BUSINESS LISTING

Business listing websites are those websites on which business owners can list their business be it small or large online. Before the era of popular search engines like Google, people used to rely on business listing websites for seeking information about businesses of their choice. But since the usage of the Internet increased worldwide, everyone had their own websites from a normal person to the one running a business. Due to the increase in Internet usage and a number of websites worldwide, there arose a need for a repository or some type of management that would help the people locate the websites they required. Hence business listing websites were created to manage the business-related websites available on the Internet so as to access the information about them easily for the users. Business Listing websites are also of different types. Global business listing websites are used by multinational companies while the businesses that have their reach within a particular country may use a business listing website focused on a single country. Local small businesses should use local business listings as a way of promoting their businesses.

Business Listing

What to mention on Business Listing websites?

Any type of information related to your business can be mentioned on the listing websites. In short, more the information, it will be better for the user to check your business. But the vital information that needs to be mentioned in order to get contacted by the user are:

1. Phone Number: Mention that the active phone number for your business that is working properly.
2. Business Name: This is again an important part of your business’ details. Without it, no one can identify your business online or offline.
3. Physical address: Having the online presence of your business is good. But what if the customer wants to physically check whether your business really exists or not? Hence, provide an accurate physical address of your business.

4. Verification of mentioned phone number or email: Business listing websites generally verify the phone numbers or email provided by the business owner before listing your business on their platforms. So, make sure that you give your active phone number.

Business Listing

Importance of Business Listing websites for business:

Before the invention of the Internet, the only method used to advertise one’s business was solely through the radio, television, or newspapers. Such methods of advertisements or promotions of businesses used to be costly back then. But when the Internet was invented, most of the things went online or simply say digital, including advertisement and much more stuff. Thus, in the era of the Internet, digital advertising is used widely. But even in the digital advertising method, local businesses used to find tough competition from bigger brands. Thus, the only chance left for the local businesses in the online world of digital advertising was to increase their business websites’ ranking in the search engine results, which was achieved by SEO by using specific keywords that users used to search the Internet. Hence, the opportunity of local businesses to be rated locally increased very much given the SEO was done correctly. Business listing websites are also on the components of SEO. Even today, not every business have their own website to promote their business. Similarly, not every company or business don’t do proper SEO of their website to rank higher in the search engine results. Hence, business listing websites are essential for such types of businesses as they also allow the users to list their businesses on their listing websites.

Business Listing

Some points to be remembered while listing your business on Business Listing websites:

1. No spam: A website with annoying and irrelevant advertisements is often less browsed through by the users as anyone who genuinely wants to browse through the website would get annoyed by pop-up or any other types of advertisements. Hence, if you want to list your business website on a business listing website, then make sure that your website doesn’t have any irrelevant advertisements that would make your website users exit your website.
2. Domain Name Authority: Backlink from business listing websites to your business site depends on the domain authority of business listing websites. Lots of tools are available to check the domain authority of business listing websites. Generally, business listing websites with more domain authority are more popular.
3. Hyperlinks: Although not every business listing website offers you the choice to include links to your business website on their listing platform, but some may allow.

Business Listing

Is it worth using Business Listing websites?

It depends on the individual whether they want to use a business listing website to promote their businesses or simply use a website with proper SEO. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. But, if we were to discuss the benefits of business listing websites, then surely these platforms have reduced the burden of Internet users of searching proper required businesses online. Care must be taken while mentioning information of a business on business listing websites. There are also free business listing websites available on the Internet for those who own small businesses as the free listing is also a kind of advertisement with fewer features than the paid listing. In this era of the Internet, just like digital marketing, business listing websites play a major role in promoting all the types of businesses, be it small or large. Business listing websites play a major role in promoting small businesses. But not all business listing websites are okay to be used to promote businesses. Only those business listing websites should be chosen that are popular which have huge web traffic.

Business Listing

Some of the popular Business Listing websites available in India:

1. Google My Business: https://www.google.com/intl/en_in/business/
2. JustDial: https://www.justdial.com/
3. Sulekha: https://www.sulekha.com/
4. AskLaila: https://www.asklaila.com/
5. Indiamart: https://www.indiamart.com/
6. FourSquare: https://foursquare.com/

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