I am not here to convince you to chase all new trends, fast-paced technology and networks but to help you understand which technologies separate you from existing or potential customers. I want to present you with an easy-to-understand collection of resources and help you take control of your business listings to reach and re-engage with your customers with this first post on ReEngage Consulting.
You already know that there are Google, Yelp, Yellow Pages and many other listings for your business online. You’re feeling the weight of more and more people telling you how they found your service through apps, searching or reading reviews.
It’s a challenge for the busy business owner, that you are, to transition from the hard work of running offline/physical business to adding and managing online business listings as extensions of that business. There are time restraints, not knowing where to start or get support and resources. I’d like to remove some of these constraints.
But first…
Credit Where It’s Due:
I want to thank Bill Bean for giving me an idea for this post by creating his list of Twitter handles for local business citation sources. I spoke with Bill to allow me to expand on the idea in greater detail and on a bigger scale.
I used my intuition to select listings for business owners but these lists from Andrew Shotland, Phil Rozek and Nyagoslav Zhekov of WhiteSpark were helpful.
Also, huge thank you to people who helped me shape this resource by giving their quick feedback: Adam, David, Nyagoslav, AJ, Andrew, Mark, Tony, Gene, Phil, Greg, Josh.
Now let’s get to it.
“Your” Business Listings
Business listings (also known as “citations” in marketing jargon) are online properties that have structured business information. Correct or incorrect. If your business info is out there (government data, tax forms, getting business checks, leasing an office, etc) – these listings exist whether you want them to or not. You can’t have 100% control over that.
But what you can do is claim these listings as “yours” (they are still property of respective corporation), keep them up-to-date and engage with potential and existing customers. You can achieve information consistency across a number of different authoritative sources, help your customers discover you and develop balanced opinion about your business.
Plan Of Action
You need to take control of your business listings. Then use them to their full potential.
Below is cream of the crop collection of 20 business listings that you can take control of (there’s also a second collection for local marketing professionals). Also resources to manage them and get support.
This collection is diverse. Listings like Google, Foursquare or Apple are used for search and discovery. Yelp or Google are great for reviews. Facebook or LinkedIn are used for engagement, networking or branding. Others, like YellowPages or Superpages, are online yellow pages ensuring data stability and consistency. I hope that a Chamber of Commerce membership will encourage you to connect with local business community. And data aggregators (Acxiom, ExpressUpdate & Localeze) feed information to other business directories.
Start by using something as simple as this Local Business Listing Management spreadsheet to keep track.
First, you need access to the listing – to claim & verify that you’re the owner (or have permission). Most verification methods are: phone call, postcard (few weeks for it to arrive), email or text message. You’ll have most control when you verify.
(Image credit: Taking Control by NaBHaN)
I must mention here that there are options to take control of listings for your business besides doing it yourself: use tools and services (understand how they work) or hire a local marketing professional to do this as part of the local marketing project. Either way – you need to understand local environment and be able to check quality of work.
Once you have control – do your best with potential each listing has, based on how much effort you’re willing to put in.
Assumptions
I do not provide step-by-step instructions or explore all possible scenarios and issues. But I provide enough information and support info for general “do it yourself.” Here are some assumptions to keep in mind when working with listings:
- You will not hesitate to ask questions in comments or reach out to me through social or email.
- You’ll search for existing listings, not create new one right away. Use “Get Started” link.
- You will go from “Get Started” link through process of verifying, following steps provided by the directory.
- Some directories are not well-supported. You might encounter more issues or wait longer than expected.
- You need to have an existing or create a new account for each directory.
- Record all login information so you can get back to your account later. I have a simple template for you.
- Verification process can be faster for some listings if website email ([email protected]) is used to create accounts.
- You need to be logged in to your directory account to access dashboard using links provided below.
- I do not cover all possible issues, conflicts, duplicate listings, etc. which negatively impact your online presence and visibility. You want to consult someone regarding your situation.
Collection 1: 20 Business Listings
Click button to go to respective business listing:
GoogleYelpAppleFacebookLinkedInYahoo!BingFoursquareYellowPagesCitySearchYellowbookSuperPagesYellowBotChamber of CommerceBBBD&BAcxiomExpress UpdateLocalezeFactual[Extra] Collection 2: For Local Professionals
(35 More Listings)
35 more business listings and resources for each one. List is alphabetized.
Click button to see the second collection of business listings and information:
More ListingsGoogle My Business
Google listing is essential for local marketing. It plays a big role in making your business visible in local search results. Once you verify it – spend some time filling in all details and making it look good. Start getting reviews on Google – that’s critical.
Click “Get Started” to find your business on Google, claim and verify it. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Get The App:
Google My Business app for business owners. Manage and connect with your customers on the go!
Listing Support:
Google support for business owners is great! They have everything you want:
- Help Center – main support page.
- Phone support for Google My Business (link will go to Help Center when phone support is not available).
- @googlemybiz and @GoogleSmallBiz Twitter support.
