The answer to this question is quite ambiguous.
Some SEO’s will say YES and some will say NO.
I am trying to do answer of this question and then you can decide it is effective or not.
Basically, the local business listing concept is not new for us.
The journey of the SEO was started in early 2003. Before the beginning of the SEO, local listing websites like Justdial started. You can read more about the brief history of SEO here.
The local listing website like Justdial started in 1996 and still top local listing website in India.
The reason behind about writing this post is, there is a number of websites are providing local listing services but, some are effective and some not.
I am not here to talking about which are effective or which not? I am here to talking about how to select useful and beneficial listing site? And it is effective or not in 2018.
So let’s get started.
Local listings or local citations are methods of the local SEO. Nowadays local SEO is playing measure role in local business.
So, let’s look at both effective and not effective points of the business listing.
Why Not Effective?
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Local search ranking
-Top local listing sites are ranked for most of the local queries and new or low DA websites are mostly ranked on the second page. If searchers got his solution or his queries answer on the first page then he can’t try to come for the second page.
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Difference between free and paid listing
-All of the listing websites are allow you to free listing facility. But, the free listing service has some limitations like listing placement and optimization.
The paid listing gives the extra flexibility to placement and optimization of your listing.
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Listings not properly maintained
–Most of the listing websites do maintain users data (Do not use a proper algorithm for maintaining listings) like mobile number, email Id, address and other information related to listing. Because of that visitors does not get proper information of business and they could not able to contact the business service provider.
Why Effective?
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Increasing local searches
– 2005 if peoples want any one of the services for ex. The doctor then they would prefer his known doctor or he could ask his friend or colleague about the best doctor.They would ask peoples review about service provider and all other information.
After the revolution of mobile, internet availability and low price of the mobiles most of the peoples start use of the mobile phones.
Google updates his special algorithm on July 24, 2014, especially for local searches called as a pigeon. Google pigeon update provides the results based on user location and listing available on local directories.
The purpose of this algorithm was providing local search preferences.
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Trustworthiness of local listing directories
–A large number of peoples get to buy or any service related decision after enquiring properly. In these cases, reviews and ratings play a big role in user decision. On this listing sites, peoples can able to see reviews and ratings about your business.
Authorized sites contain only valid and approved data, so people can do trust on this site and can take a decision.
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Helps you to increase your website ranking
–Maybe I am wrong but, links from the local listing sites are responsible for your website local search ranking.
I think these points help you to decide local listing sites are helpful or not.
Conclusion
If you ask me, the local listing is effective or not? Then my answer is if you properly and on authorized sites then it is very effective for your or your client business.Properly means choose authorized and relevant listing site and fill correct and proper your business data like business name, contact number, address, email Id and other information.
