SEO Tips and Tricks: Part 3 – Leveraging Online Business Directories

Web Shop Manager – SEO Tips & Tricks: Online Business Directories

Running an eCommerce website, or any online presence for that matter, requires quite a bit of attention. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can just launch a website and it will do all the work for you; e-business is still business and the more effort you put into it, the more successful you will be! The “set it and forget it” mentality won’t get you very far in an e-business. The web is a constant competition for supremacy; similar companies are always vying for the top spots in search results in order to be found, but there’s only so much you can do when it comes to maintaining and perfecting your site’s content. In the world of eCommerce the struggle is even more apparent, since you’re not just competing with local businesses, but competitors all over the world. Inbound links are a part of what you get when you invest some time into using online directories, and they are extremely valuable to your SEO efforts. So what can you do to increase chances of being found by potential customers? check out these SEO Tips and Tricks to get started:

Utilize Online Business Directories!

Remember the Yellow Pages before they turned into extremely informative wastes of paper? They were pretty useful, right? You could find whatever it was you were looking for, and often times discover a business that ended up being important to you in the long run. Think of online business directories as the Yellow Pages of the digital age- but even easier to use. Here’s a quick rundown of the advantages associated with using online business directories:

• Give users a relatively simple way to find your website; all it takes is a few clicks of the mouse! For a small business owner, simply being found is half the battle, and online directories can help

• Your listing will contain a brief description and a link directly to your page. Inbound links are very valuable in regards to SEO

• Major directories often times allow users to leave reviews that will be attached to that company’s listing. Bam, instant word of mouth advertising!

• Quite a few of these online business directories are absolutely free. There is virtually no reason to not get your e-business listed on as many high quality free directories as you can

What Does This Have To Do With SEO?

Online Business Directories can be a huge advantage when it comes to your SEO efforts! Every directory you get listed on puts your company’s name out there and generates an inbound link. Inbound links are very valuable because search engines, such as Google, will see your website as more relevant and credible if other sites are linking to yours. Of course, the quality of the directory will determine just how valuable the link is, so be careful in choosing which ones you advertise on. Most online directories have an option to pay extra in order to get your site listed before others, imagine having an inexpensive advertisement on the front page of numerous websites; the possibilities for traffic increases are endless!

How Do I Get Listed?

For the most part, online business directories are extremely easy to deal with and get listed on. Usually you will need to navigate through the different categories (restaurants, computers, etc) until you end up on one that is relevant to your company. Whenever you get to this point, find the submit site or suggest link button, and you’re on your way! At some point in this process it will become apparent whether or not you will have to pay for that specific listing, and it will be up to you if you want to continue or not. If you have any trouble finding the best directories, feel free to contact us for more information and a list of possible choices.

Complete this quick form for a free list of Directory Listings!

By: Dana Nevins