Remember the days of when you needed an emergency local plumber and you had to flip through hundreds of pages in the local listings directory? Well in today’s climate, paperback listings seem to be a distant memory with customers now turning to local search engines as Google now performs over 2 million searches every minute.
For any small Cheshire based business that is perhaps looking to boost their web performance, major search engines are now looking to promote local search listings by offering free local business directories. Local search directories are now the ultimate SEO starting point for promoting small business services locally while also increasing local web performance in the search rankings by presenting organic hyperlinks that direct traffic back to your website.
How Local Directory Listings Work
Search Engines use very detailed, complicated algorithms that run to supply a regular search enquiry. When using local search, these algorithms use a structured database that contain geographically constrained searches to display results that are relevant to your keyword or location depending on where you are currently signed in to use the search engine.
Local search results do not just include the information about what the user is searching for such as the keyword or business category, but by also calculating where the information is coming from such as geographic coordinates, town or county name, postcode or even a street address.
6 benefits of listing your website
For most small businesses based in Cheshire, by having local listings this could be the difference in generating new leads for your business because you are optimizing and expanding your web performance in Cheshire. Here are just a few benefits your business can instantly gain.
Website Domain Authority
The great your domain authority, the more likely you are to have high search results and stronger traffic. Search Engines calculate your website domain authority by calculating how many links point to your website and how trusting these sites are.
Increase in local search rankings
Search Engines turn to local listings to calculate local businesses for local services. So when you search for ‘Web Design Knutsford’ search engines will favour businesses that provide web design services in Knutsford.
Authoritative External Hyperlink
With each listing recommended, each business will automatically have a nice hyperlink linking back to your website. Because search engines calculate search engine ranking positions on a number of subjects including the number of authoritative links, this is a quick and free way to generate more links to your website.
Instant Contact Information (NAP)
Users searching for your services will instantly access your business number, address and phone number. Usually the main information potential customers search for before abandoning and trying elsewhere.
Maps
Along with displaying NAP, visitors will also see a map to accompany the information. The map will contain the local area and will give the exact coordinates of your business
Customer Reviews
As much as businesses may love or hate them, customers will always see what other customers think of your services before making a purchase. With multiple listings, you can read them instantly with an overall star rating.
Unless you are a brand new business, most if not all local businesses will already have a presence on local directory listings but you will need to claim that these businesses are yours. Claiming your local listing is relatively easy and is the first step on maximizing your web performance in the Cheshire area.
7 Completely Free SEO Business Directories
Google for Business
The first of the big three search engines. Google My Business instantly puts your business information on Search, Maps and Google+ so customers can instantly find and post reviews on any device. You will need to have a Google+ account to claim your business.
Bing Local
After Google, Bing ranks second as the most popular search engine. With the information managed by My 118 Information, this process is straight forward to fill out with a member of the 118 phoning you once you have claimed your business.
Yahoo Local Works
Yahoo lists your business across 50+ sites so it’s important that you get your NAP and keyword correct. With extra details and more photos, Yahoo is quick to change and update across the web and enhances your search engine rankings listings.
Yell
Generating on average over 14 Million unique visitors every month, Yell provides all the basic information including a cool new feature when you can add offers and promotions.
Yelp
Although a paid local listings, Yelp do provide a free “Essential” package. This includes the ability to respond to reviews, upload photos and create a ‘Yelp Deal’.
This platform is more focused on allowing businesses to connect with their desired target audience. By signing up for a free, you can raise and promote brand awareness.
192
192.com actually lists more small businesses in the UK than any other directory! On 192, business owners can provide photos, web reviews long with maps.
Conclusion
Hopefully you will have taken some valuable free SEO tips from this which really do help with increasing your web performance in the local market. If you would like to discuss further SEO web performance strategies or would like assistance with claiming your business on any of the following local business directories, we are always on the other side of a phone call. Please call James on 01565 653616 to talk things over a coffee or simply follow and send us a tweet @untitledtm.