Because there are hundreds of Local Search Directories we researched to determine which are the most important.
We used Universal Business Listings (gone now) and provide this information on How to Obtain Local Business Directory Listings.
However, even if you use an automated tool to obtain your local listings, it is still imperative to claim and enhance your most important listings.
Any listing that has reviews should be protected by claiming – especially Google – because it is possible for someone to hijack your good reviews and change the contact information and address to their business which effectively takes business away from you.
I have personally seen that happen to a local Dallas mobile mechanic. He was able to get his account restored but prevention is much faster and easier.
The Local Search Directories listed below are the ten you may wish to spend the most time optimizing.
I created this list by checking PageRank (no longer publicly viewable) and traffic to each site roughly one year ago.
So the order may have changed but Google is definitely number one for traffic and the others are probably still the key sites.
If anyone disagrees, has more recent research, or would like to see the entire spreadsheet let me know by leaving a comment in this post or using the information on my contact tab.
TOP LOCAL SEARCH DIRECTORIES:
- Google Maps
- Yahoo! My Business – claim through their partnership with Yext
- SuperPages
- YellowBook
- YellowPages
- Yelp
- Citysearch
- Merchant Circle
- Topix – gone now
- Insider Pages
IMPORTANT: All of these directories have a free option; however, they WILL try to upsell you into a paid offering and that can be monthly charges.
Some make the free listings difficult to find or will even tell you there is no free option. When they call – and some will – simply tell them you are happy with your free listings.
If you are unable to find a free option contact me and I will find it if it still exists. To date I have always been able to locate a way to obtain a free listing; however, that could change.
As I wrote in my previous comprehensive post about the importance of Local Search Listings:
“It is foolish for any business not to obtain their free listings on at least the major sites offering local directories. Not having these listings is like having someone offer your business years of free advertising and saying “no thanks”.
See our Local Search Directory categories for additional posts on how to submit to several of these specific directories.
Additional Local Search Resources:
- WhiteSpark Local Citation Finder
- Yext
- Moz Local (formerly GetListed.org) – Local Listings tool to see where your business is listed and what local listings you have claimed.
- Local Marketing Software From Synup
- LocalWorks – Yahoo Small Business tool to get listed in 60+ directories
- Bright Local
- Express Update (Uses technology from Yext but has a simpler dashboard and costs less.)
- Google Places Category Tool – search to find out what the best categories are for your business for your Google Places listing. Sadly, this tool has disappeared; if you know of one, please leave a comment.
- GatherUp (formerly GetFiveStars) – Mike Blumenthal co-founded this tool for increasing positive reviews on your local listings. Blumenthal is the foremost expert on Google Local.
Originally published 10/27/2010; updated 6/11/2019.
Gail Gardner
Great info. Local business directories are very effective when it comes to generating real leads for your business. Here is a New One which is absolutely free and for the HVAC Industry i.e. hvaclocal.com
Thanks for the great list. Submit-link.org is also a great free local business directory to get complete local business listings. You can add your exact location, photo, hours, website, and contact info.
I would also add Bing to the list and move Yelp to #3 on your list. Thanks for sharing.
This is a great resource to anyone who is new to online business.
I was just wondering if you could add http://www.lacartes.com to the list of local business directories as well? It is another free local business directory where any business can create a listing and reach thousands of customers every month.
I had a free listing on YP.com and got no calls, probably because it was buried & not on page 1. So I opted for a paid listing which moved me to the first page and broadcast me out to over 100 partner sites and mobile apps. Then I started getting lots of calls. The YP.com network has been very effective at helping me grow my business.
Hi Heidi,
Thanks for sharing that. Yes, we have to be aware that most people only look at the first page for reasons I don’t really understand because they should be willing to look harder to find the very best!
Check out the post I’ve put in CommentLuv in this reply. There is a very good way to get far more first page listings in additional directories including niche directories in your industry and location. How is explained in that post or you can contact me for details.
growmap would love you to read ..Small Business Internet Marketing: Where to Start
Thanks for this list, this will make my work a lot easier, I have been struggling to find directories other than google places, yellowpages, superpages, and yelp for my business.