- Live Chat (link will go to Help Center when live chat is not available).
- Contact Us page. This page changes depending on what’s available (live chat, phone support, etc) at the time.
- Google and Your Business Help Forum – old-fashioned forum support. Advice from community contributors.
Multiple Locations
Google has a separate dashboard for bulk location management: Google My Business Locations.
Business Resources & Social:
Follow Google blog for business owners and get updates from their social media profiles:
BlogYelp
Yelp is critical for most industries. It’s one of the biggest players in the business review space. Other local directories display Yelp review ratings and information to their visitors. Make sure you communicate that you’re on Yelp to your customers using your location, website, email signature, etc.
Click “Get Started” to find, claim and verify your business on Yelp. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Get The App:
Yelp app specifically for business owners. You want to have this app on your phone – you’ll be able to check activity and get notifications when your business gets new reviews. Great way to manage and connect with your customers on the go!
Listing Support:
Best way to manage your listing is through dashboard. There’s not much support available from Yelp – mostly general information and resources. Unless you use Yelp advertising – you get phone support then.
- Contact Us page – not much here.
- Yelp Support for Business Owners (note: phone number listed here is for Yelp advertising; NOT for listing management).
- Yelp Support Center – general information.
Multiple Locations
For a few locations – just use the same business email when claiming/creating new listings.
It seems that some Yelp bulk upload is available.
Business Resources & Social:
This Yelp blog is specifically for business owners but social networks are for the general public (typical Yelpers – Yelp users). Still good to follow to understand who your audience on Yelp is and to stay updated:
BlogApple Maps
Tens of millions of people use Apple products. And most of them discover local businesses through Apple Maps. So, it’s important to be well represented there. Also, take care of your Yelp listing because info from there is used on Apple listings.
Click “Get Started” to find, claim and verify. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Apple Maps support is all in one place for now. “Contact Us” is effective. You need to be logged in.
- Small Business Help – frequently asked questions.
- Contact Us – link on top right of Small Business Help page. Again, you need to be logged in.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listings inquiry (over 1000 locations): mapsconnect-business {at} apple {dot} com
Business Resources & Social:
None from Apple.
There’s a great potential with Facebook in local marketing. Local Facebook page is a great platform for engagement. Good for business validation and visibility in brand search results. Effortless for customers to connect and review your business. One of the best places to build community around your small business in most industries.
DO NOT rush to create a new Facebook page. There’s a big chance you already have one (or a few) that was created for your location. Search for your business name on Facebook first. Claim existing one. If you can’t find any – then click “Get Started” to create one. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your page.
Get StartedDashboard
Get The App:
Yes, there’s a separate app for business owners, called Facebook Pages Manager. Get it. Use it.
Listing Support:
It’s very hard to get Facebook support or get your situation resolved through request submission or their discussion forums.
- Facebook Help Center – general information.
- Help Community – discussion forums where you can ask a question (and hope for an answer).
Multiple Locations
Have 3+ Facebook pages? Use Business Manager. Also take a look at this Location Information.
Business Resources & Social:
Follow Facebook blog and their Facebook (surprisingly) social page:
BlogLinkedIn is not a local directory but it’s the largest professional network. LinkedIn page is an effective asset in many industries, especially professional services. It’s great for branding, online authority and social aspects/connections (if you’d like those).
Important: you need to have at least a few (10 or so) LinkedIn connections to create a company page. Should not be hard to get those connections.
Click “Get Started” to create your company page. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your page (look on the right-hand side).
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
There’s a lot of information online about managing your page but here are some resources from LinkedIn in case you need support:
- Contact Us – main support page.
- FAQ – general infromation on company pages.
Multiple Locations
Can create 5 locations. No need for LinkedIn page for every location. LinkedIn is really brand/authority-oriented rather than location-oriented.
Business Resources & Social:
LinkedIn has a marketing blog and social profiles for marketers. But it’s easy enough to digest for business owners:
BlogYahoo! Aabaco
Yahoo, one of the largest search engines, is struggling with local. Yahoo Small Business is now Aabaco Small Business. Managed through Yext (and not supported by Yahoo/Aabaco) at the moment.
Go to “Dashboard” to check your listing:
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Some support is available but don’t rely on it! General support and information provided.
- (408) 916-2149 – support if you create an incident number.
- @asbcares – Aabaco Small Biz Support Twitter account. Your best bet for free listing support.
- Customer Support – not much help here unless you’re a paying customer.
- Help for Aabaco Local Basic (free) – general information as well.
Multiple Locations
If you have more than 50 locations you can call Bulk Local Listings sales team at (877) 894-9277
Business Resources & Social:
Yahoo has a small business blog and social profiles that you can follow to get updates:
BlogBing
Bing Places for Business is a local service/directory from Microsoft’s search engine. One of the best website experiences to verify and manage your listing. Very smooth process. Good support and big potential.
