Online Business Directories: Gateway for Free Traffic

Internet is emerging to be a major business and communication channel for people across the globe.  Of late major business deals, contracts and financial transactions are done through online medium. Online business directories and trade directories are often used by people to find suitable product manufacturer or supplier in a particular locality. B2B business has benefited a lot and has opened a wider market for them. If you haven’t yet utilized online business directories for promoting your business, then it is high time you did that.

Online local business directories like Google places can be utilized for generating free traffic. Online business directories and online yellow pages list the business or company profiles according to region as well as category. Users can very easily find you from the category they are searching for. So you will be getting highly targeted traffic which will convert more than usual web traffic. Some of the business directories are feature rich and allow user interaction. This is a great tool which you can use to your benefit. Your positive way of communicating with the prospects and clients, builds a trust among the visitors and will direct traffic to your website.

Also inbound links from these business directories are good for your overall website SEO. High PR business directories are regarded as authority sites and links from them add to your credibility in the eyes of search engines. Increase in the number of such links will result in better search engine ranking. Do you know what that means? More free traffic to your website.

Google Places and other local online business directories offer great business networking tools through their business listings. That too for free. Business networking is crucial for the success of any business. You can interact with your customers and prospects through the directory interface. Users can rate, post reviews and ask product queries. You can use this platform for sharing company news and announcements to your clientele.

Getting your business or company listed in prominent directories is a very good way to build up a brand image for you and your business. Increasing the overall internet visibility will eventually get you recognized as an expert or business icon in your field. More exposure of your business profile, leads to better retention among online users. So when they are searching for some product or service related to what you are offering, the chance of recalling your business listing is more. That is exactly what branding is.

The below listed are great FREE resources that will help you find high PR, good quality SEO friendly business and other niche web directories.

Web Directories: List directories according to niche and category

Top 10 US Business Directories : Top local US business directories which are good for promoting your local business.

Strongest Links Directory list : A comprehensive and tabulated directory list with various specifications. Highly user friendly.

Directory Critic : It is another website listing search engine friendly web directories and article directories according niche and PR.