Small Business Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Directory’

Attracting business listings to an online business directory is essential to operating a successful directory. The key to attracting business listings is to create a positive online presence. There are a number of methods one can use to spread the word in the online business community about the benefits of listing their business on your directory.

1. Because businesses need to know why it is beneficial to list their business in your directory, you need to let them know the advantages of adding their listing. Write a series of articles and submit them to a number of article directories throughout the internet. Write about why business directories are a great way for a business to gain exposure such as helping a business improve their search engine rankings and creating name and brand recognition.

2. Because online business directories allows one the flexibility of being creative in how they create categories and subcategories, you can target businesses in your local community by creating a category just for them. The subcategories can be divided into the various types of local businesses such as hotels, restaurants, computer services…etc. Send out emails or letters promoting your local business category of your directory. You can also go to each business and talk to them about the benefits of listing their business in your directory. Carry business cards with you to distribute.

3. Create a free e-book that teaches people how to effectively promote their own business. This e-book can be a 50 or 100 page guide on marketing one’s business both online and offline. It should be informative with a many strategies on how a business can reach their targeted customer.

4. On your business directory, offer free stuff that can benefit a business such as free animations, free website templates, HTML checker, keyword check tool, free spyware scan, website submission tools, Meta tag analyzer, and free back grounds. As well, post articles on your site on tips to promoting a business and how one implements various types of marketing strategies.

5. There are many online business discussion forums and business Blogs where one can post comments. It is important that your comments are relevant to the discussion and Blog post, and not just blatant advertising. Make sure your signature includes your directory URL. As well, post your directory URL to many online classified sites.

6. Make your online directory a niche directory. For instance, if your main website is computers, create an online directory that targets the computer industry. This can include categories that focus on the computer industry. You can create it so that it is for businesses that are related to your own business, but not your direct competition. You can then set up an email campaign to target these businesses for listing in your directory. You have to explain why listing in your directory will benefit their business.

Recruiting businesses to your online directory is easy, but takes patience. You have to implement some form of marketing technique every day to spread the word about the benefits of listing with your directory. In no time, you will have a thriving and money making online business directory.

Visibility in the market allows an internet marketing business to be ahead of the game. An online business search makes it possible for you to know how visible your business is in the online community. Including your business in online business directories can help you achieve visibility and in the process, allow you to gain more clients and wider recognition in the business.

An online business search can be beneficial for your business in the long run. By checking your business online, you will be able to know how detectable you are in the market and will also help you determine ways to be more seen. When doing a quick search for your business, try to key in words that are related to your industry. You will be able to instantly see the results for the search and determine if your business is included in the listings.

Getting listed in online business directories is one way of increasing your market visibility. Online business directories are popular among consumers because it is convenient to use and provides easier access to business within the local area. Online business directories are very helpful in giving assistance to clients and also, creating awareness regarding your business to consumers in your area. These directories allow searching for businesses by location and by business type.

The advantages of online business directories can help your business gain an advantage in your field of expertise. The benefits brought about by these directories include the following:

1. Business becomes easy to find. Being listed in the online directories allows clients who are interested in your industry to know that you exist. This way, if the need for your products or services arises, they will easily find your business. Directories allow for easy access to different businesses especially for immediate client needs.

2. Business has more exposure using lest costly means. An online business directory allows you to enjoy exposure. It is also beneficial to some business owners because some listings can include you for free. If you can be listed in more directories, it makes your business more accessible to more potential clients.

3. Business can impart more information. This is due to the fact that most directories will provide a link to your website. This means that you can achieve client awareness and promote products and services as well through the use of these directories.

4. Business can enjoy higher SEO rankings. Inclusion in business directories can help you gain higher search engine optimization rankings because directory entries are given priority by search engines. Sometimes, a directory entry is regarded higher by the search engines than your own business website. In this manner, you really need to consider utilizing the use of business directories.

Online business directories give an obvious advantage to your business. An online business search will be more fruitful if you will use this tool in promoting your business. You will be able to attract more clients, provide information to consumers, and enjoy the benefits of a visible business. You never know but a business directory listing may be the tool that you will need to take your business to the next level.

Every online business needs traffic, which comes with increased
visibility on the web. One great way to get noticed is to get
listed in the major directories. Links from good directories
increases your site’s visibility many fold.

There are thousands of web directories on the net and selecting
the good ones to submit your site can be a time consuming task.
Also there are free directories and paid directories. You need
to submit to both types of directories.

The following checklist is for paid directory submission only.
This checklist will help you choose the best and worthwhile paid
directories on the net.

Submission Check List:

1. Check out if the directory is indexed in major search
engines.

2. Check the robots.txt file. Make sure that search engine bots
are allowed to crawl the pages where you intend to put your
listing. Check the Meta tags to make sure that search engine
spiders are not prevented from following links in it. A Meta tag
with noindex/nofollow will not be indexed or spidered and links
in that page are not followed by bots.

3. Check if the directory is being maintained regularly. Visit
the directory from time to time to see if errors are getting
corrected, site information is getting updated and the like. In
short, look for positive activity on the directory.

4. Check if the listings in category pages match in theme and
content or not. Directories with tight focus on relevant
grouping of web sites are useful for visitors and tend to show
up frequently in SERPs for keyword searches.

5. Check out the age of the directory. Do a whois search (
http://www.whois.net) to get this information. Many new
directories vanish after a few months due to lack of maintenance
and promotion. With older directories you can at least be sure
that you listing will remain visible for a reasonable period.

6. Check if the directory consists of too many empty categories
- it is not useful for visitors and also does not send a too
good signal to the SEs about the directory. Think twice before
submitting to such directories.

7. Check if the contact information is available on the site.
Proper businesses will provide you with some kind of contact
information.

8. Check the Alexa rank of the directory – it is not accurate,
yet you can get an idea of traffic the directory receives.Look
for directories with decreasing Alexa Rank as it indicates that
the directory is getting popular.

9. Check if the directory provides SE friendly urls. No
JavaScript link or redirection. Also watch out for dynamic urls.
Sometimes search engines find it difficult indexing or
recognizing dynamic urls with parameters like
http://www..com/index.html?cat=1&p=12… An example
of SE friendly URL is http://www.hedir.com/business.html

11. Check whether category pages have too many outgoing links.
If your link is one of 100 links on a page, visitors will find
it difficult to locate your site.