Why It’s Important to Have Your Business Listed on GoToThisGuy

What Are Online Directories?

Online directories are sites like YellowPages and Yelp that maintain a searchable database of local businesses. Users can enter their location and the type of business they are looking for and then browse the results. So when someone searches on GoToThisGuy for “real estate agent in Berlin” your profile comes up. Most online directories allow you to submit the following information about your business:

-Name, address and phone number

-Website address

-Business description

-Business categories

-Hours of operation

-Links to social media

-Photos

Types of Online Directories

There are thousands of online business directories out there, but most of them fit into one of these categories: -Search engine business directories

-Review communities

-Data aggregators

-Social networks

-Hyper-local directories

-Maps

-General business directories

Will I Get Customers from Online Directories?

There are a few membership sites, such as Angie’s List and HomeAdvisor, that allow customers to contact you directly for a quote. However, the majority of online directories don’t provide this type of service. Moreover, from thousands of online directories, maybe a dozen are well-known and actively searched by your potential customers. When people have access to powerful search engines like Google, they don’t need to look anywhere else. At this point, you may be doubting the value of online directories—is it worth getting your business listed if no one will see your listing? The answer to this question is yes, because there are some hidden indirect benefits you should consider.

Online Directories Help Local SEO

If you want to rank high for location-based keywords, such as “Amsterdam Dentist” or “Alpha Lawyers law firm,” you need to be listed in online directories. And not just listed, but have your NAP (name address and phone number) consistent throughout different sites. Google and other search engines look at the information provided by online directories in order to verify your business location and ensure the legitimacy of your business. Search engines want to provide users with the most relevant answers to their queries. If someone is searching for an “Abricot City landscaping company” and Google sees that your business is listed with inconsistent address and phone number, they may not include your site in the search results because they may be unsure of your location.

Get Links Back to Your Website

The majority of online directories are well established sites with large amounts of traffic and high domain authority. Google will see the links pointing from these business listings back to your site and will count them in its ranking factors. However, keep in mind that while links from high-authority sites may help you, links from 'spammy' sites can equally hurt you. It’s important to have a strategy and be selective when it comes to getting listed in online directories.

Dominate the Search Results

Another benefit of online business directories is that your business gets a full dedicated page on a high-authority site. Your business listing on Yelp, GoToThisGuy or Yellow Pages can show up in search results below your primary website. This allows you to take up more digital real estate in the search results. Also, if someone searches for your company name, they will see an entire page of results populated with your business listings on different sites. Not only does it add credibility to your business, but also allows you to push down competitor sites with the same or similar names.

How Do I Take Advantage of Online Directories?

Are you a believer in the power of online directories yet? Good, because they can make a noticeable difference for your online rankings. To take advantage of this opportunity, you need to actively manage your online business listings. This includes adding listings to the sites where you aren’t listed, removing duplicates, updating information and ensuring consistency. Sounds time consuming? Well, it is in fact time consuming, and 70% of business owners agree with you—who has the time to manage listings on all the sites consumers use?

Make it easy on yourself, create your profiles in GoToThisGuy directories for your company and you colleagues, and let clients find you.