There are literally hundreds of local business search sites where business owners can claim their free online local search listings.   However, some business owners are surprised to discover that these sites are the ONLY places consumers can find their business when consumers specifically for the products or services the business owner offers.  They’re surprised because even though their business has its own website – it doesn’t appear in this most basic “search”.

Of course, if your business doesn’t have its own place on the web yet – it’s essential that you get one.  The only thing better than claiming and managing your listing on the most visible local business directories is to have a website you can call your own which effectively finds its way into the search results when consumers not only search for your business by name – but also when people search for [product you sell] + [your geographic location].

There’s plenty of excuses business owners use for not having a web presence but this easy to use free website builder puts an end to the excuses.

If you’ve got time to watch a television program – you’ve got time to create your own website for your business.  Even  better – you don’t have to be a “geek” to create a beautiful, search engine friendly web presence for your business.

However, you do need to keep in mind a few tips to optimize your online presence so that when consumers search for the products and services you’re selling that they find YOUR business.

Local Search Guide Tip #1

Remember – LOCAL is the key.

When you’re thinking “locally” you need to focus on the “location” of your business.

Remember, the www at the beginning of a domain name stands for the WORLD wide web.  If you’re a funeral home in Des Moines, Iowa – be sure that at least ONE page on your website declares that fact.  Better yet – make sure EVERY page on your website states that fact.

It’s absolutely horrifying how often a business owner will create or hire a developer to create a website for a business and fail to put the full physical address of the business anywhere on the site.  I’ve seen websites with specifics such as “just across from the Horatio Grisby Park”  with nary a mention of the state let alone the town where the business was located.

Local Search Guide Tip #2

Just as its important to put your LOCATION on your website, it’s just as important to list the products/services your business offers on the website as well.

Keep in mind that simply uploading an image of a company logo is not the same as creating searchable content which contains that company’s brand name.  The search engines read the words on your site and that’s all they can do at the moment.  The mindless robots which crawl and index the web can’t “see” the images on your site – they can’t “watch” the videos nor can they “listen” to the audio.  While the human visitors enjoy these additions to your website, the mindless robots which index the web can only read the words and try to discern where you are and what you do so it can “deliver” your website to consumers who are searching for your business online.

These two basic tips are just that – the BASICS – but you might be surprised how much better your website performs in local search queries by keeping these two tips in mind.

Guide to Local Business Search Yelp

Yelp is an online city guide dedicated specifically for  user-generated reviews. You need to claim your free local business search listing here especially if yours is a consumer-oriented brick-and-mortar businesses. Over 53 million people visited Yelp in June 2011 to make spending decisions so it makes sense to make sure you claim your web presence there.

Yelp provides a complete business owners guide for those new to Yelp.

The first step is to see if your business is already included in  Yelp’s listing, so perform a search for your business name & location. If no results come up, you will see a large, red “Add Business” button on the page.

To add or claim your business, uou will need to sign up for a free Yelp account.

If you find your business already listed, you’ll need to claim your business listing.  To claim it,  navigate to your business page and click on “Edit Business Info” and add photos, a detailed business description, up-to-date information, history, and specialties.

Yelp allows you to communicate with consumers who connect with your business via the site.  Those communications can be either privately or public.  You can also track how many people have viewed your business page.

Once you’re a member of Yelp, you too can review and recommend other businesses.

Like Bing’s local business listing service- Yelp also allows you to create daily deals Groupon style with your Yelp listing.

It’s possible your business is already listed on Yelp.  It’s equally likely that your business has already been reviewed on Yelp.

Yelp employs a review filter which designed to help protect against fake reviews, including those that might be written by a competitor or a disgruntled former employee.  Yelp’s goal is to provide consumers a legitimate place to find authentic first person reviews of local businesses.

Claim your Yelp listing and use it to find out what consumers really think about your business.

Guide to Local Business Search City Search

It’s important to claim your local search listing on City Search.  Not only does City Search offer daily deals, and act as place for consumers to share reviews – they are also partners with the following sites:

• Ask Kids -
• Bloglines -
• Expedia -
• Hotels -
• Hotwire -
• Insider Pages -
• MerchantCircle -
• Reference -
• The Daily Beast -
• Thesaurus -
• Urbanspoon

CityGrid® powers CitySearch and it’s the largest content and ad network for local businesses, featuring leading Web and mobile partners like Citysearch, Urbanspoon, Insider Pages, Yahoo, Local.com, YellowPages.com, and Bing.

Remember in when we said in our Guide to Local Business Search Listing: Bing when we told you not to panic if you saw your profile “filled out” in advance.  Yeah – this is what we were talking about.

Partners take content from your Citysearch business profile page and build out profile pages on their sites to help consumers find your business across the Web. The CityGrid® network helps businesses advertise locally, reaching more than 140 million consumers each month.

CitySearch listings often appear on the first page of organic results in many searches for a particular business.

So how do you claim your CitySearch listing?  First create an account with CitySearch – you can use your Facebook account to log in but remember, your actions on one site will be “communicated” to the other site if you choose this option.

Then, find your business and click on the “claim this listing” link.

Once you’ve claimed your listing, you can add photos and manage your listing. If your business isn’t listed on CitySearch – then click here to add it.

CitySearch has “closed” registration for it’s free business listings before – and may do so again – so make claiming your listing on CitySearch a top priority.  It truly may be “here today – gone tomorrow” and with it’s high visibility in the search engines – it’s a valuable place for your business to be.

Guide to Local Business Search Bing

Bing is one of the three major search engines where you should make the time to claim your free local business listing.

Bing is working hard to differentiate their local business listing business from the others, so it’s well worth your time and energy to claim or add your business listing to Bing by clicking here.

The Bing Business Portal allows you to

• Claim, create, verify, and manage local business listings
• Identify key search categories where you want your listing to appear
• Customize listings with enhanced details such as logos, photos, and more
• Create a mobile Web site (and free QR Code) so customers can learn about your business on their mobile devices
• Create a custom menu (restaurants and bars) for inclusion on a mobile menu
• Create Deals (coupons) and promote them for free on Bing (both PC and Mobile) and Facebook
• Authorize other users to manage your listings

When you go to claim your Bing Local Business Listing – you may find that it already contains photos, descriptions and other additions which you did not make.  Don’t be alarmed, Bing has simply taken information found elsewhere online and used it to update your listing for you.

Who needs Groupon when you can create your own “deals” with Bing.  The Bing Business Portal includes a deal editor, similar to a wizard, so you can easily create and manage deals straight from the management page for your business listing.  Best of all Bing does not charge any fees or revenue share for the creation or promotion of deals.

Even better, if your deal meets the following criteria, it will be highlighted on the Deals section of the Bing mobile site http://m.bing.com.   Criteria for inclusion in Daily Deals are:

• Deals need to be at least 50% off of the retail value of the goods/services offered
• The minimum dollar amount of the retail value of the goods/services should be $20 or more
• Only three active deals per merchant location can be provided at a given time
• Deals offered should have an expiration of three days or less from the day they appear on the daily deals page
• Repeat deals cannot be offered until 15 days after the deal has expired.
• Deals need to be created by 6PM Pacific time in order to make it to the daily deals page for the next day

So why use Living Social, Groupon or any other daily deal site that will take 50% or more of the proceeds?  Team up with Bing and let them promote your deals as part of your local search listing.

Guide to Local Business Search YP.com

When it comes to online yellow page directories – there are two monster players: YP.com (yellowpages.com) and SuperPages.com.  It’s well worth your time and effort to claim your business listing at this online directory superstar site.

When you claim your listing at YP.com - you are not only claiming it there – but at other online directory sites which USE the YP.com listings to power their listings as well such as Addresses.com and Real Pages Live.

To claim your YP.com local listing, you’ll need to click here  and enter your phone number to get stated.

Your free business listing includes a link to your website and the ability to add vital information to the business description part of your business listing.

Of course, you can pay for additional services to gain even greater exposure for your business through YP.com.

YP.com is an AT&T production and they now offer a Groupon style “daily deals” product so merchants can offer big discounts to lure new customers to their place of business.

YP.com as part of the AT&T family offers a wide variety of options for you to promote your business online.  According to the site, the YP.com network provides exposure to over 185 million monthly searches according to AT&T Interactive Analytics, average of monthly internal data collected from January through May 2010.

The AT&T Real Yellow Pages provides over 275 million monthly references according Burke Local Media Tracking Study, January – December 2009.

Claiming your free local business search listing at YP.com is a no brainer.  Whether or not to use the other options offered by AT&T to promote your business really depends upon how “visible” YP.com is when local consumers search for your business.

Do your own market research and search for your business using Google, Yahoo and Bing.  If during your search, you see YP.com listings appear on the first page- then it’s probably a good idea to opt into the premium listing services offered by YP.com.

Guide to Local Business Search 2 Find Local

Unlike many free local business search directories – simply having a business phone with a listing in the local yellow pages won’t guarantee your inclusion into this local directory. You may also find that 2Find Local hasn’t “found” your location – yet.  So you if you choose to use 2 Find Local, you won’t be claiming your business listing – you’ll be creating one.

So even if 2Find Local hasn’t “found” your particular location yet – you may be wondering whether it’s worth the time and effort to create a listing for your business.

Here’s a few things you should know before you list your site at 2FindLocal.com.

First you should know that in order to have your website linked to your listing at 2Find Local – they ask for something in return – a link back to their site.

This means that your listing really isn’t “free” but it also may mean that you have to contact your web developer to include the link.  That means your “free” listing may cost the hourly rate of your web developer.

A quick search through the site shows few businesses have claimed and linked their websites to 2FindLocal.  Even businesses with five star reviews don’t have a link to their own url.  This is alarming.

However, even more alarming is that once you create an account and you’re logged into 2Find Local – you’ll find you can not only add or edit your own business listing – you can edit ANYONE’S business listing!

I’ve seen this local business search directory touted by several local search “gurus” as a prime place to claim your listing – but I’m alarmed at the apparent ability to go in and easily “hijack” other local listings.

Should you submit your business to the directory?  I probably won’t hurt.

Would I put a link to the directory on your own URL?  Probably not.  While that is what is “required” to have your URL listed on the site – I’m not sure I’d participate in “promoting” this local business search directory until there are some behind the scenes “controls” added to protect listings that are claimed and created.

Guide to Local Business Search Angies List

One surprising place to claim your free local business search listing is Angie’s List.  Angie’s List provides consumers with a forum to share real-life experiences with local contractors and doctors.  With more than 1.5 million consumers nationwide, Angie’s List can provide a tightly targeted place to feature your business.

While you may list your business on Angie’s List for free (click here to begin the listing process) – only paying members of Angie’s List may review your business.  Your reviews on Angie’s List determine where your business listing appears on the site.

Angie’s List provides many other options to help connect with their members.  One of these tools is the easy to create “badge” which you can then place on your other other business search listings to let  people know your business is listed at Angie’s List.

Visitors to other sites will have to JOIN Angie’s List to actually read any consumer reviews – if you have any there – but the badge is often viewed as a “symbol of trust” for those familiar with the concept behind Angie’s List.

If your business achieves an “A” or “B” rating on Angie’s list (based upon reviews from members) you then have the opportunity to advertise special discounts and promotions via Angie’s list.

So not only does having a listing on Angie’s List put your business in the running to win business from Angie’s List 1.5 million members – they also provide tools for your business to learn WHY consumers are choosing the providers they have chosen.

