Business directory listings are the yellow pages of the internet, providing your potential customers with key and relevant information they need to contact, locate and interact with your business.
Directory listings may have lost their appeal for a time but they are certainly making a comeback. As the internet has become a noisy and crowded place, especially for businesses, directory listings are a way of cutting through the noise and clutter by providing your customers with organised, easy-to-find information that is relevant.
Directories give searchers instant access to your business’s details, including your business name and may include the address, contact details, photos, opening hours and website. The features may vary between directories, but the fundamental principle is the same: increased visibility. Business directories offer numerous advantages that could introduce your business to a whole new customer base. This is what you could be missing:
Raising your Brand profile:
Create an interesting and attractive directory listing and encourage your potential customers to interact and engage with your profile. Additional information, like photographs/videos and social media links, will also encourage viewers to share and get involved with your content. The more interesting, shareable and relatable the content, the more likely your visitors will share your content, thereby raising your brand profile.
Mobile Optimisation:
Online directory listings are very likely to be optimised for the mobile phone experience. Most searchers now are more adept at searching and researching information directly from their mobile phones, on-the-go. A directory that has been optimised for mobile users, increases a business’s visibility by attracting more traffic and increasing the likelihood of the searcher viewing your information for longer.
Inbound links:
An inbound link is the website link you add to your profile listing on the directory site that links directly to your site. Having reliable, high-quality backlinks increases the links popularity and reputation with the popular search engines and enhances your business’s search engine performance.
Increased visibility:
Directory listings can amplify your business’ visibility. Potential customers will be much more likely to find your listed business when conducting searches with specific keywords as the search filters are much more specific and relevant to your business, including your services and location.
If business directories are beneficial for your business, then niche directories are even more so. Niche and local directories are even more specific as they narrow the search criteria even further to a specific industry and/or location. It allows search engines to gather specific information about the business; the more specific the search engine’s focus, the easier it is for businesses to target a specific audience for its services/products, and location.
Niche business directories offer businesses higher relevancy signals; the content is more relevant to the search so the traffic is more relevant to your business. Visitors are much more likely to be potential customers as they will have found your listing based on phrases or keywords that are very specific to your business.
Ignoring your business directory listing could be costing you sales. Make it easy for customers and potential customers to find you by registering with a relevant, high-quality directory listing and let your customers find an engaging and interactive listing that encourages them to interact with you.
