05
May 2011
Leveraging Local Directories to Attract More Customers
By Justin Delos Reyes – Web Success Team
According to Google, 97% of consumers search for local businesses online. That’s why registering your company on several local directories is a vital component of your SEO and marketing strategies for your online marketing success. The need for it is also growing because of mobile and the ability for people to search for, and check-in, at local businesses.
When people perform a Google or Yahoo search for services, or keywords, in your area that are related to your company, you can position yourself to be among the first businesses that appear in the search results. And since you can register for most local directories for free, why not take advantage of them? Here is a brief overview of local directories and how to attract customers on them.
Enter the Spotlight with Local Directories
If you looked at your website’s analytics and saw that only a small amount of traffic is coming from search engines, listing your business on local directories can give your website a boost. Not only do they strengthen your web presence, but they also help you attract new customers and compete with other businesses in your area. If you visit a directory like Yelp, you will see that users can review and rate businesses in almost every industry you can think of. You will also see businesses that offer promotions and discounts – which can definitely work to your advantage if you need to reel in customers.
Provide Essential Information
It is absolutely essential that you provide all of the details about your business when you register on a local directory. The local search market is extremely competitive. A business page that includes all the details about your company including its name, address, phone number, website URL, and hours of operation, as well as photos, promotions and product details, can really help your business stand out from the competition. The more information you provide, the higher your ranking will be. More importantly, you should optimize your business page with keywords and phrases that your customers are likely to search for in a search engine, and list your business in the appropriate categories.
Choose Where to Register
There are many local directories that you can register on. Below is a list of a proven, well-established directories on the web. Each provides something unique and it’s up to you to decide which services, and how many of them, you will register on.
- Yahoo Local
- Yelp
- Super Pages
- Google Places
- Citysearch
- Bing Local
If you are having trouble deciding which directories to register on, consult with an online marketing team to help you. After learning about your business, they can identify which directories you should be on and can optimize your business pages to attract customers to your online and physical addresses (while bettering your chances of appearing higher in search engine rankings). Managing several business pages on multiple directories can be rather time consuming because you have to moderate discussions, update promotions, etc. But you can generate more traffic than ever if your pages are up-to-date and informative.
If you liked this article you may also like: