by Christopher Boyle

NEW YORK, NY - In today’s hyper-competitive local business world, an entrepreneur isn’t just up against the other stores in his strip mall or companies housed within the same industrial park; he or she are literally competing with everyone within driving distance – and in some cases, the entire planet – thanks to a timely little invention known as the internet, which puts every need of today’s consumer virtually right at their fingertips thanks to online Yellow Page directories.

And while many consumers nowadays are using online Yellow Pages to find goods and services in a timely and effective manner, simply having a listing there isn’t enough to succeed anymore. Now you have to find a way to drive customers TO your Yellow Pages listing and/or business website, and that’s where something known as Local Search Engine Optimization – or SEO – comes in. It’s a tricky, unpredictable way to get noticed in today’s business world – Google is notoriously tight-lipped about what does and doesn’t work when it comes to their mysterious search algorithm – but if it’s done right, it’s worth the effort and then some, and this article will give you a few tips to get started; from there, you can either engage the services of a company that specializes in SEO, take a few online courses, or read a good book on SEO and get own hands dirty yourself.

Essentially, having your information included in internet-based directory listings is a great way to be discovered by potential customers who are looking for whatever services you may provide by going to a search engine – most likely Google – and typing a the topic or location and sifting through the results. Most people doing this will more often than not stick with the businesses provided to them on the very first page of results, so appearing there is vital to getting noticed. The more listings you’re a part of, the more improved your SEO ranking will be, and the more often you’ll appear in search engine results related to your field.

To start off, all of your listings online should always include the following bits of information: your company’s name, address (both physical and/or website), and phone number. Known as “citations,” it’s very important that information about your business is up-to-date when it comes to your Google rankings, as old and outdated information can cause your ranking to slip to unacceptable levels. In addition, in it’s also highly recommended to keep all of your information in synch across multiple listings, as discrepancies in addresses or phone numbers can confuse Google into thinking these are separate businesses, further tanking your ranking.

Making sure all of your links are working as well is key- if a customer finds your listing and clicks on a broken link in an attempt to get there, it’s unlikely that they would waste their time trying to find an alternate way to access your business; instead, they’ll just go and find one of your competitors who keep their links in proper working order.

Also, in every online listing you possess, it’s always best to include as much information about your business as possible; if they offer you room for details, such as how Yellow Pages Directory Inc., does - take advantage of it. If the option if available, you should always include the following tidbits about your company or shop:

• A description of your business and services
• Your location on Google Maps
• Your hours of business
• Photos and/or videos highlighting your business
• Blog posts pertaining to your field, with regular new additions of fresh content
• Links to your social media accounts
• A logo

Bear in mind that if maintaining listing across multiple websites sounds like a taxing and time-consuming affair when you take into consideration all of the other duties that come along with running a successful business, you can certainly hire companies to do it for you. There’s no shortage of them out there, although some are better than others; it pays to do some research and read some reviews on any company you may get involved with that offers SEO services.

I know it all sounds like a lot of work, but nowadays the business world is more competitive than ever, and if you’re not keeping up with your presence on the internet, you can rest assured that the other businesses in your field are, and they will reap the rewards for doing so. The internet is not only the future, but the present as well- take advantage and the customers will beat a path to your door.