50 Online Local Business Directories
Promoting a local business is not easy these days.
Whether it’s oversaturation or complicated search engine algorithms, it’s all too easy to believe that no one will find your business in local search results.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to improve your local SEO. All you have to do is list your business on online business directories such as the Yellow Pages, Manta, and more. This is known as creating quotes and is a critical part of a local marketing strategy.
Nowadays, Google is inserting itself much more often between consumer and local business websites. For proof, look no further than Google My Business, AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages), featured snippets, and most importantly, local packages.
By creating quotes, you can make sure you show up in these local packages when people near you search for businesses like yours. Corporate directories seem to be a thing of the past, but they are a great way to grow your online presence.
What is a corporate directory?
A business directory is an online list of businesses in a specific niche, location, or category. One way that local businesses can be found by online searchers is by listing them in corporate directories.
You can improve visibility by listing your local business NAP (name, address, phone number) on directories, online business listing websites, and citation pages. Aside from improving your local search engine optimization, these can also improve your search engine rankings as the listings usually point to your website.
Make sure your company listing includes the following information as soon as you add it to a directory:
- Consistent NAP. If you add or update your company on multiple business listing websites, make sure you provide the same company information in each directory.
- A link to your website. Backlinks – also known as inbound links – are critical to the domain rating of your business website. Also, add a tracking link to the end of this URL so you can see how much traffic your website is receiving specifically from the business directories that link to it.
- A company description. Make sure you have a detailed description of your company that reflects your company’s mission, culture and values.
- multimedia. Give business seekers a visual impression of your company with a picture or video of your office, your employees or your daily business operations.
There are many location-specific and industry-specific websites with business listings to which you can submit your data. However, to promote your local business you should start with the big sites and work your way up to the niche directories.
First, let’s go through the best free business directories.
Free business listings
- Apple Maps
- Google My Business
- LinkedIn business directory
- Bing
- Howl
- MapQuest
- HubSpot
- Great sites
- YellowBook.com
- Thumbtack
Online directories for local businesses
- Facebook pages (Domain Rating = 100)
- Instagram for Business (Domain Rating = 99)
- Google My Business (Domain Rating = 98)
- LinkedIn Company Directory (Domain Rating = 98)
- Apple Maps (Domain Rating = 97)
- Yelp (Domain Rating = 94)
- Bing (Domain Rating = 93)
- HubSpot’s solution directory (Domain Rating = 93)
- Better Business Bureau (Domain Rating = 93)
- MapQuest (Domain Rating = 92)
- Foursquare (Domain Rating = 91)
- Yahoo! Local (Domain Rating = 91)
- Thumbtack (Domain Rating = 90)
- Yellow Pages (Domain Rating = 90)
- Angi, FKA Angies list (Domain Rating = 91)
- Nextdoor (Domain Rating = 87)
- Manta (Domain Rating = 87)
- Dealer group (Domain Rating = 85)
- YellowBook.com (Domain Rating = 82)
- Dun & Bradstreet Business Directory (Domain Rating = 80)
- Local.com (Domain Rating = 79)
- Hotfrog (Domain Rating = 79)
- ChamberofCommerce.com (Domain Rating = 79)
- 2FindLocal (Domain Rating = 46)
- EZlocal (Domain Rating = 78)
- Brownbook.net (Domain Rating = 77)
- eLocal.com (Domain Rating = 77)
- City squares (Domain Rating = 76)
- iBegin (Domain Rating = 75)
- EBusinessPages (Domain Rating = 75)
- BOTW (Domain Rating = 74)
- Neustar Localeze (Domain Rating = 73)
- Language (Domain Rating = 72)
- GoLocal247 (Domain Rating = 72)
- Call up contact (Domain Rating = 71)
- n49.com (Domain Rating = 71)
- Just landed (Domain Rating = 71)
- Tuugo.us (Domain Rating = 71)
- Lacartes (Domain Rating = 71)
- Hub.biz (Domain Rating = 70)
- Cylex US (Domain Rating = 70)
- Cybo (Domain Rating = 70)
- Fyple.com (Domain Rating = 65)
- Opendi.us (Domain Rating = 65)
- Yellow.Place (domain rating – 64)
- My blueberry (Domain Rating = 62)
- ExpressBusinessDirectory.com (Domain Rating = 62)
- Bizhwy.com (Domain Rating = 61)
- USdirectory.com (Domain Rating = 56)
- Finduslocal.com (Domain Rating = 50)
methodology
We used a few parameters to decide which directories would make the list.
Domain evaluation
Domain rating is a rating given to websites to show how well they rank on Google based on their backlink profile. The minimum score is 0 and the maximum score is 100. The domain rating is similar, but not identical, to the domain authority.
Our minimum required domain rating for the directories on this list was 50. We collected the data from Ahrefs in May 2021.
category
We have compiled this list for each company. Regardless of your industry or target market, you can submit your business to any of the directories above.
To be included on this list, the directory had to be categorized as General. The only exception is the HubSpot Solutions Directory, which is categorized as Marketing & Advertising.
Add your local business to online directories
Making sure you are where your prospects may find you is vital to any local marketing plan. It’s important to create quotes not only for added visibility but also for SEO benefit. Add your local business to some of these business listings and directories today – and watch your business and customer base grow.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2013 and has been updated for completeness.