Are Directory Submissions Still Necessary for Local SEO?

SEO October 3, 2024

0 4 5 minutes read

The main objective of local SEO is to ensure a local business appears prominently in the Local Map Pack and in the top three organic search outcomes. These elements are generally positioned just beneath paid Google advertisements and the Map Pack.

Many elements, influenced by the well-known Google algorithm, contribute to determining which businesses achieve top rankings and gain the subsequent valuable organic search traffic.

From a local SEO viewpoint, factors such as local presence, relevance, and authority play crucial roles.

Essentially, and from a straightforward perspective, local businesses must demonstrate to search engines that:

They are indeed physically located close to their customer base.
They offer services or products fitting specific categories.
They are a reliable/authoritative content source that addresses their customers’ inquiries.

Local directories serve as a means for businesses to fulfill these criteria.

Therefore, the straightforward answer to whether directory submissions are still necessary for local SEO is yes.

However, not all directories hold equal importance or authority, and each should be evaluated based on the value they offer.

This is particularly significant for directories that charge a fee for inclusion.

Additionally, best practices regarding data and contact information consistency should be considered during submissions.

There are also tools available to expedite the directory listing setup and ongoing maintenance process, especially beneficial for businesses with multiple locations.

Numerous directories exist, and maintaining accurate information and content across all of them can become a challenge for a small business.

We will explore strategies to address each of these aspects and how directories can either assist or impede local businesses’ efforts to improve visibility.

Local Presence And Consistency

Logically, for a business to rank well in a specific location, it must be able to prove its existence, presence, or ability to provide services within its designated service area.

Two primary methods for establishing a business’s location are its website and its Google Business Profile (GBP).

A local business website typically includes its physical address details, which can be tagged with local business schema to facilitate easy recognition and indexing by Google.

Many websites also feature a map (preferably a Google map), which assists in verifying the business’s location.

Moreover, geographic details can be included in the title and heading tags, where relevant, to emphasize the business’s local focus.

Optimizing a Google Business Profile is essentially a process to reinforce the information and direction of a local business website. In some cases, the reverse is true.

Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) details should naturally be consistent across these two platforms.

Service areas selected in GBP should be in close proximity to the business location.

Service categories should also match accordingly.

Local directories then serve as an extension of these two primary online presence and validation points for search engines.

Here too, the goal should be consistency, especially for NAP information along with websites.

Pro tip: If you can enter more than one online link in a local directory listing, try to include as many relevant locally oriented links as possible, such as a link to your GBP profile, your Facebook page, and listings in other relevant local directories.

Local Relevance

Establishing local relevance involves ensuring your content is visible in the correct directories and appropriate categories.

Categorization should align with how you’ve defined your services or products on your site and in GBP.

There are three types of local directories to consider for submitting listings.

The first type of directories, referred to as “global” directories, includes services like Yellow Pages, Yelp, and similar platforms, which offer local listings and reviews in nearly every location globally.

Many of these directories provide free “listings” but often require payment for advanced features, functionality, and/or visibility.

One method to evaluate the value of paying a listing fee is to conduct an organic search using the primary keywords for which you want your business to be found, and see if the directory ranks well (or better than you) for those keywords in local search engine results pages (SERPs).

You may also ask a representative from the directory if they can provide statistics on the organic/referral traffic your paid listing may generate.

If they cannot provide such insights, consider their ability to deliver a return on your investment skeptically.

The second type of local directory is an industry-specific directory, such as TripAdvisor for travel and tourism businesses or Houzz for construction and trade businesses.

The same evaluation methods may be utilized here to determine whether these services may deliver value to your business.

The third and final type consists of more locally specific directories offered by local Chambers of Commerce, Service Organizations, and other non-global players.

The first two types of these should certainly be considered, as they can help verify local presence in a less subjective manner.

Local, non-global, smaller directories should similarly be considered only if they can demonstrate the value they’ll provide from an organic visibility or referral traffic viewpoint.

The directories you select for submission, and the categories your products or services are easily found in, will help define your business’s relevance within your local community.

Local Authority

Listings within local directories, particularly those with established authority of their own, can augment a business’s authority and potential visibility.

The SERP test mentioned earlier can be employed to identify these authority boosters.

Essentially, any directory outperforming your website or GBP page for a target keyword offers an opportunity to be found via the directory and gain authority through it.

Some directories, similar to GBP, allow for shared content or links to content.

While this can be time-intensive, distributing your content to these directories in addition to other outlets like GBP and social media may be worthwhile, depending on the directory’s visibility and relative local authority.

Reviews

As previously mentioned, many directory services provide options for review submissions – and although Google reviews are naturally preferred from an organic authority perspective, Google and other search engines acknowledge reviews published on other platforms.

Similar to the local SERP test, attention should be paid to whether you or your competitors receive reviews on platforms other than GBP.

Remember, potential customers may also consult these reviews when considering a purchase from your business versus another.

Managing Multiple Locations

Setting up and maintaining listings across multiple directories can be time-consuming, particularly if business details or services require ongoing updates.

This challenge is intensified for businesses with more than one location.

There are paid services and solutions like Uberall, Semrush, and Yext that offer centralized management for multiple locations, typically covering the first two types of local directories mentioned here, along with mapping services like GBP, Apple Maps, and Facebook locations.

Some of these services also offer review and social account management.

How Are Your Directory Listings?

In conclusion, directory submissions are still essential for effective local SEO.

A good starting point might be performing the suggested SERP test to assess the current standing of your listings and directories in relation to your keywords.

Alternatively, many listings management services offer a quick auditing tool to evaluate a business’s coverage across the most common local directories.

Subsequently, you can develop a submission strategy that aligns with your visibility and traffic goals, as well as your budget.

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