Your website needs to be found in search, but Google is not the only place customers will search. Here are the top 20 places your business needs to be listed. Visibility is everything, and getting your business in front of the people looking for the products and services that you have to offer is critical to your success. Despite the fact that Google indisputably dominates the search game, it’s not the only game in town. In fact, there are a number of additional search engines and online directories that will help customers find your website and improve your search engine rankings (SEO).
20 Online Business Directories and Search Engines That Aren’t Google
Once a potential customer has found your business, consumer behavior data shows that there are a few key elements they look for in a business listing:
- Company hours
- Product info
- Address/location info/directions
- Coupons/special sales and offers
- Positive reviews (online listings and directories are like a digital word-of-mouth and referral service — cultivating positive customer experiences and satisfaction, and focusing on consumer service are ultimately tools to bring in new customers and business)
Here are the top 20 places your business needs to be listed:
1. Yelp
Like Google, Yelp has become the first stop for consumers looking not just for information on potential businesses, but for reviews and recommendations. It includes tools to help you track your analytics and communicate directly with customers, offering them deals and specials. Here are a few online reputation management tips to help you make the most of your Yelp listings.
2. Bing
After Google, Bing is one of the most popular search engines, and is actually the search engine for Windows-enabled tablets and computers. Bing offers a user-friendly and intuitive business listing process.
3. Yahoo Local Listings
Yahoo offers a popular and useful business listing service worth investing in to get your business in front of millions of eyeballs. Like Bing and Google, Yahoo Listings allow you to upload pictures and video to enhance your listing, and offers free and paid options.
4. Foursquare
Foursquare is like an online business directory and referral service in one. Think of it as a combination of Yelp and a social media platform like Facebook or Instagram, where customers check in to your business and let their friends and followers know about it, giving your business or service an endorsement in the process. With approximately 60 million registered users, Foursquare’s potential reach is impressive.
5. Angi
Angi (formerly Angie’s List) is another consumer review and listing site that offers consumers information and recommendations for local businesses and service providers across a range of industries and sectors.
6. Citysearch
Citysearch is a great way to capitalize on travel and tourism if you offer services in the hospitality and travel and leisure sectors. The listing is free and available through a mobile app that allows users to boost and rank their favorite business.
7. TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is also a listing service for businesses in the entertainment, travel and hospitality sectors. As a travel site, it has a reach of almost 400 million monthly users and product and business reviews.
8. Yellow Pages
Yes, it still exists, at least in digital form. In addition to the listings it is famous for, it also offers an advertising service and analytics tools to track ROI. And if you’re wondering if people are still using it, 70 million users can’t be wrong.
9. White Pages
Like the Yellow Pages, White Pages offers millions of business listings, as well as ads and premium text messaging services.
10. SuperPages
SuperPages.com spices up its listings with additional features for consumers, like weather listings and an easy-to-navigate search function that allows users to sign in through Facebook.
11. Local.com
In addition to business listings, Local.com offers users information on events and special deals and offers for local businesses. It also gives your business the option of buying ads and attracting customers with location-specific sales and discounts.
12. MapQuest
Think of MapQuest as something of the Yahoo of GPS: It’s been around for a while, but millions of consumers still rely on it to find detailed driving and commuting directions to your business.
13. MerchantCircle
If you are a local business looking to connect and engage customers, give Merchant Circle a try. A listing comes with free marketing tools, the ability to offer content via business blogs, and ways to boost visibility and engagement through paid ads.
14. Manta
Manta offers listing and optimization tools geared towards small business owners looking to boost visibility in local markets.
15. The Business Journals
Think of The Business Journals as the modern equivalent of the paid print ads of yesteryear. They boast millions of monthly users and offer a number of listing and membership opportunities for online businesses and retailers.
16. Kudzu
Kudzu is a listings database for businesses and service providers in the home space. It allows businesses to work with an account manager, and boost search results and profiles with additional options like coupon, photo and video uploading services.
17. Hotfrog
Ranking in Google can be hard and stressful for businesses. Hotfrog helps your business get in there.
18. Yellowbook
Yellowbook provides basic listing services, access to a partner network and the option to upload video and display ads.
19. YellowBot
YellowBot offers basic listing services, the option of purchasing premium listings and the ability to sign in via major social media networks like Facebook, Twitter and Google.
20. DexKnows
DexKnows is like an analyst for your business listing performance. In addition to feedback and analysis on user engagement, it offers paid advertising opportunities. Users can also write reviews and offer feedback on listings.
Too Many Platforms, Too Little Time?
Signing your business up, optimizing, and managing multiple platforms can be a full-time job in itself. Yext.com does the work for you across over a hundred platforms, managing everything from listings and reviews to analytics.
Remember that you don’t have to be on every single platform to make the most of your brand’s social presence and reach. Getting in front of your target audience and customers is half the battle, and the goal is to make it as easy as possible for them to find you online.
We hope you liked our top 20 places your business needs to be listed, need more help?
