Did you know that 75% of small business owners think that online marketing is effective at attracting new customers?
That statistic may just be one of the most important for you to understand about local directory listings. Simply put, local business directories are an effective way for you to reach people who are ready to buy from you.
While listing your business in a local directory can be easy and free, there are some very important things you need to do. This guide will show you how to in a local business list and what details you’ll need.
Do Your Research
Before you get listed in a local business directory, you must do your research. You need to know what kind of listing will suit your business.
Is it a paid one or will you go for free ones? How much do they charge? What are their features?
These days, there is so much choice for local business listings it can be overwhelming.
Fill Out Your Application
Fill out an application with the information, such as the name of your business, the name of the business owner, address, phone number, and website address. Be prepared to provide additional details such as hours of operation and types of products and services offered if requested by the directory provider.
Pick the Right Category
Before you submit your listing, make sure you choose the right category for your business type. Each directory has different categories; some are broad, while others are more specific.
For example, if you own a restaurant, choose “Restaurants” as your category on Yelp or “Food and Dining” as your category in the Yellow Pages. If you run an auto repair shop, you might pick “Auto Repair” instead of “Automotive.”
Add Reviews and Photos
Many directories allow users to review businesses they’ve used in the past, which is a good way to build up positive word-of-mouth advertising for your company.
This helps you avoid spending any money on advertising campaigns or other promotional materials, like flyers or brochures, that cost money but may not generate results quickly enough. And, the more local SEO citations your business has the better.
Add Your Links
Make sure your website has a physical address and phone number that’s accurate and up-to-date. Add links back to your website or social media profiles so visitors can find more information about you without having to leave the directory site they’re on. You’ll need to update the listings for each of your locations whenever something changes.
Local Business List: Take Your Marketing to New Heights
Being on a local business list is a great place to start when you want to be found online.
There are thousands of businesses with sites online trying to sell products and services, so yours needs to stand out. Getting listed in directories will hopefully get your site noticed by search engines and potential customers.
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