Web Directory Submission: Rudimentary Tips to Help Generate More Leads

For small business owners, understanding SEO and link building can be very overwhelming to understand let alone implementing it to drive more business leads. As one of the most underrated methods to drive organic links, web directory submission when implemented with the right approach -- can certainly bring in more virtual footfalls and spread the word. This link building technique is even more important to independent firms with a limited geographic reach.

Reputed online directories with high PageRank, whether niche or general, have played an important role in consumers finding the business rather than the other way round. Whether you own an interior design firm catering to people in London or an event management company serving clients across the UK and beyond, directory listings are the key to successful ‘pull’ online marketing strategies. To get results from directory submissions, consider the following points:

• Strike the Right Balance

The importance of selecting the right combination of broad-based and niche directories that have a high PageRank is crucial for effective link building. When selecting niche directories, online marketing experts should consider aspects, including the firm’s business sector, its target audience, the firm’s brand personality, and the geographic area it serves. Whether the directories are sector-specific, region-specific, or audience-specific, businesses stand a greater chance of getting more business leads from such sites than from other generic directories.

• Keep Your Listings Thorough and Updated

Firms employing directory submission services should ensure that all the key details related to your business are accurate, consistent and updated. Fields including firm name, e-mail, office telephone numbers, and address should be the same for all your listings across all the directories. However, when there is a change in address or any other contact details; make it a point to update the same across all your listings. Failure to do so will confuse your potential business leads -- not to mention the search engines -- and drive traffic away to competitors.

• Ensure Listings Belong to Appropriate Categories

Even if your listings are accurately filled in, if they don’t belong to the correct categories, your potential leads are never going to find you. Proper categorisation of your business listings not only helps your target audience find you but also helps improve your site’s SEO.

• Make Use of Long-Tail Keywords in Anchor Texts

Instead of just using generic key words in your list titles and descriptions, incorporate long-tail key phrases to drive relevant traffic to your website. When long-tail phrases are included, audiences looking for specific services in specific locations can easily find you. So, the visitors that find you are really interested in your products / services and you have the potential to convert them into customers.

• Manage Reputation on Directories

Many reputed directories allow visitors to rate business listings and review them. The reviews and comments directly impact your visibility on those directories as well as the overall search engine rankings. Furthermore, these reviews influence how potential customers perceive your company’s image. Managing your reputation on such directories is critical to succeed in the online marketplace.

As a result, directory submission can be an important tool to drive high-quality business leads. However, approaching this link building technique with the correct approach is the key. In case your business is seeking to drive organic traffic to your site, eTrack Media can plan and implement a results-oriented SEO strategy to meet your Internet marketing objectives.

Bal Rai is an Internet Marketing Consultant at eTrack Media, a leading SEO company in Redditch, UK.