Printed phone books are getting extinct as days pass. They are only used by senior citizens, who don’t know how to use a cell phone. Web business directories are modern-day phone books. For example, BLEEN is one of the best location-specific business directories committed to Australian professionals, service providers, and consumers.
Web directories are platforms that hunt the internet for business information to include in their master database. Google My Business, Yelp, CitySearch, etc. are examples of online directories.
Web directories are also referred to as ‘citation sites’. It is a platform where the name, address, & phone number of a business appears. When someone comes in search of a local business, a reliable online directory listing shows up on Google’s result pages. So, getting listed on web directories is the key SEO benefit.
For example, if prospects come in search of floor covering then the search results display multiple Flooring Directories. Check out Flooring Domain because it is a credible online directory that connects professional service providers to potential customers.
Local citations involve mention of your business name, contact details, zip code, and URL on the internet. The citations exist on social platforms, local business directories, blogs, and more.
Reasons local citations matter
- Help prospects find your online business and accurate information.
- Businesses can rank top on local searches.
- Builds website reputation [with quality local citations].
- Earn referral traffic from loyal people.
How do create effective local citations?
Manual citation submission
- The first directory to claim is GMB and Bing. Both are free business directories as well as the largest search engines.
- Ensure that your business is properly listed on top online directories suitable to your niche. Industry Link Online is not just a great resource to gain details about the top web directories but even offers a chance to list your business.
- When you look for top web directories ensure that it is credible. Check the data quality on their platform before submitting.
- The impact of manual citation submission is great because you chose each citation listing with care. It is labor-intensive.
Online data aggregators
- There are online data aggregators affiliated with a range of online directories. They push your business details to the affiliated web directories at once. You can use aggregators because handling them manually is time-consuming.
Listing management platforms
- Listing management platforms automate the site listing process.
- As soon as your business data including NAP, website, videos, posts, and images are uploaded to the dashboard of the management platform, the information is automatically transferred to the respective local publishers.
Here are some crucial tips to remember for an effective local citation strategy
- While listing ensures to use your domain-based email instead of the Yahoo or Gmail one.
- Ensure the business NAP is similar and consistent on every mention online.
- Choose the correct category, which is the one that defines your business nature accurately.
- Add details like logo, photos, operating hours, business description, social links, etc.
- After submission enter the confirmation code and claim the listing. It is a trust-building feature.
According to a study, local news & community platforms have a huge impact on local SEO and ranking.
