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What is a Local Business Directory?
Online presence has become crucial when it comes to promoting businesses. From setting up websites to creating social media profiles, people are continually utilizing the internet as a source for potential customers. However, people forget to pay attention to local business directories. Brand promotion, local visibility, and higher rankings, among others, are all benefits that you can get from listing your business in an online directory. But first, it is important that you understand what it is and how it works.
What Does it Mean?
A local business directory is a list made available online which contains various businesses. These listings can be categorized based on location, size, niche, etc. Each listing in the directory will contain certain information regarding the pertinent business. These details will vary depending on the directory. On the website, a section for user comments, feedback or reviews can also be allocated. Hence, visitors can come to this page to look for information about a particular company.
In the local business directory, listed businesses can be compiled either manually or through an automated online search software. For publishers, this is usually a business opportunity to drive traffic and earn some revenue from advertising.
On the other hand, listed businesses get the chance to improve their online reach and spread awareness of their products and services. They get to grow their business by building reputation, rankings, and even revenue.
How Does it Work?
Local Listings on Major Search Engines
Major search engines such as Google and Bing are examples of local business directories where businesses can be listed. They aim to help customers get what they are looking for as they search for products and services online. They do this by ensuring that they provide relevant search results.
To begin this process, the user will search, from the search engine, for a product or service that they feel may be available locally. The search engine will then review the information that you have provided in your business listing. This way, it will be able to evaluate whether your business, its location, and offerings match the requirements from the user’s search. If found appropriate, your listing will be displayed on the SERP. This will contain information regarding your physical location together with other necessary information that will help the customer to reach out to your business. The search engine’s algorithm will also determine how far up the results your listing will appear.
Local Listings on Independent Online Directories
Apart from the major search engines, there are several other independent directories available online. They vary widely, with some featuring a general list of all businesses while others stick to a particular industry(s).
Some of the independent online directories allow companies to list their businesses at little to no cost. As a way to generate income from the site, they may offer a subscription service for upgraded listings where users get to pay a certain fee every month. They will have access to better features. The site may also charge on a pay-per-click basis.
You are likely to notice that most of the listings that appear organically on search engine results are for directories rather than individual businesses. This is because many directory companies usually spend a lot of time and money improving their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and other advertising models. In turn, this results in a lot of traffic being driven to their sites which provides more value to the businesses listed there.
How Your Listing can be added to an Online Directory
If your business is well established, you might find yourself already listed with major search engines and several other independent directories. To increase their number of companies featured on their site, most growing directories will get information about companies from other directories and sources.
If a directory has listed your company incorrectly, you can change it. The process of doing so will vary from one directory to another. Nonetheless, the general process will involve claiming your listing, where you will be verified as the valid owner of the business. From there, you will be able to correct the listing and include any additional information regarding your business.
Otherwise, you will have to list the business yourself, which involves filling out a form so as to provide the necessary information required by the directory.
What to Include in Your Local Business Listing
Consistent NAP- You should ensure that the Name, Address, Phone number provided should be the same across all directories that you are listed on. Any updates or changes should therefore reflect on all the platforms.
Website URL- If you add a URL to your listing, it should link directly to your website. It should not take visitors to a third party, a social profile, or anywhere else apart from the business’ website. To track the amount of traffic coming from each director, you can add a tracking link.
Categories- Most local business directories have set categories. You should pick a set that accurately describes what your business is all about. These categories should define your type of business at the most basic level. If you do not find a category that precisely represents your business, you should pick one that is as closest as possible.
Description- Your listing should include a detailed description of the business and the products and services it provides. This is an opportunity for you to sell your business. This will help you win over new customers. This description can be the same for all directories, or you may choose to write a unique one for each.
Multimedia- You can include some images or videos to your listing to give it a visual touch. This is a great way to engage your viewers and make your business more relatable.
