In the golden age of the internet, it can be difficult to make your content seen. Whether you’re promoting your business for sales, to gain customer traction at your restaurant, or just trying to be seen in your local community, a quick search can yield thousands of results. That’s why it’s so important to register your local business with an online business directory. 

In our last article ( Check Here ), we provided not only one online directory but fourteen of them! We also talked about what an online directory is, the benefits of registering your business, as well as the importance of backlinks to gain traction. In this article, we’ll provide another comprehensive list of sites you can register your local business with, as well as whether they’re free or paid options, because we know every penny counts!

Let’s crack into it:

1. Great American Buy Local 

We’ll start with our own directory, just in case you need a refresher! Great American Buy Local is free and easy to sign up with. We also promote your business across different social media channels to help your business reach organic traffic. We also include blogs and articles to assist you with your online business journey.

2. Facebook Business

Another great option is one of the internet’s biggest corporations: Facebook. The Facebook Business feature allows you to not only have a social media presence, but you can also create ad space, promote posts and services; and it gives your business a face so your customers know what you stand for. To create an account is free, and you can schedule posts, add your business hours, menu or services, photos, and other information that’s valuable to your business. To use the ad features, you will have to pay, but much like Google Ad’s you can set the amount you’re willing to spend on a monthly budget, or you can pay as you go depending on the needs of your business. 

3. Google Business

Speaking of internet titans, Google My Business is a feature through Google that allows you to manage your business listing on Google Search. Through Google My Business, you can update your business information, respond to reviews, and if you choose you can utilize Google Ads through your My Business page as well. Ads are again a paid feature, but to create an account and to list with Google My Business is free.

4. Bing

Bing utilizes business and search ads the same as Google, so registering your business with Bing can only be beneficial for your small business! It’s easy to do, and like the other listings it has free and paid features depending on your needs. 

5. BBB (Better Business Bureau)

The BBB is an organization that’s been trusted by the public for many years. It’s an online directory that showcases your local businesses trustworthiness as well as your commitment to transparency. Like Google, Yelp and other online directories, you’ll receive a score and reviews of your business will also be listed , increasing your connection to your community. 

6. Angie’s List

Angie’s list, like few other directories mentioned in this list, allows someone in your community to search by category and need. It provides a review and rating system, and it’s easy to register local businesses through their site.

7. Yelp

Register your local business with Yelp to not only reach a new customer base, but to give others the opportunity to review your business! Yelp is based on customer reviews and ratings, and is a trusted source not only for restaurants but also for other industries as well! It’s easy, it’s free, and it will expand your reach. 

8. Thumbtack

Thumbtack is a website and an app that brings customers to your business. When you register local businesses with them, they provide leads submitted by people in your community looking for services. Whether it’s wellness, home improvement, private lessons or other services, your business can find a niche! It’s easy to sign up and completely free. 

9. Chamber of Commerce

Your local chamber of commerce is a great place to look as well! Your local chamber is a trusted source of information for your community, and they have an online directory where locals can find your business. 

10. Show Me Local

Show Me Local is another free site that works like Yellow pages. You register your business, and then people in your area can search based on their needs. You provide a phone number, address, and website link, and Show Me Local will list your site under the selected keyword for your business. 

11. Elocal

Local is a pay-per-lead online directory. If you want a site to boost your business and you have some extra cash, this is a great option. It’s not the same expense as Google ads, and you’re still reaching people in your local community who are looking for your services. 

12. 411

411 is an extension of the Yellow and White pages. However, this is a great option because it gives people the option to search online or dial 411 and be connected to you. The steps to register with 411 are a little trickier but very worth it to continue reaching out to your community.

13. Yelp

Yelp is great for a number of reasons. It’s free, it only shares your business with people in the area, and it’s a great way to build trust! Customers who have used your services or have visited your store can review, rate, and share pictures of your great work!

14. FourSquare

The benefit of FourSquare is it’s real time geo-locating. People can share their location to your business, as well as review and rate like other online directories. It also shows local favorites versus chains, which is helpful when trying to find new customers or clients. 

15. YellowPages

YellowPages has since transformed from a thick phonebook to both an online directory and an app! It’s a huge asset to have when trying to reach new customers, as well as get your business name out to your community.