Click “Get Started” to find, claim and verify with Bing. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Bing Places for Business has live chat support – that’s the best way to reach them. You need to be logged in to see most of their support options.
- Bing Places for Business Support – main support page. Again, you need to login first.
- Live support chat – it’s on support page. Select your country at the bottom of the page to it to appear.
- Bing Places Help – general information and step-by-step walk through.
Multiple Locations
You can add or manage up to 10,000 locations at once inside Bing Places. All instructions regarding that are here.
Business Resources & Social:
Bing doesn’t have a blog dedicated to business owners but I will link here to their Bing Maps blog. Might be useful. They also have a Facebook page you can follow for (rare) updates:
BlogFoursquare
Foursquare is great for business discovery so make sure your business is properly listed. You can see how people check-in and interact with your location with Foursquare “Real World Analytics.”
Click “Get Started” to find, claim and verify. Go to “Dashboard” and then “Log In” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Foursquare provides plenty of support. There are two quick ways to get in touch with Foursquare support: their support Twitter account and “Submit a request” form.
- Submit a request. Choose option “I have a question about my business.”
- @4sqSupport – Foursquare support Twitter account.
- Foursquare for Business Help Center – instructions on claiming and managing your listing.
- Help Center – general information.
Multiple Locations
Use this form if you have between 10 and 100 locations. If you have 100+ listings here is bulk claim spreadsheet you can fill out and email to their support.
Business Resources & Social:
Here are links to public (not just for business owners) social profiles and blog for Foursquare:
BlogYellowPages
The online version of our beloved YellowPages books. Very important listing with big database and solid visibility in local search. YP information is used by other directories.
Click “Get Started” to find, claim and verify YP listing. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Get The App:
I like YP just for the fact that they have apps for business owners.
Listing Support:
Not much support if you aren’t paying. Technically, though, you are their advertiser, even with a free listing.
- Contact Us. Do not expect support if not advertising with YP.
- Dashboard Contact Us information within dashboard. You need to be logged in. Again, no guarantee you’ll get resolution if you are not paying customer.
- Listing FAQ – general information. You need to be logged in to see this.
Multiple Locations
I didn’t find information about this. Use “Contact Us” links above to find out options for your multi-location business. If you find something out – let me know in the comments below.
Business Resources & Social:
Blog and social profiles for YP advertisers (even if you have free listing):
Citysearch
CitySearch is a city guide operated by CityGrid Media (owns Citysearch, Insider Pages and Urbanspoon). Can “Edit Place Page” if already have business listing claimed. Otherwise it has to go through Yext service or ExpressUpdate.
Click “Get Started” to find the listing. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
You can contact customer service via email. And find necessary information on their help pages.
- Account Help – help page for Citysearch/CityGrid. You need to be logged in. There’s also “Contact” form on the bottom of that page with email and phone support.
- myaccount {at} citygridmedia {dot} com – listing support email.
- customerservice {at} citygrid {dot} com – customer service email.
- MyAccount Help page – another help page.
- Contact Us page for Citysearch.
Multiple Locations
No bulk upload available.
Business Resources & Social:
Blog and social profiles for Citysearch and CityGrid are outdated. I’ll still reference their blog here in case it gets revived:
BlogYellowbook
Yellowbook is one of the big yellow pages business directories. Hibu is the publisher of Yellowbook. Great support!
Click “Get Started” to create an account and claim and verify your business listing. Go to “Dashboard” to login and manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Yellowbook/Hibu have wonderful support available. Lots of options too. There’s support and resources inside their Yellowbook360 dashboard as well as Hibu site.
- Contact Us – main contact page with email, live chat and phone support options.
- Live Chat – on Contact Us page.
- (800) 939-3556 – phone support. I called Hibu to confirm this is the phone number you can contact them regarding business listing issues.
- listings {at} hibu {dot} com – email support specifically for business listings.
- Contact Us form on Yellowbook360 dashboard. Link is on top right of the page.
- Help – information and resources for business owners. More info if you are logged in to dashboard. “Help” link is on top right of that page.
- Yellowbook.com Help – general information and resources.
Multiple Locations
No bulk listing support. Have more information? Let me know in the comments below!
Business Resources & Social:
Hibu blog (for business owners) and public Hibu social profiles (not specifically for business owners):
BlogSuperpages
Superpages is one of the biggest directories and is under the umbrella of DexMedia. You might encounter some issues during verification process or it can be slow but you should give it a try.
Click “Get Started” to find your listing, claim and verify it. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Support is handled through DexMedia. Email and phone support. Hard to reach sometimes.
- Contact – Superpages contact page.
- DexMedia Contact Us – DexMedia contact page.
Multiple Locations
No bulk listing support. If something changes – let me know in the comments below!
Business Resources & Social:
DexMedia blog and social profiles:
BlogYellowBot
YellowBot by Connectivity is another listing to solidify consistency of your information. Cute one too 🙂
Click “Get Started” to enter your phone number and search for your business. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Support is available through Connectivity and email.
