| One of the oldest and most effective ways to | | | | |
| market yourself online is through local small | | | | PageRank is important for SEO purposes. |
| business directory listings. Small business | | | | Internet marketing pros all recommend getting |
| Internet marketing requires starting with a | | | | inbound links from websites with high PR. A |
| listing of your small business in the major | | | | website with a PR higher than yours will |
| general directories then listing them in | | | | benefit you with valuable inbound links that |
| niche and industry-specific directories | | | | will give you a boost in the search engines |
| appropriate to your small business. It is a | | | | as well. The age of the directory makes it |
| time consuming process to list your small | | | | more valuable because you know that if the |
| business in the right directories, but a | | | | directory has been around for more than two |
| necessary one to ensure good rankings for | | | | years then it will likely be around next |
| your website. | | | | year. You can get information on PageRank and |
| | | | the age of various directories at |
| The most essential directory for your small | | | | |
| business to be listed in is DMOZ, also called | | | | Don't waste your time trying to get listed in |
| the Open Directory Project. All the major | | | | a directory that doesn't offer a category |
| search engines, and most of the minor ones, | | | | you'll fit into. Be sure to browse the |
| rely on DMOZ, located at for information on | | | | categories at any small business directories |
| websites. Google gets information on every | | | | you consider before you list your business. |
| website it crawls from DMOZ. | | | | |
| | | | Two great sources for finding web directories |
| You should also list your small business in | | | | for your small business Internet marketing |
| Google Local and Yahoo Local. All you need to | | | | efforts are and The Best Web Directories |
| do to get listed with Google is to go to | | | | website is perhaps the most comprehensive |
| Google, click on the Local link and find the | | | | website for finding business directories |
| "add your business link." For Yahoo, go to | | | | online. If you want to find local customers |
| Yahoo, click on "Directory," then click on | | | | through small business directories then I |
| "Submit Your Site" at the bottom of the page. | | | | recommend these two resources for finding the |
| | | | best places online that list small business |
| You can find other directories online by | | | | directories for your Internet marketing |
| using Google or Yahoo. Type in "directory of | | | | efforts. |
| directories" and you'll get a list of small | | | | |
| business directories, both paid and free, | | | | One thing you'll need to keep in mind - all |
| listed by state, industry, niche, and other | | | | directories are different. Nevertheless, you |
| categorizations. I recommend that you list in | | | | should write your business directory listing |
| every directory that applies to your | | | | before you submit to any directories. Your |
| business. Here is a short list of local small | | | | local small business directory listing |
| business directory opportunities to help you | | | | shouldn't be too long, but it should include |
| attract local customers for your business: | | | | all the pertinent information: Your business |
| | | | name, your name, address, phone number, |
| Some directories, like the Yahoo directory, | | | | website address, e-mail address, and a short |
| charge, but it is well worth what you pay to | | | | description of your business. In your |
| be listed. Once you are included in Yahoo's | | | | business directory listing, be sure to use |
| small business directory, you can bet your | | | | the best keyword two or three times to make |
| website will be indexed in the search engine | | | | your small business listing optimized for the |
| as well. | | | | search engines. |
| | | | |
| There are three primary considerations for | | | | To find industry-specific or niche |
| your small business when listing in | | | | directories, go to DMOZ or one of the other |
| directories online: | | | | general directories and search for your |
| | | | industry by keyword. Then do a keyword search |
| The directory's PageRank | | | | at Google and Yahoo along with the keyword |
| | | | "directory." This should return a good |
| The directory's age | | | | listing of directories for your industry or |
| | | | niche. |
| Is your small business category available? | | | | |