Hi Nathan,
You can also use the recommendations you’ll get by putting your business in the Get Listed local search directory tool>.
growmap would love you to read ..Small Business Internet Marketing: Where to Start
awesome content surrounding local search directories – whatever your trying to get search engine optimize for listings = it is definitely a good idea to higher somebody to list your blogs in these directories unless you’re going to do it yourself — any type of local business such as plumbing, carpentry, dentistry, hospitalization,local handyman etc.
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Yeah that is something I hate about many directories, they really try to hide the free listing part on their site. Making me believe there is no free listing, but then I check who are in the directory and I am sure that they got in for free.
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thank you for the list
Thanks for the great list .
it was a big Help
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Awesome local directories list! I like this efforts especially the top 1o local directories views. I actually believe that Google Map listing is very effective for local search placement in Google. I appreciate this is an opportunity for finding the top local search in online business. Thanks for the useful plugings, thank you!
Bill Wisfer would love you to read ..Local Search Engine Optimization For the Business
Great post, so informative , thanks for the list. keep up the good work.
Thanks for the list. I have been struggling to find directories other than google places, yellowpages, superpages, and yelp for my business. Will definitely be bookmarking your site.
Denny would love you to read ..Reasons To See a Dallas Dentist
There are literally hundreds and possibly thousands of local search directories. You can see list of 76 local directories I found doing research and get more information at this link on how to optimize local search listings.
Submitting manually to local directories is the really hard, time-consuming way to do that and you will never find all of them. Every business I do ends up listed on tiny directories I’ve never seen before. In the Local Search Case Study I did for a Texas Gazebo Manufacturer I found incoming traffic from 332 directories – most of the tiny.
The easy way is to use Universal Business Listings to submit to local business directories. They cover all of the major and hundreds of minor ones and the databases that feed cell phones and GPS systems. That link has additional information to help you if you want to do it yourself and also the local listing services we offer.
Getting those listings in the first step in our Small Business Internet Marketing Starter Package. See that link for what to make your priority after that one.
growmap would love you to read ..Small Business Internet Marketing
I just wonder, what could be the the difference between local business listing and local business directories? Local business listing of Google is an amazing way of locating local business establishments in a specific area.
This information was also made available mobile to certain areas of the globe.
I hope this local business directory will be available in mobile too. Isn’t it amazing?
Interesting article. However, I still have a hard time liking the Google map. They only give a few listings. Not that they are bad, but as a user I like a lot of options. Search Engines get so cluttered with other “Stuff” that doesn’t relate I find it frustrating. However, I do like how the google map is most of the page and the other “Stuff” is minimized. At the end of the day, when I do a search for a business to call, I tend to use Yellowpages.com. The mobile app is great.
Hi Neil,
I am glad you noticed. Google limits what we can easily find and that IS their plan, so anyone who likes to do their own choosing or has a business that needs to be found needs to stop using Google for everything and use alternative search engines instead.
growmap would love you to read ..Why the Economy is In Decline and What We Can Do to Improve It
This list is invaluable for local search marketers, especially the top 6. It has increased my local business by 20%, a great value!
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You have one great of a help there Gail. Thanks for listing all that directories. I have friends who have online businesses and I think they’d like to have these list as reference. But, personally I like GoogleMaps best among your selection. It’s very effective and broad.
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I agree that Google Maps has the largest share of the search market but I encourage everyone to use others and to get their listings elsewhere. Even if the other sites did not send traffic (and they do – even obscure niche sites do) they provide valuable high quality incoming links.
Personally I like to use ValueCom and US Counties first and then maps.yahoo.com over Google.
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Hi Gail,
This list is great. I have lots of friends that have local businesses and will love this – so I tweeted and facebooked this to get the word out.
Blessings,
Eren
Eren Mckay would love you to read ..Duck Baby Shower Decorations
Thank you so much Eren. This is so very important and so few businesses really understand why.
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Google Maps is a life saver for me
I am not sure if directories are as helpful as they were once.. but you have compiled a good list. Thanks.
All the best,
Stephan
Thanks for posting. It’s truly helpful for my future searches and of course business listing. And thanks for informing us about protecting our listings.
