5 Reasons to List in a Business directory
Over 70% of customers research online before visiting a store!
The Internet has become the go-to place to look for answers and ideas. Businesses that appear in listings have a greater online presence and are continually outranking those that do have a directory strategy.
Local listings, like our very own lookmeup, help create the presence necessary to compete in the search landscape.
So what are Local Business Directories anyway?
These are online websites that, similar to the good ol' fashioned phonebook, allow businesses to list their information for potential customers to find them with their search terms.
Businesses can list things like their Business Hours, website URL, address, phone number, and even reviews. It is important that business owners keep tabs on their listings and update their company's information whenever it changes. A listing with erroneous information can sometimes do more harm than you might think so it is important to stay on top of these valuable assets.
Fresh Content is King!
Some companies create a listing and then forget about them. But remember kids FRESH content is King. Search crawlers come through our site on a daily basis and if your content as stale as granma's banana cake then that is what will happen to you search rankings. By changing or tweaking your business description you lure the search creepy crawlies to take another look at your Business listing and in turn gain more crawly points which will lead to higher search ranking for your business listing.
Below are some reasons why online directories are important for higher search appearances of your business.
1. They Give your SEO a Boost.
Search engine optimization helps your website is appearing in the top search results keywords. Business directories like ours allow you to optimize your listing for your target keywords.
For Example; Let's say you own a barbershop in Melbourne or a vet clinic in Perth you could optimise your listing for keywords related to your category such as "Best Hair Cuts in town" or "The Vet that cares" ... Well, you get the idea. Right?
Because online business directories tend to have high domain authority, those keywords that you add to your listing and link back to your web site will carry some serious weight and great value for your business listing.
2. Improve online exposure.
Each listing is like having another fan out there waving your company's flag. The bigger the army of Directory fans you have the greater chance of getting found on the web.
You can also consider a listing to be like another page or even web site for your business, which is why it is important to keep your information and content up to date and listing fresh.
3. Increased Brand Awareness.
Most directories allow you to upload an image of your logo to their listings. Adding your logo will undoubtedly increase your brand's awareness. Besides after all the money you spent on creating your logo, you might as well splash it around as many places as possible. Be wary of the quality of the logo you include in the directories as the last thing you want is a pixelated version of your hard-working brand out in the wild
Our logo sizes are 300x200 pixels and 100x100 pixels so anything bigger than that should look good, any smaller and you run the risk of having a pixelated Business logo next to your listing.
The more sites you add your logo to, the more likely users are to identify with your brand.
4 - Better Direct targeting.
One of the most important benefits apart from the other most important benefits of a directory listing is its ability to better target local clients. We all love buying and shopping local, its easy, fast and convenient. Why drive 50 kilometres to get that kitty door when you can get it for gorgeous George down the road... for less!!
When someone searches for 'Organic Jams in Sydney' then don't want results that are up in Woologatawa they want a listing that promised 'Organic Jams in Sydney'.
That's where Direct targeting helps businesses gain customers
Lookmeup.com.au allows our Premium members to add direct links to their web sites as well as direct links to their product listings.
A directory listing will help you introduce your website to local customers, giving you more online visibility and presence.
5- Directory listings way cheaper than other methods of advertising.
Get more Bang for your buck!
Listings are a lot more cost-effective than other strategies like PPC or even Social Boosts and longer-lasting. For as little as $10 a year will have your listing flexing its muscle to get you noticed.
Chances are, if you have a business that you want to excel online, you will need, at some point, an SEO campaign to keep up with your competitors and grow your market share. SEO campaigns are helpful in boosting your online search rankings organically but they are not cheap. Although the return will be there it may take some time before you can really see the results of your many cash dollars.
Now if you have the budget you can hire some SEO Gurus for big bucks and they will do a lot for you ( including listing you on business directories ), but why not be a little savvy and get a head start by submitting your listings yourself, after all, once you have one listing in the bag it's just rinse and repeat. But keep our 'FRESH' content is King motto and not only fresh but also ORIGINAL. You do not want the same Business descriptions on multiple sites... that will undoubtedly see your efforts go to waste.
It is not a “you get what you pay for” scheme either. Directory submission costs less, sure, but you’ll still be getting the boost in traffic you can get from organic SEO.
So Are Business Listings Worth Work?
Definitely so! Not only are they worth the trouble they are absolutely critical for any business strategy. They are by far the cheapest investment that a business can make with great results.
Not only do you get an increased exposure but most importantly you get all the other SEO goodies that come with a business listing. Backlinks, Tags, Logo exposure, direct phone and email contact through the sites just to name a few.