Is getting listed on local directories useful for an online web site?

[huisjames]

I recently came across Yext. Seems like a convenient service to get listed on local directories. Why I thought this would be useful are the backlinks, not necessary local searches. Are link juice good enough to justify spending the time to get listed?

And what about getting listed on BBB.org?

[MichaelC-15022]

While I agree in general with what the others  have said, I would say that the new MozLocal is worth pursuing for this, at $49/year.  Presuming you have your G+ page set up correctly with your business address, a local phone number, etc., it'll take you just a few minutes to make the CSV file and submit it.

[DonnaDuncan]

Given your goal is link acquisition versus gaining exposure and solidifying your presence in your local market, I agree with Miriam that "your efforts would likely be better spent earning links that are relevant to your industry rather than your geography." Directories don't pass along a lot of link juice and Google doesn't value them highly.

I'm also not a fan of the paid directory submission services.

• They're expensive.
• They're time boxed, meaning your listing disappears when you stop paying.
• They're limited in their distribution - not every service hits every directory.
• They don't deal with duplicates.
• You still have to do some of the work anyway - the better directories require manual verification to ensure the requester is an authorized representative of the business.

Whitespark is the exception. They're reasonably priced, get you permanent, quality listings, and because they're manually built listings, they address data inconsistencies and duplicates along the way.

As to the BBB, that's a judgment call and the thread Miriam points out will help you decide which way to go.

[SamuelScott]

The only directories that I would pursue are relevant, human-run, curated lists. Ignore those junk directories that accept every submission (paid or not).

Think about it like this. Say I'm a local restaurant. I find a local food reviewer and blogger who publishes a list of his favorite restaurants in my city. I would naturally want to be included in his list because it is authoritative and valuable. I would not want to be included in a junk directory that contains every site in my city.

The more selective that a list or directory is, the more authority that Google is likely to ascribe to it.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Huisjames,

Yext and other local submission services are intended for physical businesses rather than virtual ones. They really are not a good fit for location-less businesses and your efforts would likely be better spent earning links that are relevant to your industry rather than your geography.

The BBB is a different story as they do have categories for e-commerce companies. You might like to read this Moz Q&A thread on a similar topic:

http://moz.com/community/q/at-what-point-does-bbb-accreditation-become-a-good-investment

Hope this helps!