5 business directories where your store should be listed

If you have a physical business, before even considering any marketing action to promote your store, you should be listed in the most important local directories on the Internet. Relevant business directories will not only give visibility to your business as such, but they will also help your website with what we know as local SEO. Local SEO involves Google personalizing search results based on the geographic location from which the search is made. For example, if a person searches for a bicycle shop on Google using their mobile phone, Google will offer them results from stores that are geographically close to them first.

This way, any business, no matter how small, can compete with larger companies.

Additionally, local directories receive millions of visitors, and if you're not listed there, they'll find your competition instead of you. That's why, in this article, we'll explain how to add your store to seven directories (Google My Business, Yellow Pages, Facebook, Bing Places, Apple Maps, QDQ, and Yelp) where your store absolutely must be listed.

1-Google My Business.

The local business directory that can give your business the most visibility is Google My Business. Listing your business on Google My Business ensures that when someone searches for your product or service on Google from a location near your business, you'll appear at the top of the results.

How do I sign up?

Signing up for Google My Business is very simple, but it can take several weeks from the time you apply to the actual registration. To prevent spam, Google verifies that the physical address is real by sending a letter via regular mail. It takes a couple of weeks for the letter to arrive, so the sooner you sign up, the better.

• The first step you need to take is to log in to Google My Business. Click on "Appear on Google" and you'll be asked to log in with your Gmail account. If you don't have a Gmail account, why don't you go to Gmail.com and create one?

• In the second step, a map with a form will appear. Fill out the form with your business details. In the category field, you must choose one of the categories suggested as you type. In my case, I selected "fashion" as several categories were already suggested.

• In the field that asks you to indicate whether you offer goods and services at your customers' locations, indicate "no" if you will not ship products to the customer's home, but if you will sell products or services online, indicate "yes."

• If you select "no," skip to the next step in this tutorial. If you select "yes," a screen will appear asking you to indicate which locations outside your headquarters you provide service to. You can do this by entering postal codes, or you can set a radius by indicating how many kilometers from your headquarters you provide service. In my case, since I have an online store, I set the radius to 5,000 km.

• In the third step, you'll be asked to enter a contact name. This is the name of the person to whom the letter will be addressed. Click "Send Card" to go to the next step.

• In the fourth step, simply click on Mail.

• You can now customize your business listing, which won't be public until you enter the code you'll find in the letter Google will send you. You'll have to wait about two weeks to receive this:

• Inside the letter, you will find a code that you must enter in Google My Business by entering here again and then clicking on "Verify your business."

• Next, enter the code from the letter in the field provided. Click Send, and you're done.

2. CityLocal101

CityLocal101 is an essential US Local Business Directory for small and medium-sized businesses across the United States that want to improve their local visibility. With thousands of categories and listings by city, it allows your store to be discovered by customers actively looking for local services. Being listed here improves your chances of showing up in local search results and builds trust with your audience. Whether you run a service-based business or a retail shop, CityLocal101 makes it easy to set up your profile with your contact details, business hours, service descriptions, and more. Its free and offers a significant boost to your local SEO strategy.

How do I sign up?

To get listed on CityLocal101, visit https://citylocal101.com/add-your-business and fill in the form with your business details. Add your name, phone number, address, email, website link, and a description of your services. Make sure to select the correct category and city for maximum exposure. Submitting your listing only takes a few minutes, and once approved, your business will be visible to thousands of potential local customers.

3. Yellow Pages.

Yellow Pages is still the directory with the largest number of listed businesses. Along with QDQ, it's the only old-school directories that survive the internet. Therefore, it's essential to list your business if you want free local visibility.

• How do I sign up?

• To list your business in the Yellow Pages, visit their website and click "List your business for free."

• Finally, you'll need to fill out the form that appears. Try to enter a business name that contains a keyword. For example, if your company is called "Andres y Pelayo" and you specialize in plumbing, write the business name like this: "Fontanera 24h Andres y Pelayo." You'll see how much more reach you have.

• When you're finished, click "Sign up," and your application will be sent. Within a few days, you'll receive a call to confirm that you're real, and they'll add you to their directory.

4. Facebook.

Facebook gives you the opportunity to add your business to its directory, which will give you visibility among both Facebook and Google users, as it is highly relevant to the search engine. Even if you don't want to keep your Facebook listing up to date, you should keep it up, just so someone else doesn't steal your name.

To list your business on Facebook, you must already have a personal account. If you don't have one, why not register now by clicking here?

• Once you're logged in, click the down arrow icon to the right of the lock icon. Then click Create Page.

• Now choose the type of listing you want for your store, depending on whether you're only going to offer your product locally or if you also want to sell abroad. In my case, I chose the third option. When you click on it, you'll be able to choose the type of product you sell (if you choose "Local Business," you can indicate the location where your store is located) and enter your business name. I recommend that your business name include a keyword.

• On the next screen, you must write a description of your company or product and enter your business's website address. I recommend that your description be rich in content because it's important to Google.

• In the next step, you must upload the logo image.

Finally, on the next screen, click Skip, and a form will appear in which you must select your audience. In my case, I want to target the entire Spanish and Portuguese-speaking community, anyone between the ages of 13 and 65, of either gender, with an interest in business. Click Save, and your listing will be created in the Facebook directory.

5. Apple Maps.

The Apple Maps Directory is very important, considering that anyone who uses an iPhone, for example, most likely uses it to find their way around. It's the second most-used mapping system today. You must be in this directory.

To register for the Apple Maps Directory, click here. You'll need to sign in with your Apple account. If you don't have an account, sign up for one; it's free.

• Next, you will be asked to select the language.

• On the next screen, click Add Business. Another screen will appear asking you to allow them to set your location. Allow them. Then, indicate that you have read and accept the terms and conditions by clicking "I Accept."

• The next step is to enter your business name. Search, and if it doesn't find your business, click "Add a new establishment."

• Now enter the information it asks for (you must have your phone number at hand), and when you click on categories, it will let you choose 3.

• Apple will now call you by phone (hence why I told you to give a phone number you have on hand) and it will give you a 4-digit code that you must enter in the 4 fields that appear below.

• Next, choose your business address. You'll be asked to confirm that this is the address using a satellite photo. On the next screen, you'll be asked to enter your business hours. Since I'm an online store, I specified that it was open 24 hours a day.

• Now indicate your website, your Facebook, etc.

• Click submit now, and you'll be reviewed for inclusion in the Apple Maps directory.