When someone looks for a local business, Google isn’t the only place they look. They check Apple Maps, ask Siri, scroll Facebook, read Yelp reviews or ask an AI assistant for a recommendation. Every one of those places pulls information about your business from somewhere, and if it’s missing or wrong, you lose the customer.
Business listings (often called citations) also help you rank. Google cross-checks your name, address and phone number across the web, and consistent listings tell it your business is real, established and exactly where you say it is. Here are the places your business should be listed, starting with the ones that matter most.
The must-haves
1. Google Business Profile
This is the most important listing you have. It controls how you appear in Google Search and Google Maps, including the map results at the top of local searches. Claim it, verify it and fill out every field. (Here’s how to get the most out of your Google Business Profile.)
2. Apple Business Connect
Apple Business Connect controls how your business shows up in Apple Maps, Siri and other Apple apps. Anyone with an iPhone who asks Siri for a business or searches Apple Maps sees this information, so it’s worth the few minutes to claim it.
3. Bing Places for Business
Bing has a smaller share of searches than Google, but its business data feeds more places than most people realize, including some AI search tools. Bing Places can import your details straight from your Google Business Profile, which makes setup quick.
4. Facebook
Plenty of people still look a business up on Facebook to check hours, photos, reviews and whether it’s active. Keep your business page’s contact details, hours and address matching your Google profile, and post at least occasionally so it doesn’t look abandoned.
5. Yelp
Even if you never use it yourself, Yelp shows up in search results for many local businesses and its data is shared with other apps. Claim your listing so you control the details and can respond to reviews.
Strongly recommended
- Better Business Bureau (BBB): a trusted name for many customers, especially for contractors and home services. A free listing is available even without accreditation.
- Your local chamber of commerce: a credible local listing and often a link back to your website. If you’re a member, make sure your directory entry is complete.
- Nextdoor: neighbors recommend businesses to each other here every day, and a business page lets you show up in those conversations.
- Instagram and LinkedIn: not directories, but they’re where many people check you out. Keep the business name, website and contact info consistent.
Industry-specific directories
Some of your best listings depend on what you do. Customers in your industry already know where to look, so be there:
- Contractors and home services: Angi, Houzz, HomeAdvisor and Thumbtack
- Medical and dental: Healthgrades, Zocdoc and your insurance networks’ directories
- Legal: Avvo, Justia and your state bar directory
- Restaurants: Tripadvisor, OpenTable and the delivery apps you use
- Churches: denominational directories and local church finders
How to set up a listing the right way
Where you’re listed matters, but consistency matters more. A listing with an old phone number or a slightly different business name can do more harm than good. For every listing:
- Use the exact same business name, address and phone number everywhere, down to abbreviations like “St.” versus “Street.”
- Link to your website, ideally the most relevant page.
- Choose the same main category you use on Google.
- Add your hours, a short description and a few real photos.
- Write down every login so you can update them all when something changes.
Clean up what’s already out there
If your business has been around a while, there are probably old or duplicate listings floating around: a previous address, an old phone number, a listing someone else created. Search for your business name and phone number, then claim and correct what you find, or ask the site to remove duplicates. Cleaning up bad listings is often worth as much as adding new ones.
Let us handle it
Setting up and maintaining listings is tedious, which is why most businesses never finish the job. Every one of our local SEO plans includes listings on 10 major platforms and 10 directory citations, kept consistent with your Google Business Profile.
Frequently asked questions
Do business listings help with SEO?
Yes. Consistent listings across trusted sites help Google confirm your business details, which supports your local rankings, especially in the map results. (More on that in how to show up in the Google map pack.)
How many directories should my business be listed in?
Quality beats quantity. Start with the must-haves above, add the ones that matter for your industry and town, and keep them all accurate. Dozens of low-quality directories won’t help.
What if my business doesn’t have a public address?
Most major platforms let service-area businesses hide their address and list the areas they serve instead. Use the same approach everywhere so your listings stay consistent.
Want help getting found? See our local SEO services, or request a free audit and we’ll show you what to fix first.