Best Business Directory Sites for SEO in 2019 and Beyond
Best business directory sites for SEO 2019
There are three main reasons why businesses should list their websites with online business directory sites for SEO:
- Improving discoverability
- Building customer confidence
- Boosting backlinks
Improving Discoverability
Just as a few decades ago customers looking for the services of a business would look to ‘hard copy’ directories like the Yellow Pages or the Thomson Local Directory, the internet has simply replaced this method.
The bottom line is, if you want to improve your chances of your business being found by prospective buyers in 2019 then you need to be listed on (the right) business directories.
Building Customer Confidence
The internet allows customers to do their research on any business they are considering buying from. This is particularly true for companies that trade online and offer an eCommerce service.
Many online business directories are considered reliable sources of information to help customers decide on whether a company is trustworthy or not.
They become even more powerful ways to convert prospective buyers when they also include customer review areas.
Boosting Traffic & Backlinks
Every time that your business is listed on a new directory this creates a backlink which can help improve your SEO.
However, it is important to note that not all backlinks are created equal and some business directory listings could actually harm your SEO (see ‘Choosing Business Directory Sites for SEO’, below).
Investing effort in the right business directories can reward you with strong backlinks.
Choosing Business Directory Sites for SEO
As we’ve said above, not all business directory sites offer the same benefits, particularly when it comes to improving SEO.
Whist high-quality backlinks can improve your visibility with search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing, a poor backlink can actually damage your own Domain Authority.
It is important when selecting a directory site for SEO that you check the Domain Authority and performance metrics of the site you are listing with. Sites that perform poorly will only have a negative impact on your own search results.
You can use tools like Moz’s Link Explorer to find out what reputation a site has before creating your listing.
Local Business Directory Sites
The importance of Local Citations cannot be over-exaggerated when it comes to ranking well with search engines.
In order to consistently rank well, you should also look to include your business in quality local business directory sites.
Industry-Specific Business Directory Sites
Whilst we have provided the top general directory sites that are essential for SEO, it is worth doing your research to find the best-performing sites that are specific to your industry.
Estate agents, for example, would do well to ensure they have an up-to-date profile on sites like RightMove and Zoopla.
Check Out the Competition
Lastly, you should always make sure you do your research when it comes to where your competitors are listing their businesses and following their example of what works well.
Find out what works well for the competition and improve on it.
Things to Remember When Listing with Business Directory Sites
When you create a listing for your business with a directory site it is key that you employ uniformity in order to rank well in SERPs. This includes submitting exactly the same contact information as well as ensuring you use consistent keywords in your content.
Best Business Directory Sites for SEO 2019
So, without further ado, here are our suggestions for the best business directory sites for 2019 that you should make sure you are taking advantage of:
Top Free Business Directories
The top three business directories listed here are absolutely essential and should be the first places your company is found online.
- Google My Business – Ranked #1 in the UK for business listings, Google My Business is the first port of call for most customers’ research. It’s the most powerful way to increase visibility and improve your SEO.
- Bing Places – Although Google is still the most popular search engine, do not underestimate the power of Bing. Places are their equivalent of Google My Business and offer another high-quality listing plus backlink for driving online traffic.
- Facebook – One of the most popular places for organic growth, listing your business on Facebook is an absolute must for SEO.
Two other good trusted places to list your business for free are Yahoo LocalWorks and Linked In. The former is still another powerful search engine despite a fall in popularity whilst the latter is the top professional networking platform in the world.
The following business directories all offer a free listing service and have a strong reputation for trust in the UK both with consumers directly as well as with search engines:
Make the most of powerful business directories like Google My Business.
Top Freemium Business Directories
These business directories also offer a free listing service but, for best results, their model is based on premium upgrades:
- Yell
- Thomson Local
- Scoot
- Hot Frog
- Free Index directory
- Cyclex
- Approved Business
- Yalwa
- Brown Book
- Business Magnet
- Opendi
Opace & SEO
Here at Opace, we specialise in providing our clients with a bespoke digital marketing service from creating intelligent content that works hard to improve your online visibility to developing and delivering effective SEO strategies. We’d love to hear about your ambitions for your business in 2019 and feel sure that we can help give your business the tools to achieve to them. Contact us today on 0121 222 5757 or get in touch online to find out more.
Image Credits: Pixabay, PxHere, Pexels and Pixabay.
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