent NAP. If you add or update your business on multiple business listing sites, make sure you're providing the same company information across each directory.
  • A link to your website. Backlinks -- also known as inbound links -- are crucial to your company website's domain authority. Consider adding a tracking link at the end of this URL as well, so you can see how much traffic your website specifically gets from the business directories that are linking to it.
  • A company description. Make sure you have a detailed description of your business that reflects your organization's mission, culture, and values.
  • Multimedia. Give company searchers a visual taste of your business with a picture or video of your office, your employees, or your daily business operations.

There are plenty of location-specific directories and industry-specific business listing sites to which you can submit your data, but local businesses should start with the big guns and work their way toward the more niche directories.

Free Business Listings

  1. Facebook
  2. Apple Maps
  3. Google My Business
  4. LinkedIn Company Directory
  5. Bing
  6. Yelp
  7. MapQuest
  8. HubSpot
  9. Super Pages
  10. Yellow Book
  11. Thumbtack
  

With that in mind, we've put together a list of the biggest and most important business listings sites today (based on Domain Authority gathered from Moz Link Explorer in May 2018). Many of these directories are completely free.

Local Business Listings & Directories for Small Business Marketing

  1. Facebook (Domain Authority = 100)
  2. Apple Maps (Domain Authority = 100)
  3. Google My Business (Domain Authority = 100)
  4. LinkedIn Company Directory (Domain Authority = 98) 
  5. Bing (Domain Authority = 94)
  6. Yelp (Domain Authority = 94)
  7. Better Business Bureau (Domain Authority = 93)
  8. Foursquare (Domain Authority = 92)
  9. MapQuest (Domain Authority = 92)
  10. HubSpot (Domain Authority = 91)
  11. Yellow Pages (Domain Authority = 91)
  12. Angies List (Domain Authority = 91)
  13. Yahoo! Local (Domain Authority = 91)
  14. Manta (Domain Authority = 87)
  15. Merchant Circle (Domain Authority = 86)
  16. Super Pages (Domain Authority = 84)
  17. Yellow Book (Domain Authority = 83)
  18. Thumbtack (Domain Authority = 82)
  19. Local.com (Domain Authority = 77)
  20. Kudzu.com (Domain Authority = 76)
  21. Hot Frog (Domain Authority = 76)
  22. Communitywalk.com (Domain Authority = 75)
  23. Brownbook.net (Domain Authority = 73)
  24. Tupalo.com (Domain Authority = 72)
  25. La Cartes (Domain Authority = 68)
  26. 2findlocal.com (Domain Authority = 67)
  27. ezlocal.com (Domain Authority = 67)
  28. ebusinesspages.com (Domain Authority = 67)
  29. Spoke (Domain Authority = 66)
  30. Chamberofcommerce.com (Domain Authority = 66)
  31. City Squares (Domain Authority = 66)
  32. Cylex USA (Domain Authority = 66)
  33. yelloyello.com (Domain Authority = 66)
  34. BOTW (Domain Authority = 65)
  35. worldweb.com (Domain Authority = 65)
  36. ibegin.com (Domain Authority = 63)
  37. Get Fave (Domain Authority = 63)
  38. Fyple.com (Domain Authority = 63)
  39. Company.com (Domain Authority = 60)
  40. Call Up Contact (Domain Authority = 60)
  41. Finduslocal.com (Domain Authority = 60)
  42. My Huckleberry (Domain Authority = 59)
  43. Hub.biz (Domain Authority = 59)
  44. where2go.com (Domain Authority = 58)
  45. City Insider (Domain Authority = 58)
  46. n49.com (Domain Authority = 58)
  47. My Sheriff (Domain Authority = 57)
  48. opendi.us (Domain Authority = 56)
  49. Bizhwy.com (Domain Authority = 55)
  50. Smartguy.com (Domain Authority = 55)
  51. Wherezit.com (Domain Authority = 55)
  52. DiscoverOurTown.com (Domain Authority = 54)
  53. Nexport.com (Domain Authority = 52)
  54. USdirectory.com (Domain Authority = 50)
  55. Wowcity.com (Domain Authority = 49)
  56. Bizadee (Domain Authority = 48)
  57. Wand.com (Domain Authority = 47)

Making sure that you have a presence everywhere your potential customers might find you is critical to any local marketing plan. Don't wait -- add your local business to some of these business listings and directories as soon as you can.

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Originally published Aug 9, 2019 7:00:00 AM, updated July 06 2018

Topics:

Local SEO