I agree, local listings are great for local businesses but one thing that many people have to remember is that if part of your seo plan, or most of it, is listing in directories because of the backlinks, those days are well beyond over. Although some directory listings can be great for backlinks, make sure you have content site backlinks as well and a solid mix of everything. Do not rely on directories alone. Many SEOs have moved these to secondary links instead of ones that they focus on regularly.
Wow, this was a great posting but I was surprised that “Yelp” did not rank higher in the rankings……..here in Northern CA, its very powerful and people don’t even use Superpages, Yellow Book or YellowPages — so in my turf “Yelp” is #3 and climbing.
Good list Gail. I think now after so many updations and changes in search engines algorithm, its is necessary to have local listing also. Nice post.
Thank you for all the strategies you share for businesses. We are all still trying to figure out what is most important to do first.
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I must confess that I have not paid enough attention to getting local listings here in South Africa. I don’t have a list of local search directories, but I am sure that it will be worth my while to investigate. It is kind of silly not to make use of any existing opportunities! Thanks for bringing this to my attention again.
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This is immensely helpful, thank you.
Yeah thank you for this great artilce, I was in search for local search directories. Thats how I got to this page. Really appreciate this blog you have shared with us!
Gail good list, local listings are much more important than ever.
Hi Biodun,
I agree. Your comment reminds me that I don’t know which of these offers listings to UK businesses. What we need is a UK specific list (and lists for every other country).
If anyone has such a list I will link to it and promote it for you on your site or I will publish it here for you and link to you.
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Great post. What is the difference between the paid and the free version. Do you think you can get the same results from the free version?
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Thanks for this list of directories. I only knew of Google, Yahoo and Yelp. I certainly need to add to these other directories ASAP. You said Google was the best as far as traffic, I am excited to add the rest of them because they definitely add to traffic.
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Thanks for such an useful list.
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You’re welcome.
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Nice! I was just putting together a list of local directories – have a plan to offer it around town for local businesses; nearly all of them have yet to claim their listings so I figure it could be a great little service 🙂
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Hi Murlu,
That is exactly what I’ve been encouraging bloggers and others with Internet skills to do. Every business needs to do this. Why turn down free advertising – especially in this economy?
If you look at those other links you’ll see I’ve already created the form for collecting all the data required to fill in all the sites and UBL is a far easier way to get the basic listings.
What I do is submit them through UBL and then claim the important ones (which is why I published this list). It is important to claim your listings especially on any site that has reviews on it.
Google is the highest priority as they have an almost-monopoly that is really dangerous. We all must continue to recommend the use of other search engines.
growmap would love you to read ..Local Search Directory Listings
Thanks for contacting me Gail. You really seem to have a great resource available here and I’m quite impressed. I’ll personally vouch for the ABSOLUTE IMPORTANCE of claiming your Google places listing. As I discussed with you, our family is involved in two small businesses and our listing (Airboat Rides at MIDWAY) was hijacked by a competitor which caused merged reviews and links to his website from our places page. I figure it may take months to clear it up. I’ll say right now that the ‘3rd party’ data providers that reviews come from all say its Google’s fault and they won’t help and of course Google ‘automated’ reporting system is less than reassuring.
A wise man learns from others mistakes….. CLAIM YOUR LISTING.
Thanks again and I look forward to gaining more insight from you.
Gail, this is very important information. I’ve retweeted this, and I’m e-mailing the link to several local business people and an organization that advises local businesses.
Hi John,
Thank you for sharing this with others. It is very important. It took me many hours to determine where UBL listings were appearing and then rank the 107+ I listings I found by order of importance.
Everything someone needs to create their own listings or to provide that as a service to others is contained in links in the posts mentioned for UBL and Local Search Directories.
That includes a form to collect all the data required for all the listings (although sometimes they add something) so you have everything you need from a business and don’t have to keep calling them to get more information.
There is a flier I created that fits on both sides of a standard piece of paper that can be edited. Anyone is welcome to take what I have created and edit it for their own use. Just replace my contact information with your own.
growmap would love you to read ..Local Search Directory Listings