Five tips to leverage business directory listing to the benefit of the business
Follow locally prominent online directories
One of the commonest mistakes that most new business owners are prone to making is registering on any local business directory that they come across. It is only prudent to know that there are several low quality sites that border around spam lines. If you register your business on these sites, it will be no good for the organic rank of your own website. On the contrary, this might as well hurt your organic search engine ranking.
In order to max out your visibility online through business directories, make sure the directories you choose, relate both to your business and geography. Sites like www.infoisinfo.co.za are a good place for a start.
Yellow pages are still gold enough
While most of the big fishes will shy away from these, yellow pages are still very implemental in local business rankings. While it can be safely assumed that the gargantuan phone book directories are extinct already, the local online yellow pages are still a great deal for small businesses targeting local consumers.
Since the online boom has effectively added to the number of yellow pages as well, there are several yellow pages sites you will probably come across. Here again, the rule mentioned above, is very important. Register only with the most prominent pages in your area.
Mind the correctly of your Google+ listing
If there is one local online business directory listing that you cannot afford to avoid, it has to be the Google+ listing. If you already have a g+ listing, you will be happy to know that a completely filled out and fully optimised g+ profile makes one of the gives you a very good chance at ranking better in Google search results.
Also, Google search results almost always put out the local results up and above the search results. If you did not have a listing with g+, this should have you going.
Social media integration
Not many online business directories will allow you to integrate your social media profiles with the listing. The ones that do, are good as gold. There are several businesses that have already made the most their social media profiles, and leveraged them to provide user content that are both user-informing and enriching.
If a business directory allows you the option to integrate your social media profile, there is no way you should be missing out on it. Additionally, some business directories are themselves turning into small social communities and there are finding popularity among consumers.