- Contact Connectivity via chat live support or contact form.
- help {at} yellowbot {dot} com – listing support email.
- Help/FAQ – general information about YellowBot listings; not much there.
Multiple Locations
No bulk listing support.
Business Resources & Social:
YellowBot blog isn’t loading and their social accounts weren’t updated for a year. So, nothing to follow here…
Chamber of Commerce
This is the only paid business listing I mention among these 20. I believe it’s worth your time and money. Your local chamber of commerce is your chance to connect with your business community and explore new possibilities of getting your business out there. Get referrals, connections and possibly local press coverage. Possibilities are in your hands. Besides spreading word about your business this might have an indirect impact on your local marketing by getting local mentions/citations.
Click “Get Started” to search for your local office. Important: do not sign up for actual chamberofcommerce.com (unless you really want to). Find your local office and go to their website to get membership.
Get Started
Listing Support:
You want to get support at your local chamber of commerce.
Need additional help?
- Contact Us – support page if you need guidance to find your local organization.
Multiple Locations
Not available.
Business Resources & Social:
Go to your local Chamber of Commerce website and follow their social profiles and blog.
BBB
BBB has a lot of important data. Official records. Authoritative data. Important listing for brick and mortar. There’s no one central place for claiming and getting support. Each region has it’s own support and links. Hence, I’ll only provide general info here.
Click “Get Started,” then type your zip code, then search for your business to claim. Login to your regional BBB to see “Dashboard.”
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Support information varies based on where you are and is linked to your local office. Contact information for your area is easy to find.
- Contact – main contact page. But you want to actually contact your regional office.
- Go to BBB.org to find your regional office. Then click “Contact” on the bottom of the website.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listings submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
National blog and social media are not business-oriented. Each local office has their own social profiles. Follow those.
D&B
D&B is business directory that mostly deals with credit reports but is very local-focused. It’s not a data aggregator, like 4 below, but is slowly getting there.
Click “Get Started” to find your listing, claim and verify it. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Good support. Information; phone and email support.
- Contact Us – main contact page and phone support.
- Submit a Request – send email to support.
- Live chat – login and you’ll be able to have a live chat and phone support (top right of the page).
- Support – general information.
Multiple Locations
Not available. Know something? Let me know in comments below.
Business Resources & Social:
D&B business blog and social:
BlogAcxiom
Acxiom is a data aggregator. It sends business information down the line to other directories. Very important (same with ExpressUpdate, Localeze and Factual below).
Click “Get Started” to find, claim and verify. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Phone and email support provided.
- Contact Us – link to “Contact Us” is on the bottom of the page.
- FAQ – general information.
- mblm {at} acxiom {dot} com – support email
- (866) 750-5438 – phone support.
Multiple Locations
Paid. Contact bulk listing submission support for information: directoryreps {at} acxiom {dot} com
Business Resources & Social:
Acxiom has a pretty active blog and social profiles:
BlogExpressUpdate
ExpressUpdate is a data aggregator owned by Infogroup. It’s also important for sending information to other business directories (same with Acxiom, Localeze and Factual).
Click “Get Started” to find your listing on ExpressUpdate; claim and verify it. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
They have email/phone support and a little feedback forum.
- (800) 794-1404 – phone support
- contentfeedback {at} infogroup {dot} com – ExpressUpdate email assistance.
- Contact Infogroup – contact form for Infogroup.
- Feedback Forum – place to report bugs and offer suggestions.
Multiple Locations
Infogroup has bulk update dashboard for 10+ listings: bulkupdate.infogroup.com
Business Resources & Social:
Infogroup blog and social media (alive but not very active):
BlogLocaleze
Last one (but not least) on the list and one more data aggregator is Localeze by Neustar. It also, like Acxiom, ExpressUpdate and Factual, sends information to other business directories and is very important on the list.
Click “Get Started” to find your listing. You actually need to “Add Listing to Cart” here and it will be free if you only have one. You’ll be able to send an update once a year. Go to “Dashboard” to manage your listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Solid support available.
- Contact Us – main support contact page.
- There’s also this contact form.
- (800) 960-3755 – phone support.
- Help – general information.
Multiple Locations
“File Upload Available for Add/Update” is available as a part of “True Identity” package for businesses with 25+ listings. You can find more info here. Or just contact Localeze/Neustar support.
Business Resources & Social:
Localeze marketing blog and social media. Their social profiles are on/off in terms of their activity.
BlogFactual
4th data aggregator (also Acxiom, ExpressUpdate & Localeze). Very important. Now gives you direct access to add/update listing (didn’t let you do that for a while).
Click “Get Started” to find add or update your business listing.
Get Started
Listing Support:
Support only available for sales and general questions.
- Contact – no listing update support.
Multiple Locations
Not directly through Factual.
Business Resources & Social:
Factual blog and social profiles:
Blog
This information and instructions are far from definitive. But take control of these listings and you will win big and will be far ahead of the curve. You don’t have to stop once you control and verify your business listings. Use appropriate business listings for engagement, connections and marketing.
