The top 8 directories to list your small business

As a small business owner, one of the most effective ways to increase your online visibility and reach more potential customers is by listing your business in online directories. However, with so many directories available, it can be challenging to know where to start.

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Here are the top 8 directories to list your small business based on traffic/search volume.

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Google My Business (#1)

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The clear #1, Google My Business (GMB) is the most essential online directory for any small business. It's free to use and allows you to manage your business's appearance on Google search and maps. When someone searches for your business on Google, your GMB profile will appear, providing information about your business, such as your address, phone number, hours of operation, and reviews. GMB is incredibly popular, with more than 80% of consumers using it to search for local businesses. If you are looking to get the most return for your time, focus on this listing, since most other directories pull data from GMB to populate their directories.

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Bing Places (#2)

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Bing Places is a directory owned by Microsoft, and it allows businesses to list their information on Bing search and maps. Bing Places is similar to GMB, and it provides similar benefits, such as increased visibility and the ability to manage your online presence. Bing Places is an excellent platform for small businesses looking to increase their online visibility, especially for those who want to reach Bing users. With most PC users being pushed to use Bing as their primary search engine, they get a decent amount of traffic and often generate customers or leads that are searching for your product/service.

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Facebook / Meta (#3)

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Facebook is the world's largest social media platform, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users. Listing your business on Facebook will allow you to create a Facebook business page, where you can provide information about your business, post updates, and engage with your audience. You can also use Facebook advertising to target specific audiences, which can be useful for certain businesses. Advertising on facebook can be difficult for small businesses though and they often tie your visibility to your ad spend. It's best to remember that Facebook is a social media platform so engagement isn't always a direct reflection of generating business. Other directories are often helping you capture warmer leads that are in the search phase, not just casually browsing.

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Yelp (#4)

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Yelp is a popular review platform that allows consumers to rate and review businesses. Yelp has more than 178 million monthly users, making it a high traffic platform to list your business. Listing your business on Yelp will allow you to showcase your products and services, respond to customer reviews, and engage with potential customers. They often try to rope you into spending money with them to boost your listing higher on their list. This often isn't worthwhile unless you're in a highly competitive market and struggling to get visibility.

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ChamberofCommerce.com (#5)

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Chamber of Commerce is a network of businesses that promote economic development in their local communities. It's an excellent platform for small businesses looking to connect with other local businesses and increase their visibility in the community. Stick with the free listing for this site, you're mainly just looking to boost your visibility online, so a basic listing works fine here.

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eLocal.com (#6)

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eLocal is an online directory that helps consumers find local businesses. With just over 600k users per month it's a smaller directory, but still an excellent platform for small businesses looking to increase their online visibility and reach more potential customers. Again, the basic free listing is enough here.

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merchantcircle.com (#7)

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MerchantCircle is a social network for local businesses that has about 1.4 Million users per month. It allows businesses to create a free listing and connect with other local businesses and consumers. MerchantCircle is an excellent platform for small businesses looking to build their network and increase their visibility online.

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Hyper Local Directories (#8)

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If you live in a small tight knit community it is best to find local directories like your local chamber of commerce or other directories that provide curated lists/tours, or other content for visitors to your area. These directories don't receive as much national or global traffic, but could generate reliable customers or clients in your local market. Check with your local chamber of commerce to see what they have available or if they know of any good local directories.

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In conclusion, listing your small business in online directories can significantly increase your online visibility and help you reach more potential customers. By listing your business on these top directories, you'll be able to improve your online presence, engage with your audience, and increase your chances of success.

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Sources: semrush.com