There was a time when web directories meant a lot to make your site special. Back then, the Google algorithm was much easier, and the number of directory links could influence the almighty Google positively to rank your site high. The more number of directory links you have, the higher your rank would be. This is why the webmasters were highly dependant on web directories for their site’s ranking.
- Let’s get back to the present:
Today, the Google algorithm is more complex, and influencing it is damn difficult. While the links are still one of the top-ranking signals, Google does not consider all links with equal value. Links that you get from a web directory listing are less influential than a super relevant contextual link received from a high-authority site.
There is no denying the fact that the highly complex Google algorithm now considers the super relevant contextual links, but that does not mean that the web directories are completely meaningless.
According to Moz research, web directories and local citations have an important role to play in small business ranking factors. They are especially beneficial for local businesses. However, John Mueller, by Google, said that web directory links don’t have any considerable role to play with SEO.
- How to treat web directories:
To get the most out of it, one should move beyond viewing web directories as a source for links. Instead, one should view directories as a source of traffic and trust. While it is said that web directories can help in local business, this is not always true. Any business with a local presence has to maintain its local citations with a consistent NAP. Web directories do nothing more than that.
You will get the real returns from the credibility and traffic they drive to your business site. So, when you start your search for web directories, you should keep those criteria in mind.
- What to consider?
Before choosing the web directories for filling out your listing, you should consider the below questions –
- How reputable is the site?
If a potential customer finds me on this site, will they rely on the site and view my business?
- Will my target audience visit the site?
If you find your target audience would not visit the site, listing your business will not work.
So, look for the sites that your target audience would use.
have values and can bring traffic:
Web directories that
- Now the question is -what are the web directories that are still relevant?
Read on to learn about the web directories that still have value today.
Best of the Web or BOTW has been a trusted online directory used by more than 16 million businesses since 1994. This directory site receives 40,000 to 60,000 visits per month, and half the traffic is U.S based.
For a lifetime listing with a followed link can cost you $299.
Originally designed as a business domain directory, AboutUS is now allowing all types of websites to be submitted and discussed. This site receives more than 200,000 visitors on average.
This online community is specially used for finding and discussing business people, news, companies, and more. On this web directory site, you can add a web listing for a business or person. It receives more than 80,000 monthly visitors with 1.4 million companies and 5 million people.
There are more than 153,000 blog listings in Blogarama. These blogs are actively updated by the site admins on a regular basis. When you plug in your RSS feed, Blogarama will auto-update your listing with the latest posts. The site receives around 110,000-230,000 visitors per month.
When it comes to the most effective web directories for local businesses, Google My Business tops the list. Because of its effectiveness, it is now known as the granddaddy of other web directories. All SEO professionals are familiar with the vast benefits that you can make by listing your business on GMB. Nowadays, listing your business on GMB is not just a good idea, it is the fundamental requirement of online marketing.
This web directory plays a crucial role in the local business ranking factors. We all know that Google is the world’s largest search engine. If you want your business to be visible in the majority of internet users seeking for what your business offers, an optimized GMB listing can be the best option for you.
The next one is Bing Places. It is equivalent to the GMB profile for the world’s second most popular search engine. This is true that Google has taken all the users from the other search engines, and only 6% of users use this search engine. However, one should remember that it is the default search engine for Internet Explorer and Edge and Microsoft still dominates the desktop computer market.
The third most popular search engine and one of the oldest ones is Yahoo. You can list your business to Yahoo Local and six daughter directories at the cost of $8.25 monthly.
It is a great review site for local businesses. You can optimize your business on Yelp with positive reviews to draw customers’ attention. As of March 2020, this site receives 211 million reviews, and it has 35 million monthly mobile app users.
Though Foursquare has great popularity as Yelp, it does not provide listing for all types of businesses.
The site receives 20 million views per month, and 93% of local storefronts represent two million of the businesses that are already listed.
No matter whether it is an SEO person or not, Yellow Pages is a familiar name to almost everyone. There are hardly any people who don’t know about Yellow Pages. By signing up with this page, you can claim your business is free.
YP is much more than just a business listing site. It offers coupons, provides listing for a large variety of industries, and regularly posts blog content to drive internal link equity back toward their equity pages.
The best part about YP is, it converts leads. Over 60 million people visit Yellow Pages every month, and 91% of them contact a business within 24 hours.
The online version of the Chamber of Commerce is ChamberOfCommerce.com, where you can list your business. This site is designed in 1998 to be the most robust listing site of small businesses online.
It also acts as a resource center for small businesses through their free listings, paid ad options, and educational articles.
The site receives more than 2 million business members and 450,000 to 600,000 monthly visits.
12. HotFrog:
This site receives more the 1.6 million visitors search every month, and there is more than 120,000 listed business on HotFrog. This is the perfect web directory site for businesses, sole practitioners, and anyone doing business with a physical address. Listing on HotFrog is free.
It is a local business directory with more than 1 million monthly visitors. This site enables businesses to add basic information, photos, reviews, coupons, and most importantly, the link of their website.
MerchantCircle is the best site for the local merchants. All types of merchants and contractors, ranging from attorneys and notaries to realtors and agencies, can list their site in this directory.
Over 100 million consumers visited the site last year, and 2 million businesses listed themselves. It receives 1 million views monthly.
With a BBB listing, you can provide a major trust signal to your visitors. Listing on this site would need an accreditation, but once approved, your customers can visit your business and trust it to be a reliable one. It is one of the top 1000 websites in the US and the top 4000 globally.
BBB receives 14 to 17 million traffic per month. Therefore, listing on this site can be quite beneficial for you.
16. B2B Yellow Pages:
It is a viable web directory with over 16 million businesses. This site receives around 300, 000 visits per month.
In the last few years, from a friendly neighborhood website into a viable business directory, the journey of Nextdoor is just amazing. With a highly engaged user base, this site will give you the feel of Google My Business Posts. However, the benefit with this site is – unlike GMB listing, once posted your site will instantly be visible in the feed of everyone, located within 2 miles of your business.
It is the top 100 websites in the U.S., with over 100 million monthly visitors.
18. eLocal:
As the name suggests, eLocal is exclusively for local businesses. Around 85,000 visitors use this site to find businesses, contractors, doctors, and more.
With around 200,000 monthly visitors, DexKnows has become another popular business directory site. It is the perfect option for local businesses and sole practitioners.
Alignable is more a small business network than a directory site. It is specially designed to help local business owners, and connect and collaborate with each other. With 4 million monthly visits and 4.5 million members, Alignable is a valuable site for generating new business.
This directory site receives 4 million monthly visitors and lists over 100,000 local businesses with websites and contact information.
Apart from the above-listed web directory sites, there must be many others that can add value and enhance traffic to your business. Know some of them? Please share it with us in the comment section.