Your potential customers are searching for you online. Congratulations for making effort to remove gaps separating them with your business!
You’ve Done It!
Collection 2: For Local Marketing Professionals.
35 Extra Listings.
Hope local marketing professionals enjoy this extra list and resources. This second list is alphabetized. You should be familiar with the process of claiming these listings. But I still left short comments if I thought they would be helpful. Enjoy! 🙂
411.com
Business directory by Whitepages. Whitepages only allows access to the listing via Yext. You can also change business info using ExpressUpdate. You can at least find your 411.com listing here:
Get Started
Listing Support:
All support (if any) is provided by Whitepages.
- Whitepages Help – general information.
- Submit a Request – customer service.
Multiple Locations
Not supported.
Business Resources & Social:
Whitepages blog and social profiles:
Blog
Angie’s List
Service business listings directory.
Get StartedDashboard
Get The App:
Angie’s List Business Center app:
Listing Support:
Great support available.
- Contact Us – contact us form and phone support.
- FAQ – general information.
Multiple Locations
Manual only. Bulk listing submission not available.
Business Resources & Social:
Angie’s List blog and social profiles:
Blog
Brownbook
Not a huge directory. But easy to work with.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Contact form and general info:
- Contact Brownbook
- Help – general help page.
Multiple Locations
No bulk listing submission.
Business Resources & Social:
Brownbook blog:
Blog
City-Data
Search for your business. But you’ll probably have to add it.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Not much support. But you can still get it.
- Contact Us – contact information.
- City-Data.com Forum
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
Forum is where you get social on City-Data:
Forum
CitySquares
Clean interface. Easy to work with.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Email support available.
- Contact Us – contact page
- info {at} citysquares {dot} com – CitySquares email support
Multiple Locations
Add listings manually one-by-one. No bulk listing submission.
Business Resources & Social:
Only Facebook page is available and it’s not very active:
CityVoter
Small business contests. Each city has its own site.
Get Started
Listing Support:
General support is available through CityVoter forum:
- CityVoter Forum – support forum.
Multiple Locations
No bulk listing submission.
Business Resources & Social:
Look for social profiles for your city. CityVoter blog:
Blog
DexKnows
DexKnows, like Superpages, is under the umbrella of DexMedia. Important directory but you have to jump hoops to access it or change information there. Can do it through ExpressUpdate or Yext service and not worry about having DexKnows account itself. Also try phone support to get access or push corrections to free listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Support is handled by DexMedia. Hard to reach sometimes. Try phone support to try to get control of your free listing.
- Contact Us – DexKnows contact page.
- DexMedia Contact Us – DexMedia contact page.
Multiple Locations
No bulk listing support.
Business Resources & Social:
DexMedia blog and social profiles:
Blog
eLocal.com
Support is available.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Good support available.
- Contact – eLocal.com contact page.
Multiple Locations
Can add locations individually. No bulk listing submission.
Business Resources & Social:
Social profiles are not active:
EZlocal
Straightforward way to claim a listing.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Phone support and contact form available.
- Contact – EZlocal contact page.
Multiple Locations
Can add locations individually. No bulk listing submission.
Business Resources & Social:
Active and helpful EZlocal blog and social profiles:
Blog
GetFave
Create an account to see “Add your business” option.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Login to access contact page.
Multiple Locations
Manual. Bulk listing submission not available.
Business Resources & Social:
No social profiles.
HERE/Navteq
I wasn’t able to do anything last time I checked. They tell you to zoom in and click the business icon. But… icon wasn’t clickable last time I checked. Yext has access to them.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Not much is available
- Contact support page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission only available for parking facilities and petrol stations with HERE PrimePlaces.
Business Resources & Social:
HERE 360 blog and social profiles (active):
Blog
HomeAdvisor
Business directory for home improvement industry.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
They have phone support and live chat.
- (877) 947-3639 – phone support
- Live Chat – click the link next to “Need Help?”
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
They have ProGuide blog for professionals:
Blog
Hoover’s
Company profile listing from D&B. Search for a company on hoovers.com or report changes:
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Good support.
- Contact Us page with phone & live chat support.
- (800) 486-8666 – listing support phone number.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission for enterprise is available.
Business Resources & Social:
Bizmology blog and Hoover’s social profiles:
Blog
Hotfrog
Pretty straightforward. Easy to work with.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Resources and contact form are available.
- Contact Hotfrog form.
- Help page.
Multiple Locations
You can add listings one by one. No bulk upload.
Business Resources & Social:
Hotfrog Small Business Hub and social profiles (not very active):
Blog
Info CheckPoint
I wasn’t able to create a business profile last few times I tried. Had “Please try after some time” message.
Get StartedCreate Account
Listing Support:
Contact Us form and phone/email support.
- Contact Us page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
Blog. Social is not active:
Blog
Insiderpages
Another directory from CityGrid. Direct access is available in most cases.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Support is available through CityGrid/CitySearch.
