subject: Local Business Directory Listings and its Importance [print this page] Local Business Directory Listings and its Importance
Going for a business directory listing can highly benefit your business. As you list your business on paid or free business listing directory you are enhancing the chances of fetching more targeted traffic to your website. Having your business listed on a business directory also influences overall ranking of the site on the major search engines like Google, Yahoo! and Bing. Often the major search engines decide the site rank on its link popularity or its back links. Search engine optimizers (SEO) are well aware of the importance of local business directory listing specially for small and medium sized businesses.
Even a few decades back the business owners had very restricted choices for listing their business on directories. Then only three options were predominant, which are namely the Yellow Books, specific industry directories and regional or general business directories.
For most of the small businesses the Yellow Pages was one of the significant sources of advertising. Only a business phone line was required to advertise on Yellow Pages. Since the Internet gained ground the popularity of the Yellow Pages diminished among business owners. Now very few people search the Yellow Pages and the advertising rates are pretty expensive and it goes up every year.
Generally an industry association publishes the specific industry directories. In order to get businesses listing on specific industry directories you have to qualify for membership. The general business or regional business listing directories offer useful services for those who are seeking new suppliers. Some of such directories are local Chamber of Commerce, Hoovers and D&B.
Nowadays both three types of business directories can be accessed on the Internet. Local business directories generally charge a fee from business owners for listing their businesses. There are a huge number of paid business listing directories on the net as well as free business listing directory where you can get links without paying any fees.
It is advisable to submit your website URL on business listing directory manually instead of using the automated process to submit links. Using the automated process for your website submission may cause it to be blacklisted or de-indexed by search engines.
As you submit your website URL on any business directory make sure to check the following:
The content of your website should be in English
The website should not have any broken links
The site can not contain links to any adult site
While submission the site must be complete and not under construction state
