Business Directories

As the web has developed and grown, a large number of specialised directories were created to organise information within vertical markets and to generate revenue from listings added to the sites. Two of the most popular areas for this type of development has been shopping directories and business directories.

Business directories come in a wide range of sizes based on coverage in particular business sectors or regions, and on the quality of investment made to develop and maintain the listings. However, for any business website, getting a listing on these tools can have a number of advantages for building link popularity and also for generating traffic from these sources.

Some of the main business directories are as follows:

• Yell.com - the online version of the Yellow Pages in the UK, Yell was launched in the late '90s and transferred the existing print information to the web, offering a new revenue stream and an opportunity for advertising companies. This directory can be very effective for some companies who are targeting a local business market and also the database is now being incorporated into Google UK's local search results.
• KellySearch - this is a leading UK industrial and manufacturing directory which, like many of the big online directories, adapted its existing print listings onto the web and this site has now established a very strong presence on Google.
• Applegate - this is a purely online web directory that initially listed UK manufacturing companies but is now expanding into many other business sectors. It can be a good source of traffic and companies may be listed for free or pay for an enhanced listing. All entries can see the number of page views their entry received each month.
• Business.com - one of the first online business directories, this site has gone through a number of different stages and mainly lists US companies but can also be a good site to be listed on for UK companies. Listings are paid, either through a set fee or on a pay-per-click basis.
• Touch Directory - this network of local business directories has been growing over recent years and covers the main urban areas of the UK, offering a range of listing and advertising packages.

Find out how your website can gain from listings on business directories, contact us now or request a FREE website assessment.