Have you heard of online directory management? Maybe not, because when it comes to finding information on a business, where do the vast majority (and we’re talking like 98% of people) go? Well, if you’re here, then you’ve probably already said the answer to yourself: search engines!
Search engines – especially Google, Bing, and Yahoo – have become the primary arena for researching and finding local businesses, and their dominance shows few signs of waning. But all that information doesn’t just appear out of thin air, right?
Sure, there are Google Business Profiles (GBPs), where business listings are directly baked into Google’s robust network, but that is an incomplete view of a much larger, denser picture. This also excludes the fact that all search engines – not just Google – are able to source and display accurate information on businesses. So what gives? Where’s all this information coming from?
In reality, Google and other search engines put together and authenticate business information from countless places from around the web, many of which are sites designed with the sole goal of collecting, categorizing, and displaying business information. These sites tremendously help businesses build their online presence, and enhance SEO.
So if you want to know what they are and why they’re the lesser known KEY to killer SEO, then let us (re)introduce you to… online directory management!
What Are Online Directories?
In the simplest terms, online business directories are websites which collect business information into one place. They show a business’ name, location, industry, phone number, and all other relevant information. They serve a simple purpose, but one that is essential for making the internet friendly for finding relevant information on local businesses.
But that’s a pretty oversimplified description of directories, which are far more varied and complex than simply lists of business information. In fact, there are two kinds of directories that are found online; some you’ve used countless times, and others you’ve never heard of in your life. But believe it or not, both are important, especially when it comes to building your business’ online presence!
Public / General Directories
Although “online directory management” isn’t as ever present as other digital marketing words and concepts, you’ve probably interacted with them countless times without even noticing. As the name implies, a public or general directory acts as a directory which is primary for general purpose searches by members of the public. These directories are often developed to meet specific needs of users, collecting business information for the goal of solving issues and answering questions.
Have you ever used YellowPages, FourSquare, or Yelp? These are all directories which serve specific purposes, and provide users with a unique platform for their needs. For instance, Yelp is a directory focused on giving everyday people the ability to rate and read reviews of local businesses around them. It’s open to anyone who wants to create an account, and allows for learning about businesses across every kind of industry.
Public directories, like those listed above, are often the most well known directories to everyday users, and that’s their main appeal. While not everyone uses a platform like Yelp, seeing it in a search result offers them another means of checking out a business, their reviews, and their information. More importantly, it offers search engines a high priority resource which lists and confirms a business’ information, in turn building their SEO. But while these directories are the most well known and frequently used by everyday people, they are just a fraction of the total directories which are found online.
Industry-Specific / Niche Directories
As mentioned before, directories can serve a variety of purposes for all kinds of users. With public / general directories, these are open to most every kind of business or consumer. However, there is an entire world of directories which are specified to unique industries and consumer types. These are often called industry-specific or niche directories, and they too are extremely important for building your business’ SEO.
Public directories are phenomenal for businesses who have active show floors or commonly have customers come in. Places like shops, restaurants, and other service based businesses are perfect for public directories, as they are more generally public-facing. However, what about businesses that are not so broadly accessible. What about businesses whose clientele are niche, industry specific, or have to be compared to their competition using different criteria? For these businesses, industry-specific or niche directories are the way to go.
Industry-specific directories give businesses a wider breadth of places to list themselves, while simultaneously appealing to a more specific audience. These directories allow consumers to compare businesses in certain fields against each other, contrasting reviews, accolades, and services to decide who they want to work with.
While perhaps not as well known or trafficked as the largest public directories, many of these directories are still recognizable, and are already serving millions of users. Some of the best known industry-specific directories are HomeAdvisor, Lawyers.com, and Healthgrades. Platforms like these provide listings of information about businesses across specific business types, many of which are not places one just walks into.
For instance, Lawyers.com offers users comprehensive lists of lawyers, detailing the kind of law they offer, how they can be contacted, and other information a user looking for a lawyer would need to know when making a selection. No one just walks into a lawyer’s office like they would a pizza joint, and this distinction is reflected in the directories they inhabit. Which is why a duel pronged approach to online directory management is so essential in today's hypercompetitive online space!
How Can Online Directories Management Help Your SEO?
We’ve thoroughly listed what directories are, how they work, and why they are good for users looking for businesses. However, we haven’t fully jumped into why directories are so good for SEO. The simplest answer is that they act as citations.
Hold on…what’s a citation? A citation is when your business’ information (name, address, hours of operation, phone number, etc.) is listed anywhere online. With that definition in mind, all of your online presence – including your website, your social media profiles, and yes directory listings too – are all citations!
This is the key to how directories impact your SEO in the long run! The more that search engines like Google and Bing see your business information listed, the more they will display your business in organic search results. This is especially true if all your directory listings include keyword rich content reflecting your services, community, and industry.
How Is Online Directory Management Performed?
Alright, you’re on board: online directory management is essential for the growth and success of your business…
Now what?
Well, directory management implementation is a complex and ongoing process, which can require manual implementation, and the use of directory management software or businesses. These businesses and their software takes your business information and injects it into relevant directories around the web.
However, this process oftentimes requires an ongoing approach. Not only can business information change with time, but you have to ensure that your information is going to the right directories and that they are properly displayed. On top of that, solutions like this can be quite expensive, especially for local Tucson businesses. Without the ability to fully invest in a directory management solution company, many businesses are left unable to add themselves to all relevant directories across the web!
While there are solutions for Tucson area businesses to perform directory management services on their own, oftentimes the process is difficult, ever-changing, and requires an ongoing approach which takes up valuable time and energy (not to mention the cost that accompanies these software solutions).
If you are committed to growing your SEO through the power of directory management, but are not sure how you’ll be able to manage its intricacies, Anchor Wave is your trusted partner!
Anchor Wave As A Directory Management Solution
Did you know our LocalReach services include a built-in directory management solution? All you need to do is discuss your business information with our marketing coordinators, and we’ll do the rest!
Our custom software and experienced SEO team help spread your business to countless directories, organically growing your reach by connecting to customers where they are looking for your industry. From restaurants to pool cleaning companies, HVAC repair businesses to lawyers, we’ve helped countless businesses grow their presence online and be found organically by locals.
Do you want to learn more about how Anchor Wave’s custom and powerful directory management services can assist your business? Give us a call and schedule a consultation with a web strategist today!
