For many Australian entrepreneurs, an online business directory is becoming an effective tool to grow one’s business or company. If you are own a small or medium business with a target audience at the regional level, you have the most to gain from advertising in an online web directory that also features a range of products and services.
Having your company included in online business directory listings is a form of advertisement, one that is highly recommended by search engine optimization (SEO) practitioners to help drive traffic to your business website and increase the popularity of your website in online searches on Google, MSN, Yahoo and the like.
Kinds of Directories
As late as 20 years ago, your choices for home business directory listings are very limited. The most popular ones are:
* Yellow Pages
* General Business Directories or Regional Directories
* Industry-Specific Directories
The Yellow Pages used to be a very popular advertising medium, similar to an online business directory nowadays. The main requirement was to have a business phone number. Nowadays, the Yellow Pages has been eclipsed by other advertising media, notably the Internet. Fewer people are now using Yellow Pages and the already expensive rates are increasing every year. Nowadays, the online store directory is one of the popular searches made. The readership for general business directories or regional directories is mostly people looking for new suppliers. A common example of this kind of directory is the business list provided by the local Chamber of Commerce. To be listed in industry-specific directories, you need to be a member of the industry association publishing it. Currently, all of these three types of directories have web or Internet versions, like an online business listings. There are literally millions of each kind of directory out there, such as home based business directory listings-a far cry from the days when only paper versions are available.
The cost for being listed in an online business directory ranges from a several hundreds of dollars for a year to a few dollars to virtually nothing. Some directories, such as an online store directory, allow business to be listed totally free of charge while others require a reciprocal link. For small business owners, it is advisable to look for home based business listings.
Follow these tips to make the most of your submissions:
* Make sure that your website is working before you submit the necessary information to an online business guide. People do not want to see pages that are still under construction.
* Make sure the links on your website are working.
* For best results, present your website content in English to an online business list.
Do not expect instant results when you submit a link to a home business listings online. Your submission will be reviewed before the listing goes live on the Internet. Expect a few weeks to several months. Free online business listing guide may take longer because the review is manually done. Submitting links without using a service takes time and effort, but considering the benefits of being listed in a business directory, it is worth it.