Guide to Local Business Search Superpages

Superpages is the premier online yellow page directory where you should be sure to claim your business listing.   It’s a source of information about local businesses online for over 7 million consumers.   Superpage listings include maps, coupons, reviews and business contact information.

Like many local business search listing sites, if your business has a business phone and has maintained a listing in the yellow pages – then you probably already have a free local business search listing with Superpages.com

Begin by searching the site for your business phone number.  Claim your listing – and make certain the information listed is correct.

The Superpages offers a unique service -  The SuperGuarantee Program.  This program is designed to help consumers gain peace of mind when hiring a service provider by using a participating SuperGuarantee business found in SuperMedia’s print Yellow Pages, SuperpagesDirect® or at Superpages.com®.

Consumers register their service purchase in advance and in the unlikely event that there is a problem, SuperPages will help the consumer resolve the issue or reimburse them up to $500 of any amounts paid to the provider for the labor portion of the services provided.

Your Superpages free listing includes basic information about your business and the ability to add online coupons to your listing. You can run different versions of your online coupons to see which get the most customer attention.

While other local business search directories require that you upgrade to a premium service to get the ability to offer coupons, Superpages does not.   The only “premium upgrade” currently available at Superpages.com is the “guaranteed clicks” program – where a business owner can pay in advance for clicks.

The Superpages Click Packages build traffic to your Business Profile by improving your placement on search results and expanding your reach. These bundles increase traffic to your business—they even guarantee a minimum number of clicks a month. You can choose from packages that deliver 25, 50, 75, or 100 average clicks per month depending upon your budget.

Be sure to claim your free local business search listing on Superpages today.

Guide to Local Business Search Mapquest

MapQuest is the original “online map” site. Now when you claim your business listing there when visitors search for the best way from here to there – they can find your business along the way!

Like many local business search listing sites, if your business has a business phone and has maintained a listing in the yellow pages – then you probably already have a free local business search listing with Mapquest.

Just as with other local business search listing sites, you must make sure that MapQuest has the correct information for your business location.  If you have multiple locations or if your site isn’t already listed, you can add a new listing .

Once you have claimed your business, it is time to enter in your basic company information such as your website URL, hours of operation, photos, and other essential information about your business.

Mapquest has announced that they are offering a free MapQuest Android App With voice-guided navigation.  That means more people gaining easy access to Mapquest via their smart phones – and more people using the site.

Mapquest has introduced a “gas finder” option  a way to find the best savings when you fill up your tank. Just enter your address and it provides a map of your area with the current gas prices listing from lowest to highest. The results stay updated to show you where to find the best pump everyday. You can also use the site to check out the highest and lowest gas price in the U.S. or take advantage of the gas price calculator.

As Mapquest adds more and more user friendly features to their site, they will continue to provide a valuable free local business search listing for your business.  This is why you should be sure to claim your free local business search listing at Mapquest.

Guide to Local Business Search Yahoo

Another prime local business search listing site where you should claim your free business listing is Yahoo.  Yahoo! is one of the leading search engines in the US and attracts over 100 million visitors each month.

Like many local business search listing sites, if your business has a business phone and has maintained a listing in the yellow pages – then you probably already have a free local business search listing with Yahoo! Local.

Your free business listing on Yahoo! Local allows you to display your address, phone number, and web site URL.

You can also list your business in up to 5 categories.  Yahoo! Local allows you to list products, services, brands and hours of operation with your free listing.

Like many free local business search listing sites – Yahoo! Local offers an upgraded “premium” service.  The premium listing service allows you to get everything offered with a free “basic” listing, but you can add logos, photos and a tagline.  You’ll also need to invest in the premium listing if you want to offer online coupons.  The Yahoo! Local  upgraded premium package also allows you to include a robust description of your products and services.

With over 100 milliion visitors per month, you’ll want to be sure to claim your free local business search listing at Yahoo! Local