16. SuperPages

This online directory is free but also gives you a free score so you can see how you stack up against competitors. This is great because then you know what customers are saying and what they’re looking for, allowing you to get an edge in your industry. Our previous article also stated that you’re able to post deals as well as business information.

17. Merchant Circle

Merchant Circle gives business owners and consumers the ability to rate and review, as well as respond to comments. It’s free to sign up, but they do have paid features as well to boost your reach across the platform. You can also post deals on the website for those in your community to take advantage of.

18. Nextdoor

Nextdoor is an interesting online directory because not only are you able to reach your local community when you register a local business, but you can also list deals and events happening with your business. It’s also free to register!

19. Networx

Networx is an online directory built for contractors. They promote your business and find leads for you to boost calls that lead to clients. While it’s pay-per-lead, it’s free to sign up, and like Google Ads, you can pause your leads at any time without consequence. 

20. HotFrog

HotFrog is another free online directory that allows you to register your local business for free and gain leads or traction in your community. It’s easy to sign up and validate your business online. 

21. Trip Advisor

With Trip Advisor you can sign up for free and take advantage of the tools they provide. The advantage of Trip Advisor is that not only can you reach local customers looking to try something new, but anyone coming to visit your town or city can find you as well!

22. Manta

Manta is another fantastic resource for contractors looking to gain more projects or showcase their services. Like eLocal it’s free with paid features that can help boost your visibility.

23. Cylex-USA

Cylex-USA provides an online directory for an array of business categories, from both small and large size businesses. It’s a free service with premium features that you can pay for if you would like to try them. 

24. City Search

CitySearch is a location-based directory that actually reads the user’s current location and suggests businesses based on that location. For reference, I actually tried it and it was a pretty cool way to see what was around me! It does take some work to get onto CitySearch, but there’s a detailed guide here, and it is free to sign up and use so there’s no loss!

25. American Towns

American Towns is exceptional for small towns and small businesses. It not only provides ways to connect the community to business, but users can also see what’s happening with school systems, local government, town activities, and other assets that can be utilized to help you promote your business.

When it comes to the online world, there are many ways you can promote your business. Online directories are one way to get your name out there. This article covered only a few of the choices you have to register for local businesses, but there are plenty out there that may fit your needs!

Are you looking to get the word out about your local business? As a new or seasoned business owner, it can be difficult to spread the word about your products or services. Promoting your local business online can feel overwhelming and impossible with so many avenues to explore and optimizations that need to be made.

When you are trying to establish your presence online, a great place to get the word out about your business is with local business listings. These listings are easy to use and are a great place to start conquering the online business world. But what exactly is a business listing? 

What is a business directory?

A business directory is an extensive list of businesses or organizations. Think Yellow Pages, but online! Most business directories include important information about each individual local business listing. This business information can include customer reviews, pictures, videos, and other more detailed information about the specific products or services that the business provides. 

There are tons of different business directories that you can list a business on, but what’s the point?

Also Read: How To Setup a Local Business Listing

The benefits of local business listings

There are various ways that local business listings and directories can help boost your business. Beyond the obvious benefit of gaining more customers or leads, there are benefits that may not seem as obvious.

Building Backlinks: Local business listings add a lot of value in terms of search engine optimization. Since backlinks are a great way to signal, you have a trustworthy site to Google, building backlinks by getting listed on business directories is a great strategy.

Increase Website Traffic: While listing your business, make sure to include a link to your website! When customers see your business and want to learn more, a link makes it easy for them to do so. This visibility should cause a good spike in your web traffic!

Increase Awareness of Your Business: If you don’t have a huge budget for advertising, promoting your local business online through a business directory is a great option! With a business listing, more customers will be able to find you and learn about your business.

Ready to start listing your business? Here are 16 free local business directories that you can start listing your business on now!

1.Great American Buy Local

Of course, the number one business directory on our list is the Great American Buy Local business directory! Our directory is completely free, easy to sign up for, and also includes the promotion of your business on all of our social channels to reach over 1,000 individuals.

2. Google

Did you know you can list your business on Google? As one of the most-used search engines, creating a listing with Google is a great idea. Google allows business owners to create a whole Google My Business profile with tons of information and the ability to update your audience with posts and real-time responses.

3. Moz

Moz is great for businesses of any size and has ongoing listings syncing automated duplicate deletion, and profile optimization.

