Directory Submissions
Once upon a time, digital marketers would make endless directory submissions for their organisations on the basis that more backlinks = improved rankings. Thankfully, those days are long gone and Google now rewards people-focused content and links from authoritative sources over copy written for search engines and thousands of low-quality links.
So is it even worth making directory submissions these days? We take a deep dive into whether local directory submissions will help or hinder your SEO efforts.
What is the goal of local SEO?
Local SEO is all about establishing visibility for a business in local searches, with the aim of making it into the Local Map Pack and/or the top organic search results. So if a consumer is searching for the term ‘accounting firm in Canterbury’, the aim would be to have your firm appearing within the list of accounting firms that appears below the map, or in the results immediately beneath.
In order to do this, local businesses need to prove to the search engines that:
- Their physical location relates to the area searched in (in the above example the offices would need to be in Canterbury)
- Their services match those being sought
- They are an authoritative content source and can answer customer questions
How do local directories fit into this?
By their nature, local directories enable businesses to address all three of the above factors. That said, not all directories are created equal. So while local directory submissions are still necessary for local SEO, that’s not a green light to submit details of your business to every last directory available.
When making directory submissions, there are some best practices to follow, as well as some tools that can make the whole process of submission and maintenance easier. Let’s take a look at these now.
Local presence and consistency
Hopefully it goes without saying that if your accountancy firm wants to rank well for a particular location, it should be able to prove that it exists within that area. The physical address details should feature on both your website and Google Business Profile, and the website can be tagged with local business schema to make it simple for search engines to find and index.
Including a map on the ‘contact us’ page will also help to verify location, while adding geographic details into title tags and headings can reinforce the local aspect of the business.
Of course, wherever address details, contact numbers and web URLs appear – be it on the company’s website, its Google Business Profile or in local directories – it’s key that they remain consistent. This means that if you move office or undergo a rebrand where the firm’s name changes, it’s vital to update all your directory listings as well as the website and Google Business Profile.
Local relevance
In order to establish local relevance effectively, it’s essential to choose the right directories and appropriate categories for your listings. The categorisation should be fairly straightforward: if you’re offering accountancy and bookkeeping services, that’s the category you need to appear under. So which directories should you look to put listings into?
The first type is directories such as Yell, 192.com, and Yelp, which list businesses from around the world and hold details of millions of companies across the UK. Most offer a free option, but then charge a fee if you want to add more detail or boost your visibility. Get in touch with a rep from the directory for an estimate on how much traffic a paid listing is likely to deliver before paying for one.
The second type of directory to submit to is the industry-specific kind. These might include local-accountants-uk.co.uk or accountsportal.com. If your firm is part of ACCA, ensure you’re listed in their directory.
The third type is location-specific. You might, for example, list with the Kent Business Directory, affiliated with KM Kent Online, or Bizzy Kent.
Submitting to the above types of directory will help to show the search engines that your services can be easily found locally, and that it has relevance to your local community.
Local authority
Gaining authority takes a little more time and effort. In order to prove your business delivers the expertise consumers require, you’ll need to create content and collect reviews from clients. These activities should ideally be a standard part of your digital marketing, but sharing links to your content on your Google Business Profile (and any other directories that enable it) helps to boost your authority.
Many directories offer the opportunity for users to leave reviews, and while reviews left on Google are preferred for obvious reasons, the search engines do recognise the value of reviews left elsewhere. As such, don’t be shy about asking clients to leave their feedback. Of course, any comments left have the additional purpose of helping potential customers decide whether yours is the right firm for their needs.
Tools for managing listings
The chances are you’re going to put your accountancy firm on more than one or two directories. And instead of logging into each and updating manually, there’s a much quicker way to maintain your listings.
Paid services such as Uberall, Semrush and Yext enable you to centrally manage the data and content for multiple locations, as well as mapping services like Google Business and Facebook. Some even offer social account management, making the whole process much simpler.
Get support for your local SEO
Most business owners know that success requires its fair share of graft, and if you simply don’t have the time to optimise your local SEO, why not enlist the help of a professional? Here at Whitefish Marketing, we specialise in marketing strategies for accounting firms, providing a host of SEO services for accountants, including local SEO, keyword and competitor research, UX optimisation and more.
Get in touch with us today to learn about how we can support your accountancy marketing efforts.
