by Nick Stamoulis, Brick Marketing

If you own or manage a business, you are constantly looking for ways to maximize the marketing power of your business without spending a fortune on advertising. Local online directories are an effective and inexpensive way for potential clients to find you on the Internet and may be the most cost-effective marketing there is. The salient point of online advertising is for your site to get noticed and for viewers to visit your site so that they’ll be inclined to send their business your way!

What are Directories?

Directories are searchable databases where businesses of all kinds are organized into categories so web users can find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. Listings are organized in a number of ways which include alphabetical, type of business, business location, and more. In a way, they’re analogous to the old Yellow Pages but with a lot more functionality and the ability to send viewers directly to your site.

Paid or Free Listing?

Most directories will list your business for free and you should certainly take advantage of this but to get the most out of local online marketing, you should consider upgrading your listing to one of their premium options. If you’re thinking, ”Why should I pay for a listing when I can get it for free?”, remember the goal is to get noticed by potential customers and anything that enhances your online profile will increase your chances of attracting customers to your site.

The premium services vary in price and listing options depending on the directory so you’ll have to look at each directory separately to determine which services are worth investing in. On average, premium services:

• Move your businesses’ name to the top of a list.
• Give you more visibility by letting you add features like pictures, bolded text, borders, logos, and sometimes animations to your listing.
• Place your listing on a separate part of the page where it stands out.

Before making any decisions about premium services, like any other investment, do some looking around the directory first to see if what you’ll get is worth the additional expense. Also look around your community and see how well the directory promotes itself. The more effectively they promote their listings in your area, the more bang you’ll get for your online advertising buck!

About the Author: Nick Stamoulis is the President of Brick Marketing Website Magazine's “Local Thursdays” weekly contributor.