BENEFITS OF ONLINE DIRECTORY ADVERTISING

Owning and running a business can be difficult in a challenging market.  

With so much at stake you will want to engage in marketing and advertising that is proven and effective to avoid wasting your time with activity that does not benefit your bottom line. This is where business directories, both online and in print can play a key role in your marketing plan.

Why business directories?

According to a recent study, when researching a product or company, 8 out of 10 people will use a directory. Of those who use directory searches, 8 out of 10 of them result in a purchase or intent to purchase.

Business directories are a great form of targeted advertising. When someone chooses to access a business directory they already have a specific need for your service or product. All you need to do is position your listing in the appropriate directory and design your entry so that catches the attention of your target customer before the competition grabs them.

Where online directories are concerned, it helps to select those with high traffic volume in your target market. MJ for example, within the marine sector, benefits from a high Google Page Rank (an algorithm that Google uses to determine the relevance and importance of a web page), which will enable your own listing to appear higher in Google Search Results, thus increasing the likelihood of the user finding your company.

For print directories, you should consider targeted directories and/or those pertaining to your particular niche market. In addition to this, actively look for advertising opportunities within the directory section to further enhance your own brand.

Are business directories profitable?

Maintaining your online listing or directory entry can bring a great ROI. A recent analytics study found that businesses who maintained their print directory listing saw an average of 20% in growth in a twelve-month period (70% of respondents reported year-on-year gains in call volume directly related to their directory ad). Those companies offering an ‘emergency’ service tend to gain the highest average increases. The same study also found that 36% of customers who made a purchase after responding to a directory listing were new to the company, never having used that business before.

Where online listings are concerned, 97% of consumers research a product or service online, looking at an average of 7.9 difference sources, including directories, before making a purchase decision. We all know that if we want to turn a prospect into a conversion, we need to remain front-of-mind to our potential customers, so that when they are ready to buy, they think of us before our competition. This view is reinforced by evidence that shows that brand recognition significantly increases conversion rates.

Choosing your online and print directories

It is not effective to just “spam” your business into every directory you can get your hand on. You still need to ensure you are choosing ones that will give you the biggest ROI, in line with your budget and business aims.

Top consideration should go to directories in your niche markets, where your potential customers will start their search for your services. It’s important to find the right mix of directories for your business.

Can online directory listings increase my web traffic?

Listing your company and company URL on online websites not only helps your ROI, but can also help your website appear higher in search results for certain terms. The more quality web pages that you can get your site listed or mentioned in, the more authoritative Google will begin to think your website is. When Google chooses where your webpage will appear in search results, Page Rank (the authority of the webpage) is one of the factors that can significantly increase your chances or being ranked first, or at least on the first page, for a particular search term or phrase.

What does my business need to do now?

Directory listings should form part of on-going marketing plans. First, look at your directory options based on your business niche and region. Look up your competitors to see where they are advertising and consider whether or not it makes sense for your business to have a presence in these directories too. Aim to stay front-of-mind to your customers as much as possible, but without appearing “spammy.”

It may take time to find the right mix of directories to advertise your business in. Putting in place an analytics or tracking system to see which directories are giving you the best return, either in click thrus to your site, in direct revenue, or in call volume is important in tracing activity. This could include using special tracking campaign links for online directories, or a unique phone numbers or URLs for print ads. Over time, by being consistent in monitoring activity, you will be able to find the best mix of print and online directories that perform well for your business.

Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that listing your company in a directory is not just a one-off project. It needs to be maintained, and your strategies adjusted based on what your competitors are doing, and based on your changing business goals. The best way to achieve this is to maintain regular communication with your key contact person within the company listing you in their directory. If they don’t know what you and your company want to achieve how can they help you in the most effective, timely way, within your budget? 

In summary, maintaining business directory listings as part of your marketing plan is a proven profitable business strategy for your business.

Advertising Your Business

Advertising your business to a specific targeted audience has many advantages. It provides the opportunity to brand build and enhance your business to the next level. Whilst there are several ways to advertise your business locally, one of the most effective is through an online directory. This method of advertising your business effective and gives a good ROI. It is important when considering your online directory presence that your business is listed in a top directory with direct access to your key markets.

Develop Brand Image
All successful business take advantage of brand management and image making. All markets have recently faced tough competition. Your competitors will be trying hard to make their company image the ‘go to’ brand for the products and services they offer. Why lag behind? Listing your company on an online directory, with direct links to your company name, address, photos, videos and news updates will keeping you at the forefront of your customer’s minds. The association with MJ, a trusted, reliable, market leader, will also reinforce your brand image, so that you can win the trust of your potential customers.

Enhance Your Business
Staying one step ahead of your competitors is vital in such a challenging business environment. 70% of the population now prefer online search channels for a particular service or product. The benefit of being listed in a directory is that you are able to select the key search criteria to suit your business and each your target audience. If you aren’t out there, how will they know where to find you? With a directory listing, many more potential clients can be exposed to your business when you take advantage of being listed under key categories, according to your company’s speciality. This makes your directory listing more accurate and targeted. One of the key benefits of listing your company with MJ is the excellent opportunity this gives for search engine optimization via a direct link with your own website. This strengthens your presence and the possibility of increasing the number of visits to your website.

Cost Effective Advertising Publicity
There are several local advertising sources available to choose from, but among them online directory advertising has proven to be the most cost effective, especially for those with a small budget. Maintenance is minimal and long lasting support is provided whilst your entry is active.