As I have described in my posts on Google Places Optimization Fundamentals & Advanced Google Places Optimization Strategies there are 3 major determinants to placement on the Google Map 1. Proper Claiming & Optimization of your Google Places Listing 2. Having a Consistent N.A.P (Name, Address, Phone Number) Profile across the web via Citation Development (getting listed on all the major online directory sites with the same name, address & phone number) 3. Reviews & Google’s Confidence in your True Service Area (see my post on Google Places Optimization Black Belt Technique for more on this). On this post I want to address #2, establishing your NAP Profile across the web via Citation Development. Below is a list of what I have found to be the most important places to ensure that you company is listed in with the same Name, Address & Phone Number.
Top Citation Sources for Google Places Optimization
Probably the most important and most talked about place to list your local business. Getting citations from many of the sites below (as well as ratings) can help boost your business’ listing in Google.
2) Yelp
The most popular social networking, directory and review site. Aside from counting as a citation for your business in the eyes of the search engines, this site can deliver quite a bit of traffic on it’s own. Business-owners need to learn to deal with the occasional nasty review.
3) foursquare
The popular way to check in via your smart phone can also provide a valuable citation for your local business.
A multiple local listing service – UBL.org (along with Localeze below) is one of the major players in the effort to fill in your information once to get listed with multiple yellow pages sites, directories and social networking/review sites. Saves time and effort but may be slower than going direct with the individual sites (see Localeze and InfoUSA below as well)
5) Yahoo Local
Yahoo’s local directory tied to Yahoo Maps.
6) Local.com
Business listings, event listings, coupons and reviews.
7) CitySearch
One of the most authoritative local directories.
8) Bing Local
Bing’s local business listing service tied integrated with maps of cities and towns.
9) CraigsList
Some SEO’s recommend creating classifieds for your business on popular classified sites such as Craigslist. There’s some disagreement over whether this is effective from an SEO point of view.
10) GetListed.org
Convenient way to identify where you’re listed (and where you’re not) in major directories. Provides referrals to Universal Business Listings and Localeze as well as consultants (if you need extra help).
11) dmoz (Open Diretory Project)
A free and authoritative index (in the eyes of Google) that is managed by volunteers. If you can get your business listed, this helps with an authoritative backlink (but not necessarily a local citation). It can be difficult to get a new listing due ot the limited resources and large volumes of submissions.
12) Superpages
One of the many Internet Yellow Pages directories (IYP). Includes business listings, people search, reviews and local deals.
13) Localeze
A multiple local listing service.
14) InfoUSA
A multiple local listings service.
15) Your local Chamber of Commerce
Joining your local chamber of commerce or can often get you a business listing (and a citation for local SEO purposes).
16) InsiderPages
Local directory and rating site
17) Merchant Circle
Local directory and rating site
18) Best of the Web
A popular directory with free and paid listing options – specifically for local, they have a Best of the Web Local directory
19) Yellowpages.com
Internet yellow pages (also YP.com)
20) Business.com
Business.com provides business information but also has a business directory.
21)Kudzu
Business review site (like Yelp)
Your local Better Business Bureaus usually charge for membership and provide a link to your business.
23) DexKnows
Business and people directory
24) Acxiom
A major source of data for various yellowpages and directories – they don’t take business submissions like some of the other data providers or multiple local listings services.
25) Your local newspaper’s Website
Getting an article, business listing or classified ad optimized with your local information and a link can provide a citation for your business.
26) Yellowbook.com
Internet yellow pages
27) HotFrog
A business directory with free and fairly inexpensive paid listing options
28) Crunchbase
A listing of technology companies that is user-generated
29) Angie’s List
Service provider directory
30) Judy’s Book
Local review site
31) Jigsaw
Business people and company directory
32) ibegin
US and Canadian business directory
33) OpenList
Local directory with ratings
34) wikimapia
Wiki-based directory of places including schools, businesses, and more – laid out on maps
35) citysquares
Local business directory with ratings
36) Infospace
Business and people listings.
37) magicyellow
A straightforward internet yellow pages directory
38) whitepages.com
People and business listings
39) Manta
Company profiles
40) EZLocal
Local business listings and ratings
41) BrownBook
Local business listings and ratings
42) CityVoter
Vote for favorite businesses
43) ShopCity
Local business listings
44) YellowBot
Local listings and ratings
45) MojoPages
Social networking and review site (like Yelp)
46) Tupalo.com
International social networking and review site
47) Praized
Social networking and review site
48) Panoramio
Pictures associated with maps. Geotag images, upload to Panoramio and add them to your Google Places listings.
49) GetFave
Business directory, including featured listings (with additional content such as videos, pictures)
50) BizJournals
Business journal that includes business directories for certainUScities
51) Tjoos
Online store listings and coupons
52) JoeAnt
Webiste directory
53) Zidster
Products, services or business listings
54) TrueLocal
Business directory – seems to have sparse listings
55) ZipLeaf
Network of international business directories
56) WCities
Places and events for cities and towns, including ratings
57) Naymz
Personal branding site
58) Zoominfo
Database of people and companies
59) Yellowikis
Wiki-based business directory
60) gomylocal
Yellow pages/local directory
Online business networking site
62) City Slick
Free business directory
63) Busiverse (also businessdb)
Business directory
A general directory
65) Service Magic
Directory of service companies (includes a “seal of approval”)
66) Local forums
Forums focused on local areas
Industrial directory
68) MatchPoint
Directory of service providers
69) USCity.net
Directory focused on theU.S.
70) Metrobot
County street maps
“Create personalized, annotated, customized maps using Google Maps”. Listing businesses in custom maps may help them in ranking for local search.
72) Yellowee (formerly Genie Knows)
Local review site
73) AskCity
Ask.com’s local directory
74) Tyloon
Billed as International Yellow Pages (including multi-lingual listings)
“the ultimateUStravel, tourism and relocation guide”
If you’d like more information, more ideas on how you can really do more online, get better placement on Google Places, improve your placement on the search engines like Google, Yahoo! And Bing in the organic section, how you can leverage social media tools like Facebook and Twitter and YouTube, I encourage you to go to www.contractorseo.net/free. We’ve got a free guide that we’ve developed that takes our best ideas and techniques and really spells them out in a step by step process, on how you can leverage the Internet to take your home services business to the next level.
If you have questions, if you’d like to talk to me directly, if you feel like “heck, I’d like to have somebody do this for me and implement all of these strategies to help me really get the ball rolling”, I’d love the opportunity to work with you. That’s what we do at Contractor SEO. Give me a call at 866-493-9910.
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