Add Your Favorite Local Business Listing Directories of the United Kingdom

[Lauren Hayward]

Hello all,
As you all know for a local business the online listing of the business on various local directories is very necessary. I am collecting the huge list of directories to put together.

List your favorite (Which gives you traffic as well as leads) directory or on which directories of United Kingdom any business should be listed?

 

[fisicx]

As you all know for a local business the online listing of the business on various local directories is very necessary.

No it’s not. Can’t remember the last time I used a directory for anything. I just use google to find local businesses.

 

[StephenSumner]

No it’s not. Can’t remember the last time I used a directory for anything. I just use google to find local businesses.

I think what Lauren is looking for is local citations, which come from certain business directories and are very much important for "Local SEO".

I have a supplier who does these for me on the various SEO campaigns I run, they are critical for local SEO, this is part of the algorithm the search engines use for ranking a Google My Business listing.

The first thing to do though is to make sure all your existing NAP (Name Address Phone) data that is out there already is correct.

 

[fisicx]

...they are critical for local SEO.

It depends on the a number of factors but I'd not say they were critical. I seem to do just fine getting local ranking without using any directories.

 

[StephenSumner]

It depends on the a number of factors but I'd not say they were critical. I seem to do just fine getting local ranking without using any directories.

Well, if it's a competitive space, they are needed.

 

[fisicx]

Well, if it's a competitive space, they are needed.

They may be needed.

There are plenty of ways to improve local ranking without using directories.

In any case, if @Lauren Hayward is collecting a huge list of directories then I suspect most of them will have little value. Google posted about using directories for SEO years ago.

 

[StephenSumner]

They may be needed.

There are plenty of ways to improve local ranking without using directories.

In any case, if @Lauren Hayward is collecting a huge list of directories then I suspect most of them will have little value. Google posted about using directories for SEO years ago.

This is a bit different from using directories for SEO (if Lauren is actually looking for directories for citations for Local SEO that is?).

https://moz.com/learn/seo/local-citations

The angle in which I have been replying is to assume it is citation building she is trying to work on, not the old-fashioned way of spamming crap directories, I'm well aware of that thanks, probably more so than most so let's not get muddled here. Hopefully Lauren will confirm what she is trying to do but her original post mentioned local.

 

[fisicx]

I agree local citations are necessary but there are much betters ways to get these than directory submissions.

My beef is with this statement:

...local citations, which come from certain business directories and are very much important for "Local SEO".

...they are critical for local SEO

There may be occasions when certain directories can provide a useful citation but they aren't necessary or critical

 

[StephenSumner]

If you are in a non-competitive low demand niche or geography, sure they are not necessary, but otherwise, they are.

 

[fisicx]

If you are in a non-competitive low demand niche or geography, sure they are not necessary, but otherwise, they are.

If it works for you then crack on. I just know I can do local SEO without them - even for competitive keywords.

 

[Lauren Hayward]

Yes, I am looking for local business citations in the UK.
Local business owners and marketers can create citations on a variety of important local business data platforms which exist to publish this type of data.
And I believe they still have some value in ranking Local business.

 

[fisicx]

I teach Tai Chi and my class is listed on a a local directory of events. It's of no value to any one outside the local area but does appear on Google searches.

I could give you the URL of the directory but how would you use the information? Having it in your huge list of directories wouldn't add any value.

What exactly are you hoping to achieve? Suppose you have a list 5000+ local and niche directories, how will be any better than someone Googling for location+directory?

 

[MEAVO]

The best local directory to get on is with Google My Business ... perhaps also Bing places for business but it's way smaller than Google. All other directories (whether local or not) are barely worth the time (also note that the links in these directories are all "no-follow" so they have almost no impact on SEO rankings).

 

[Awinner2]

My business is a member of a very large global business directory so not exclusively UK. Has entries of nearly 100,000 businesses based in around 11,000 cities. Site domain was first registered in 2000 and provides many more benefits, not just a listing.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

As you all know for a local business the online listing of the business on various local directories is very necessary. I am collecting the huge list of directories to put together.

Local directories are a pain in the neck and Google should have a way to remove them from searches. Wasted time trying to find a hedge trimmer the other day. Results came in from 300 miles away. Stupid waste of time.