What are Local Business Listings, and How Can They Increase Site Traffic?

Local business listings (or local business directories) are websites with information about businesses and organizations providing services or products in a particular city. In local business listings, you can often find the address, contact details, opening hours, company activities description, client reviews, and other information.

Marketers and specialists providing SEO services for local businesses use local directory sites to:

• Improve visibility in search engines. Many local directories have an audience and high trust from search engines. Your business can appear in users’ search results looking for your services or products.
• Get links to your site. Registering your business in local listings allows you to publish links to your website. The more quality links that lead to your site from other sources, the better your SEO rankings.
• Attract an audience and increase user trust. Local listings are targeted at specific regions or cities. By appearing in such listings, you draw attention to yourself in the local environment, which can increase your client base. If the listing contains reviews and ratings left by clients, it can build trust among potential clients and increase website traffic.

Why are local business directories important?

In addition to the points mentioned in the previous section, local businesses can benefit from local business listings at different stages of their development. Let’s look at some common examples.

An alternative to a full-fledged website

If you don’t have a website or haven’t yet boosted your local SEO, you can use a local business listing as a temporary alternative. Many directories, such as Google My Business, Bing Places, or Foursquare, contain all the necessary information about your business: address, links to the price list or menu (if you are a catering establishment), product cards, etc.

Comparison of companies

Local business directories usually provide users with a comparison of several companies simultaneously. This allows clients to conveniently compare different aspects of services or products, such as prices, reviews, ratings, opening hours, additional benefits, etc. If you stand out positively compared to your competitors in local directories, it greatly increases the chance that a lead will choose your company.

SEO

Registering your business in local directories has a positive effect on the search engine optimization of your website. Most local directories allow you to add links to your website. Each link helps to increase the weight of your website in the eyes of search engines, increasing its chances of appearing in search results.

You can also increase your local relevance ranking through directories. Search engines evaluate how relevant your website is to a particular region, and registering in business directories increases your local relevance, which helps improve your search positions.

Directories influence local ranking factors, particularly for local search queries such as “restaurants in Kyiv” or “car repair shops in London” search engines often use local directories to gather information. If your business is registered in these listings, you have a better chance of appearing in search results for such queries.

How to choose online directories

Choosing online listings can be a bit of a challenge, so we have prepared a list of steps to help you choose the best directories for your company:

1. Find popular online listings with a high ranking and an active audience. A search on Google or social media can help you find such resources.
2. Choose directories that specialize in your region or city. This will help you attract more local clients.
3. Assess whether the directory audience matches your target client group.
4. Check what features the directory offers. It is important that you can add full information about your business, reviews, photos, contact details, etc.
5. Consider advertising your business in the directory. This can provide additional traffic to your online or offline store.
6. Choose directories that provide traffic statistics for your profile so that you can evaluate the effectiveness of your advertising campaign.

But don’t expect instant results since improving visibility and attracting clients through listings is a gradual process that takes time and effort. Following these steps, you can choose the best online listings that will help improve your business’s reputation, increase traffic, and attract new clients.

How to work with business listings

Let’s take the example of Google My Business to see how to work with directories and listings to make it effective and bring results. Google My Business was chosen as an example because it has similar functionality to most business directories.

Registration

• Fill in the information about the company: name, contact details, field of activity, address, opening hours, etc.
• Select business categories for your Google local business listing. They determine the ranking and the available list of fields in the listing. For example, a listing for a catering establishment has a field for the menu, and a listing for a store has a field for the assortment of goods.
• Be sure to verify your company by mail, phone, or email.
• Fill out your profile. Using the maximum number of fields and information relevant to your business is important to make your profile 100% efficient. 

Profile content

Your profile cover photo is the first thing potential clients will see, so choose an attractive and informative photo for the cover. It can be a photo of your iconic product, interior, or friendly staff.

The second thing users pay attention to is the company description. Describe what makes your company unique and why clients should choose you. Indicate your expertise, a wide range of products or services, and the features that make your business the best in its niche. Use keywords and phrases that best describe your business and services to increase the likelihood of your business appearing in search results. Consider what queries users might submit and include them in your business description. Don’t forget to add a call to action to your company’s description.

Upload various photos and videos to give clients a complete picture of your business. Include photos of different products or services, photos of your team, client testimonials, photos from events, or even short video reviews. One of the most effective ways to attract new clients is to use photos and videos of satisfied clients. This will help build trust and give potential clients an idea of what they can expect. 

The photos and videos you upload should be high quality and show your business in the best possible light. Use clear, well-lit images that showcase products, services, atmosphere, etc. Don’t forget to update your photos and videos, especially if you have made changes, added new products or services, or hosted interesting events. Fresh content attracts attention and demonstrates the activity of your business.

FAQs

One of the key aspects of successful work with the FAQ section is efficiency. Try to answer client questions as quickly as possible. Quick responses show that you care about your clients and help increase client satisfaction. 

Encourage visitors to leave questions in the section, stimulating dialog and creating  a positive impression of your company among potential clients. You can also add questions and write answers to them yourself.

Reviews

Aim to get a variety of reviews from different clients. Ask your clients to leave reviews about different aspects of your business, such as individual products, services, or client service. Many reviews will help present your company in the best possible light. You can offer clients discounts, bonuses, or other rewards to motivate them to give feedback.

Don’t leave reviews unanswered. Be prepared to respond to positive and negative reviews. Thank clients for positive feedback and respond to problems or negative comments with understanding and professionalism. Being attentive to feedback will help build trust with potential clients and prove that you value each of them.

Publications

Make sure to update your publications section regularly. Post fresh content such as news, promotions, special offers, and seasonal events. Regular updates will keep your audience interested and your profile up to date.

