Top 6 Local Business Directories in 2020

How important is it to be in local business directories?

Well, you have 46% of all Google searches pertaining to local searches. And about 72% of consumers that search for local info on mobile devices visit stores within five miles.

But they won't be visiting your local business if you're not showing up in the search results. And the only way you're going to make it here is by using SEO tactics.

One, in particular, is creating citations in local business directories. There are over 70 of them to choose from, but which of them are the top?

We'll get into that in a second. First, let's take a closer look at the benefits of being listed in local business directories.

The SEO Benefits of Being Listed in Local Business Directories

When's the last time you contacted a business you found inside of a phonebook or newspaper? Chances are, it's been years (if ever -- depending on how old you are).

This just proves the habits of today's consumers, who use digital methods to find local businesses. Local business directories replaced the Yellow Pages, since it's more intuitive and dynamic.

These listings change based on your location and the keywords you type in. So if your business listing is properly optimized, it'll show up for prospects looking for your products or services.

And what's even better is that these listings show reviews and ratings. Consumers rely on these to make a decision about whether or not to do business with a company.

This can hurt or help your business, depending on the feedback you receive from customers.

You can use reviews, onsite SEO (from your content marketing), and profile optimization to boost your listing's ranking. The higher up you are, the more calls and foot traffic you'll likely receive.

The Best Local Business Directories to Go After

Alright, so you see how local business directories can help your visibility and traffic. Now, it's time to narrow down your list to the top directories to target first.

And by first, we mean you should create citations here, along with all the others. The more listings you have, the higher the chance locals will find you.

Let's take a look at the top six:

1. Google My Business: This comes with all the bells and whistles, including a map, photo gallery, reviews, and complete profiles (website, addresses, phone numbers, hours of operation, products/services list, and more).
2. Yelp: GMB and Yelp are the two most widely used platforms for finding local businesses. It allows you to add photos, areas of specialty, and communicate with your customers privately and publicly. It also allows you to recommend other businesses (some may even return the favor!).
3. Bing Local: This directory is growing in popularity since it's now powered by Yelp. So having a listing on Yelp means they'll show up in Bing searches. This too offers reviews and in-depth profiles. Plus, it features listings on relevant Bing Local pages to help boost visibility.
4. Yahoo Local: Use this directory to display your number, address, website link, photos, and up to five categories that you service. You can also add products and brands to your listing. In the premium version, you can add a tagline and online coupons.
5. Foursquare: Users will create listings for businesses they visit and leave reviews and photos from their visit. Why? To share it with others. So make sure to claim or create yours so folks will know people are loving your business. Like the others, Foursquare allows you to control your listing's description, brand photos, business details, etc.
6. Facebook: Having a business page on Facebook is always recommended because of the large number of users on the platform. Besides being added to the directory, you can maximize your exposure by publishing posts to your page.

How to Get Listed in Local Business Directories Fast

These are just six of the dozens of other local business directories out there. To amplify your visibility, you need to have citations on as many of these as possible.

But wouldn't it take weeks to get your listing on over 70 directories? Not when you're using increase your web presence. This allows you to create all of your listings at once using the dashboard.

Making updates to your listings as things change couldn't be easier. Then the tool also allows you to see, manage, and respond to reviews from customers.

Focus On Getting Listed On Local Business Directories in 2020

If you're not already on one or more local business directories, then it's time to get listed. Potential customers are looking for your products and services online every day.

Stop allowing your competitors to take the cake. Get your fair share by making it to the top of search results using directories.

You can learn more about how to get started with local search by downloading our free guide!