- FAQ – general information.
Multiple Locations
No bulk listing submission available.
Business Resources & Social:
CityGrid blog:
Blog.
Kudzu
Process is straightforward. Choose “basic listing” for one location. 48-hour wait for account to activate.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Contact form is available.
- Contact Us page.
- Help Center
Multiple Locations
One-by-one. No bulk listing submission.
Business Resources & Social:
Kudzu has a blog. Social profiles aren’t active.
Blog
Local.com
Local.com doesn’t provide direct access to their listings. Can update it though Acxiom and Yext.
Get Started
Listing Support:
Only general information
- FAQ.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
No blog. Social profiles:
Local Database
Another directory. Nothing fancy. Add for data consistency.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
They have a contact form.
- Contact Us page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
No blog or social profiles.
MagicYellow
Straight-forward process.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
No support except for advertisers.
- Contact Us page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
No blog. Social profiles are not active.
MakeItLocal
Simple and clean directory.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
No support.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
No blog or social profiles.
Manta
Great directory. The best verification process!
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Good support.
- Contact Us page
- FAQ – general information
Multiple Locations
Multiple listing submission available. Contact Manta directly via Contact Us page or phone support at (888) 875-5833
Business Resources & Social:
Very active small business blog and social profiles:
Blog
MapQuest
Once big & powerful, MapQuest doesn’t give you direct listing access now. Can update it through Infogroup or Yext.
Get Started
Listing Support:
General information. Their Twitter profile offers some support as well.
- Help – information.
- @MapQuestHelp – MapQuest support Twitter profile.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
MapQuest social profiles are for general public, not just business owners:
MerchantCircle
Business listings for deals and coupons.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Help center and email support are available.
- Help Center – there’s an option to email support and link to community forums.
Multiple Locations
One listing per email/account. Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
MerchantCircle blog is outdated but social profiles are more-or-less active:
Blog
MojoPages
Currently creating, quote, “a new process for claiming a business.” So, hold tight if you don’t already have an account. Click “Dashboard” and add your email to the notification list.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Email support is available
- Support Center – email support page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
No blog. But active social profiles:
nSphere
Listing focused on neighborhood/hometown.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Phone, live chat, email and other support is available.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
No active blog or social profiles.
ShowMeLocal
Yellow pages directory.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Email support only.
- Contact Us and Support page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
They have “active” Twitter and FB pages but you don’t want to follow them (automated & repeating).
TripAdvisor
Dining and travel-related directory.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
General information and email support.
- Help Center page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
TripAdvisor Insights blog and social profiles for business owners:
Blog
Tupalo
Listing for restaurants, salons, etc. Local guide.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
General information and contact info.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
Blog is active. Social profiles, besides FB, aren’t active:
Blog
Tuugo
Straight-forward claiming process.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Email support.
- Contact Us page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
Tuugo blog and Twitter (other profiles are not active):
Blog
Urbanspoon
Popular restaurant business directory.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Email support and general info.
- Contact Us page.
- FAQ page.
Multiple Locations
One-by-one. No bulk listing submission available?
Business Resources & Social:
Urbanspoon blog and social profiles (for general public):
Blog
USCity
Many chances are – your business is not listed. There is a one-time $5.99 registration fee (“Due to abuse of our registration system”).
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Email support is available.
- Contact Us page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
No blog. USCity Twitter profile:
Whitepages
Whitepages also owns 411.com and other domains. Important directory but they don’t provide direct access to their listings. Can change data through ExpressUpdate or Yext.
Get Started
Listing Support:
Support pages had issues at the time I worked on this post. But submit request form seemed to work.
- Whitepages Help page.
- Submit a request form.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available directly through Whitepages.
Business Resources & Social:
Whitepages blog and social profiles are very active:
Blog
Yellowee
One more yellow pages directory. Very playful and fun to work with.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Email support is available.
- Contact Support page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
There’s a link to Yellowee blog on their website but the blog is down. Social profiles are outdated.
Ziplocal
Clean directory. Easy to work with. You don’t need an account – just easily update your listing with their form.
Get StartedDashboard
Listing Support:
Phone and email support available through their company website.
- Contact Us page.
Multiple Locations
Bulk listing submission is not available.
Business Resources & Social:
Ziplocal blog and social profiles (active):
Blog
The End. Your Turn!
Tim Roberts
Jan 28, 2015 -
Wow, this is a awesome list you have put together. I was looking for a better way of keeping track of my citations. Local Business Listing Management spreadsheet.
I’m having a issue with yahoo with a duplicate listing when our business was out of our home. I want to delete that listing since we have moved into a real business place about 6 yrs ago. Any help on remove this, It was a free list back in the day. Its they only one that is keep me from obtaining 100% through moz.com/local.
Thank you
Max Minzer
Jan 28, 2015 -
Glad I can be of service with this, Tim!
