Why Should Your Business Have a Link in a Business Directory

If you have a website you must be aware that people search for terms on Google and Google will serve relevant pages for that search. You are most likely aware that most businesses aim to reach first page on Google and keep that position for their rankings.

To get your site first on Google you would need to do something called SEO or Search Engine Optimization. Now if you are on the internet for a long time, this may seem to you as pretty simple stuff, but if you are new to these terms then you may want to read this to understand the second reason why your directory listing should have a link to your website.

In SEO there is something called backlinks. This means that other websites have a link to your website. If you place a directory listing on a business directory for example with a link back to your website, this link will be calculated by Google algorithm as a backlink.

Google will give importance to a website depending on how many links a website has. Google will serve on the first page of the search websites that have more backlinks.

Now, this is an extremely simplified version of what is a very complex subject. That backlinks are not the only thing that counts, but it is a big part of the algorithm that Google has. Therefore, backlinks count and for this second reason many directories actually do not offer free listing with link to the website.
As they know that backlinks are important to rank on Google and also important to drive targeted traffic to your website to convert a client, some highly ranked or very targeted directories will charge for a listing with a link because they know they are giving a valuable service.

Savvy business owners that have become aware of SEO and are marketing savvy will always choose a paid listing that has their website rather than a free listing that won't give them traffic nor will it give them a backlink to their website to count for the SEO effort.

Now you know the second reason that many business owners use business directory listings. Many savvy internet marketers will pay for a listing. Some even swear that the best listing on the internet in terms of directory is the Yahoo directory. However the Yahoo directory charges US$299 per year, that is a huge amount in Rands and some South African businesses do list in the Yahoo directory. Not even to mention their strict listing policy that you could pay the $299 and if you don't meet the guidelines you won't get listed and they won't give you your money back.

Since Yahoo business directory is fairly expensive for most small South African businesses there are many more directories that South African can choose from that have a low cost to get backlinks and also potential customers to your website.