4. Yelp

Everyone has used a Yelp review to help them find a restaurant to eat at or a business to employ; that’s why getting listed on Yelp is essential for your business!

5. Angie’s List

Angie’s list is a great directory that categorizes businesses based on their industry and services.

6. Foursquare

Give your customers the inside scoop on what is happening with your business using Foursquare.

7. Superpages

Post info and deals with Superpages, so customers can actively see what you have to offer.

8. Yahoo! Local

With paid and free options for listing your business, Yahoo Local is a website you definitely want to be listed on!

9. City-Data

Get involved with important conversations in your industry! City-Data acts as a forum and a directory that you can get listed on, so you never miss out on a chance to connect with potential customers.

10. MapQuest

Getting your local business listed on MapQuest is a great way to boost foot traffic if you have a brick-and-mortar location!

11. Better Business Bureau

Getting listed on the Better Business Bureau will show the trustworthiness of your business to your audience. On the listing, it displays your business score, along with customer reviews.

12. American Towns

If your organization is a non-profit or community group, don’t miss out on signing up for American Towns for free!

13. Bing

Just like Google, Bing also has a local business profile that you can create to highlight information about your business. Bing is a listing you don’t want to miss out on creating, otherwise, you may miss out on traffic!

14. Chamber of Commerce

If you aren’t part of your local Chamber of Commerce, now is the time to join! In addition to the many benefits you get from joining, Chamber’s lists all the businesses that sign up on their website in a business directory.

Don’t wait any longer to start getting the exposure your local business needs! Start getting listed on local business directories now.

Check Out These Blogs

1. How a Local Business Listing Can Boost your SEO
2. 10 Local Business Ideas to Launch in 2021
3. How to advertise your business in USA

Why should you take advantage of local business listings? There are tons of major benefits to getting the word out about your organization with multiple business listings. Not only do they provide valuable information about your information to potential customers, but they also help contribute to your digital footprint and SEO efforts.

Setup a Best Local Business Listings

When getting the word out about your organization, there are plenty of options to choose from to register local businesses. Some of the places you don’t want to miss getting listed on include:

Google local listing

Bing local listing

Yelp Listing

NextDoor Listing

Yahoo Listing

For each listing you create, it’s essential to optimize it to have all the relevant information needed. Among all of the things to include, here are the things you don’t want to forget:

1. Business Name

This one seems like a no-brainer, but you want to make sure that your business name is the same across all of your local business listings so consumers don’t get confused. Continuity across your listings is key!

2. Address

Make sure customers know where to find you by listing the correct address on any directories you are utilizing. For brick and mortar stores, having the correct location details is especially important; so you don’t miss out on valuable foot traffic.

3. Phone Number

Don’t miss calls from customers because your business listing isn’t optimized! Make sure you have the correct phone number listed. For local businesses, a local area code is preferred by many listing sites.

4. Website URL

Delegate traffic to your website so customers can see all that your business has to offer. When linking your website to a listing, you want to make sure that the landing page you are directing users to is user-friendly and will deliver the answers to the questions they have. 

5. Categories

When listing your business, many directories or websites will allow you to choose various categories your business may fall under. When categorizing your business, your listing will benefit the most from choosing specific categories that describe what you offer. No repeats is also an important rule! If you already mentioned your service in a category, don’t choose another category with the same service.

6. Description

Tell your customers what you do and what sets you apart from the competition! Think of your description as an elevator pitch for your business online.

7. Tagline

Keep things short and snappy! If your brand is known well for a certain slogan, display that online so it is easily recognizable to customers.

8. Social Profiles

Don’t forget to list your social profiles on your local business listings. Social profiles display validity and information to potential consumers in a fun and engaging way.

9. Images

Different listings have different features, but when using listings that allow you to post images and videos, take advantage of it! Pictures and videos of products or services will help potential customers get a peek into your operations.

10. Certifications

Show off your skills! You can list your qualifications so everyone can see additional verification of your business quality in addition to the local business ratings or local business reviews your business has.

11. Payment Forms Accepted

Listing various payment methods you accept can be influential to potential customers browsing different businesses.

If you own a local business in the USA, start getting recognized online with business listings and directories! Utilizing listings correctly and consistently will help improve your SEO, increase your foot traffic, and boost online sales. What are you waiting for? Start now and get your business listed in the Great American Buy Local Directory for free exposure and recognition.