First, I’d wouldn’t worry much about this one duplicate. Was it an issue before and messing up your other consistent data? Or are you doing it just to see 100% there (it’d probably bother me as well 😉 )?
Getting any Yahoo! support is tough. But start with a tweet, be persistent and see where that takes you.
I wouldn’t recommend this with other listing directories (I feel like it’s abuse of resources) but with Yahoo! being so broken – try their phone support. I’d even try calling bulk listing support and asking them for another number or department.
Tim Roberts
Jan 28, 2015 -
Thank you Max, its just a duplicate listing hanging around. It was a issue before and is messing up the consistent data. I will give your suggestions a try. Thank you
Max Minzer
Jan 28, 2015 -
Hang in there, Tim!
Best of luck!
I’ll report the duplicate as well.
Maher Abiad
Feb 26, 2015 -
I totally agree with a lot of others, this is a power house collection of business citation directories, a lot I didnt even know about, going to utilize them right now, thanks again!
Max Minzer
Feb 27, 2015 -
Great to hear, Maher!
I wouldn’t worry about working with all of these directories unless it’s a competitive market or your business data is a mess. Most businesses don’t need to worry about all 55 of these and want to put some focus on industry specific business listings.
Ali Salman
Jan 28, 2015 -
This is one of the best articles I have read on citation building lately. Great job guys, really good information!
Max Minzer
Jan 28, 2015 -
Great to hear, Ali!
I’m “one man show” but I’ll take credit for all the “guys” 😉
Jim Froling
Jan 28, 2015 -
WOW Max! Nicely done!! Thanks for sharing this fabulous tool. You’re a saint!
Max Minzer
Jan 28, 2015 -
What can I say, Jim?
I am definitely faaaaaar from a saint. But wow! Happy to hear this reaction! 😀
Feel free to share any feedback in the future. Don’t hold back to improve this.
I’ll be adding more directories here very soon. Just need a little brain break from this 😉
Logital Media
Jan 29, 2015 -
Fantastic and comprehensive round-up of the local listings aspect of SEO. It’s a complex, ever-changing industry. Especially liked your local listings spreadsheet (it’s much prettier than ours, hope you don’t mind if we “borrow”).
Keep up the great work!
Max Minzer
Jan 29, 2015 -
Oh, go for it!
Just tried to keep it simple with the spreadsheet. I use a variation of that for my clients.
Thank you for stopping by!
Giovanni Villani
Jan 29, 2015 -
This article is super useful! Thanks for sharing your knowledge about Local SEO and citations.
Max Minzer
Jan 29, 2015 -
Glad this is helpful for you as it’s helpful for me, Giovanni.
Colan Nielsen
Jan 29, 2015 -
I can’t thank you enough for this Max! What an incredible resource to share with the team. Thank you.
Max Minzer
Jan 29, 2015 -
I’m humbled, Colan.
Way more listings coming…
Dino Basaldella
Jan 30, 2015 -
Absolutely awesome work, Max!
Bookmarking this one for sure.
Thank you!
Max Minzer
Jan 30, 2015 -
Thank you, Dino! Enjoy!
Mike Chrest
Feb 20, 2015 -
Gretzky said it best be where the puck is going to be , not where it was.
Adam Steele
Jan 30, 2015 -
Yay Max, all that work and it looks like it was very well received. I would not be surprised if you put upwards of 30 hours into this. Wanted to let you know that it has already proven helpful in one of my cleanup campaigns, so thanks again : )
Keep it coming Max, great first post!!!
Max Minzer
Jan 30, 2015 -
Ha, nice!
I should come up with some solid slogan on “If Adam used it then…”
Glad to hear and I’m starting to add more business directories for marketers now.
Contractor Local Search Marketing Weekly | Jan 30th 2015 | Cartography Marketing | A Clearwater, FL Local SEO Company
Jan 30, 2015 -
[…] There’s no shortage of information out there on what citations to get. For the first time ever (in the voice of the movie promo guy) there’s now a list on how to get support for the top 20. Whether you need help getting started or getting help fixing incorrect information, or even deleting duplicate listings, here’s the resource to bookmark: local business listing support. […]
Todd Bialaszewski
Jan 31, 2015 -
This is awesome! Thanks for the great resource. Excited to see more added in the future.
Max Minzer
Feb 5, 2015 -
Thank you, Todd! Glad it’s helpful!
I started adding more.
I think I narrowed down the list for marketers to about 40 more listings.
Miami Printing
Feb 1, 2015 -
Thanks for sharing all this useful websites. This will help us a lot with our local marketing.
Max Minzer
Feb 5, 2015 -
Welcome! Go get those unexplored markets!
25 Inbound Marketing Articles of the Week: January 30, 2015 – UpCity
Feb 2, 2015 -
[…] local optimization. To get started, begin verifying your listings across multiple web directories. Max Minzer puts together a list of 20 local directories you can update with your business […]
Google Local Marketing keeping it real and YOU on top-Guest Post by Tony Leary – Contractors Secret Weapon | Contractor Marketing
Feb 5, 2015 -
[…] digital marketing show discussing local search marketing) has just published a how to for the top 20 citations regardless of industry (mostly the top 20 from the top 50 WhiteSpark […]
Steven Vargas
Mar 1, 2015 -
Simply a great resource. Thanks for putting in the work, Max!