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Small Businesses Should Invest in Directory Listings
No matter how small you start, you want your business to grow with time. With people flocking the internet every day, digital advertising is the way to go. There is no limit to the number of people that you can reach online. As you spend on sophisticated online advertising models, do not underrate other simple online processes such as listing your business in an online directory. Here is why you may want to invest in a directory listing.
Improve Your Online Presence
In this digital world, a strong online presence will mean a lot to your business. You will be exposing yourself to plenty of potential customers. Listing your local business on an online directory is a great way to make your online presence felt more. The more listings that you have, the more your business will appear online.
A directory listing can also lead to a ripple effect. This is because some upcoming directories tend to get information from other established directories to add to their websites. This way, your listing on one directory can lead to several more in other directories.
Make Yourself More Discoverable
As a small business, you are possibly still new in the market. Today, the competition in the market is stiff as companies are emerging every other day. The market is therefore likely to be flooded with companies selling the same products and services like yours. It can take a while for your business to get noticed by new customers.
Directory listings are a chance to make yourself more discoverable. This is because they give businesses the opportunity to be found based on their location, category, and size, among others. This will increase your likelihood of getting discovered even by the customers who don’t know the name of your business.
Increase Local Visibility
There are many users online who are looking for products and services from local businesses. Online directories will connect you to them. The search engine results from a customer’s search usually span a specific geographical area. Hence, if your directory listing appears on these search results, it will make your business more visible to the local customers. As this builds traffic to your website, it will also do the same for your shop location.
Build a Reputation For Your Business
Most directories designate a review section on their site. Here, customers can express how they feel about your company. This can either be bad or good.
Good services and customer service will earn you good reviews. These will be posted on the directory site where people viewing your profile will come across them. This is a great way to build a good reputation for your company.
Note that you are also likely to get reviews that lean more on the negative side. This should not make you panic, as it is still a learning experience. Handling them properly will also help you maintain your reputation.
Customers also tend to trust businesses that come out high on search engine results and in directories. Directory listings make you appear more professional.
Get Customer Feedback
As a new business, everything might seem like a trial and error. You can therefore use all the suggestions that you can get. Your reviews in online directories will not only help you build a good name for yourself, but they also provide you with customer feedback. This will give you a better understanding of how customers feel about your services. By getting to know what you are doing right and where you are going wrong, you will be able to make the necessary adjustments to ensure that your customers remain happy and loyal.
Generate More Leads
The more leads you are able to generate for your business, the more it will grow. A great way to increase the number of generated leads is by building web traffic. Ranking higher on search engine results will help with this. This can be achieved through correct and complete online directory listings as they will make the search engine trust you more.
As more people visit your website, you will be gaining more potential customers. With the contact information available on your website, they will be able to contact your business.
Build consistent Contact Information
The contact information that you make available online is important. This is what potential customers will use to reach out to you, either physically or through the phone. Therefore, it is necessary for all your phone numbers and locations to be up to date and consistent with each other. Otherwise, you may end up losing customers who try to reach you but are unable to. You also get to taint your reputation while at it.
Online directory listings are a great way of building consistent contact information. As you actively pursue this and claim your listings, you will be able to find and correct listings with misleading information about your company.
Promote Your Business
Directory listings are a form of advertising in themselves. They give you an opportunity to create a business profile where you get to describe your business and your offerings. As this gets posted online, you will be promoting your brand and the products and services you offer to thousands of viewers online. You are also at liberty to tweak your language in a way that will appeal to your target audience and compel them to buy. Just like any other marketing technique, it can earn you new clients.
Cost-Effectiveness
Most small businesses experience setbacks when it comes to allocating a budget for advertising and marketing. This can be discouraging. However, there are still some cost-effective ways to promote your business online and increase your brand awareness. Many online directories allow listings to be published at little to no cost. You will therefore get brand exposure without having to break the bank
Conclusion
Having a website is not enough for your online presence. There are several other online strategies that you can use to ensure that you remain competitive and promote the growth of your business. Listing your business in an online directory provides more benefits than you may realize.