Create catchy titles and meaningful descriptions for your posts. Headlines should be captivating and concise. Use high-quality and attractive photos and videos in your posts, as visual content greatly increases audience engagement and helps to attract more clients. Remember to encourage your clients to take the action you want, such as visiting your website, calling, leaving a review, or taking advantage of a special offer.

6 Popular Local Business Listing Platforms

Google My Business

Google My Business is a free tool from Google designed for entrepreneurs and business owners worldwide. Google’s local business directory allows you to register your business and provide users with information on various Google services, such as Google Search, Google Maps, and Google+. The useful features of Google My Business include:

• Ability to add product cards and publications.
• Information about your business entered in Google My Business is displayed in Google Search results and Google Maps.
• Users can leave reviews and rate your business on Google My Business. Positive reviews help you attract new clients and build trust in your brand.
• You can add photos of your business to showcase its image and your products or services.
• Google My Business provides analytical data about traffic, website visits, calls, and other user actions after viewing your profile. This helps you measure the effectiveness of your profile and advertising campaigns.

Yelp

Yelp is a popular web service and mobile application that provides information about businesses in different regions of the world. This business directory has an impressive audience of users who actively use it to find local businesses and read reviews about them. Useful features that Yelp offers to businesses include:

• Yelp users can leave ratings and reviews of businesses they have visited. Positive reviews help attract new clients, and if a business actively responds to reviews, it increases its credibility.
• Business owners can add photos that show the atmosphere of the establishment, products, or services offered.
• Yelp allows businesses to be advertised through sponsored ads or special offers. 
• Businesses can add interactive content, such as video reviews or virtual tours, which increases the appeal of their profiles to users.

Bing Places

Bing Places for Business is a free service from the Bing search engine, similar to Google My Business. It allows businesses to register and manage their business profiles in Bing and Microsoft Maps search results. Useful features and benefits of Bing Places for Business:

• Business information added to Bing Places is displayed in Bing and Microsoft Maps search results. This helps to attract a local audience and potential clients.
• Users can leave ratings and reviews about your business on Bing Places. Positive reviews increase brand credibility and attract new clients.
• You can add photos and even videos of your business, which helps users get to know your company and products better.
• If you use the Microsoft Advertising platform, you can integrate your profile with Bing Places for additional advertising opportunities and increasing the effectiveness of your campaigns.
• Bing Places provides analytics on traffic and activity on your profile, which allows you to evaluate your performance on the platform.

Foursquare

Bing Places for Business is a free service from the Bing search engine, similar to Google My Business. It allows businesses to register and manage their business profiles in Bing and Microsoft Maps search results. Useful features and benefits of Bing Places for Business:

• Business information added to Bing Places is displayed in Bing and Microsoft Maps search results. This helps to attract a local audience and potential clients.
• Users can leave ratings and reviews about your business on Bing Places. Positive reviews increase brand credibility and attract new clients.
• You can add photos and even videos of your business, which helps users get to know your company and products better.
• If you use the Microsoft Advertising platform, you can integrate your profile with Bing Places for additional advertising opportunities and increasing the effectiveness of your campaigns.
• Bing Places provides analytics on traffic and activity on your profile, which allows you to evaluate your performance on the platform.

Foursquare

Trustpilot is one of the most popular online portals for client reviews and ratings of companies, products, and services. This resource allows clients to leave feedback about their experience with businesses, which helps other users make informed decisions when shopping.

Key features and benefits of Trustpilot for business:

• Trustpilot helps to increase trust in your company by allowing clients to share their experiences and leave feedback about your products or services.
• You can respond to client reviews and comments, which improves client experience.
• Positive reviews on Trustpilot can be used in marketing campaigns to enhance your company’s reputation. Trustpilot also allows you to track and manage your company’s reputation by responding to reviews and implementing improvements based on feedback.
• Reviews on Trustpilot can influence your website’s position in search results, increasing its visibility to potential clients.
• Trustpilot provides analytical data that helps you understand client perceptions of your company and make improvements.

YellowPages

YellowPages is a well-known local business directory that provides information about businesses, services, and solutions. This resource helps users find the right businesses and helps businesses improve their online presence and attract new clients.

Key features and benefits of YellowPages.ca for business:

• YellowPages allows businesses to create detailed local listing profiles with information about services, opening hours, contact information, addresses, and other details.
• Listing on YellowPages helps businesses increase local visibility and provide easier access to clients in a specific region.
• Users can leave reviews and ratings about your business, which improves  your reputation and influences the decisions of potential clients.
• YellowPages allows you to add addresses and maps for clients to find your location easily.
• Businesses can choose relevant categories and tags, simplifying the search process for users.
• YellowPages offers paid advertising opportunities that help you attract more attention from potential clients.
• Listing your company in a popular directory improves its position in local SERP and increases traffic to your website.

Conclusion

Local business listing sites (or local business directories) are platforms with information about businesses and organizations that provide services or products in a particular city.

Local business directories can be important and useful for businesses and can lead to:

• improving visibility in search engines;
• increasing traffic to your site;
• attracting an audience;
• increasing user trust.

To choose the right directory for your business, you need to:

• research popular directories and identify those that have a high rating and an active audience; 
• choose directories that specialize in your region or city;
• check whether the directory audience matches your target audience;
• check what features the directory offers;
• evaluate the available advertising and promotion in the directory;
• make sure the directory offers the option to track results.

Remember that a comprehensive approach is essential for effective promotion of local business. Engaging professionals who specialize in marketing and search engine optimization can significantly improve your chances of success. This will help you develop a promotion strategy, increase your brand’s weight, and attract more potential clients.The Livepage team has extensive and successful experience promoting local businesses,  confirmed by FixAppliances, US Appliance Repair Business case study, and reviews.