Max Minzer
Mar 2, 2015 -
Thank you, Steven! Glad this is helpful! Let me know if you have any feedback to improve it in the future.
Claim Your Local Business Listings – Flashcard Version | ReEngage Consulting
Mar 17, 2015 -
[…] multiple requests from local marketing professionals, here’s the flashcard version of my Be Where Your Customers Are with Local Business Listings post. Please keep in mind that this post does not provide any details or helpful tips for each […]
My Top 40 Favorite SEO Audit Tools & Resources List | Alan Bleiweiss Consulting
Jun 16, 2015 -
[…] Local Listings – A Deeper Dive This is the more extensive, detailed post Max wrote to help site owners and managers get properly listed across the most important local listing directories online. Includes more links and help resources for each. […]
Tony Leary
Nov 22, 2015 -
Max, I think Yahoo is broken (not your info here, them). I’m actually confused now. Is it Luminate now? Or Blackbaud? Or if you want to make ANY changes to Yahoo Local, you’ve got to enroll in Yext?
Max Minzer
Nov 23, 2015 -
Tony, correct. It’s all Yext now. I updated that here a few weeks ago 🙂
As for the status of Yahoo for Small Business – it is pending now, I suppose. Hoping for more clarity soon.
Either way – I want to keep listing info here (for now). Yahoo listings still show up in local search and effect the weather in some small way – mostly business brand search. More information is better than less information. Hoping that someone who’s not sure about Yahoo and how to fix it will find bits of clarity here.
Max Minzer
Dec 2, 2015 -
Tony, I updated info about Yahoo (including social media links and support). Just noticed that it completely moved. Not much improvement so far. Here are some observations:
https://plus.google.com/+MaxMinzer/posts/fBBtAKDAjMe
Eialin Jones
Nov 30, 2015 -
Hi guys,
Thanks for sharing Hotfrog’s contact information on your site.
However, could you please update the contact info to point to http://support.hotfrog.com/ as we are rolling back the other contact form.
Thanks in advance,
Eialin Jones
Max Minzer
Nov 30, 2015 -
Thank you, Eialin! Done/updated!
New support looks great!
Keep up the good work! 🙂
Phillip Barnhart
Feb 6, 2016 -
How to fix incorrect info on Yahoo Local:
1. Do the free scan at https://www.yext.com/pl/yahoo-claims/index.html
2. Once the scan gives you the “error list” click “Continue”
3. Correct your information on the form and click “Continue”
4. Ignoring all the offers… just underneath the offer boxes and before the “*All PowerListings…” pitch click on the link “Claim your Basic Listing only on Yahoo.”
5. You will arrive at https://www.yext.com/pl/yahoo-claims/free-claim-checkout.html – Your Price: $0.00.
The Yahoo business claim allows you to update the name, address, phone number, email, category, and website for your business.
6. You will get an email from Yext. Click on the email to confirm.
7. Phone and business document upload is free to verify.
You will get the following on the screen after phone verification
Congratulations! You have successfully verified your location.
What’s next? Your information will be sent to Yahoo within 48 hours. Yahoo will process your request within 2 weeks. Yext will deliver your information to Yahoo, but we do not have control over whether or not Yahoo will accept and publish this information. To guarantee your listing information is up to date and locked from being edited by outside sources, upgrade to Yext PowerListings
What is the best way to amend Yellowpages and Yelp page NAP data?
Apr 6, 2016 -
[…] has a few different ways to get in touch with them. This post has a few of them – Be Where Your Customers Are With Local Business Listings | ReEngage Consulting Historically, this phone number also worked well for YP support – […]
Local Business Directory Support-Team Email Addresses: How to Reach a Human When You Need Help | LocalVisibilitySystem.com
Aug 1, 2016 -
[…] Be Where Your Customers Are with Local Business Listings – Max Minzer (includes some phone numbers and extra detail) […]
Manta Success Team
Nov 2, 2016 -
The Manta.com Customer Service number has changed to 888-875-5833 effective immediately. Thank you!
Max Minzer
Nov 2, 2016 -
Updated. Thank you! 🙂
Jesse
May 23, 2017 -
Thank You for the list of citations! Im going to use them!
Max Minzer
Sep 5, 2017 -
Welcome! 🙂
Donald Brette
Aug 24, 2017 -
Very nice post! I’ve found some new places here, thanks for your help! I was tried to create on here.com and as you mentioned – the problem is there. They have instructional clips on how to add new place but I tried several times, not worked at all!
Max Minzer
Sep 5, 2017 -
Donald, some of these directories are broken, barely working but still being used as a source of business information. Work with what you can and ignore the rest.