With the advent of blended search results, local listings are more important than ever. Here's how to get your business listed in the major local search engines.
Google’s local search results are available at http://local.google.com. You can submit a free listing by logging in here: https://www.google.com/local/add/login?hl=en_US, but first you’ll need a Google account, which you can get here: https://www.google.com/local/add/login?hl=en_US.
Yahoo!
Yahoo!’s local search results are available at http://local.yahoo.com. Local listings are free, but listing enhancements can be purchased for up to $25/month. You can submit your local listing here: http://listings.local.yahoo.com/.
MSN
> View MSN Live Search Maps: http://maps.live.com/
> Add a new listing at the Local Listing Center (click on "Add a Listing" at the bottom).
Ask
Ask’s local listings (available at http://local.ask.com) are partnered with Citysearch.com. You can choose from a comprehensive menu of paid Citysearch listings, which run the gamut from small ads to detailed profile pages. Pay-per-call advertising options are available, too. Learn more and sign up here: https://selfenroll.citysearch.com/
Yelp
Yelp is an online city guide made up of user-generated reviews. A listing here is most appropriate for consumer-oriented brick-and-mortar businesses, but could be used for any business.
> Read the Yelp business owners guide
> To add a listing, first perform a search for your business name & location. If no results come up, you will see a large, red "Add Business" button on the page. You will need to sign up for a free Yelp account.
Citysearch
If your business is not already listed in Citysearch, you can pay a monthly fee for a listing here: https://selfenroll.citysearch.com/newpackage.do
A listing on insiderpages (which is owned by Citysearch) will feed through to Citysearch.com. You can add your listing for free here; http://www.insiderpages.com/advertiser
AOL
AOL local is powered by InfoUSA and YellowPages.com. You can add your business listing to InfoUSA here.
Localeze
This used to be the site that fed into MSN local search. Now, it feeds into Dexknows.com, and 44 other search sites, according to their about us page. And - it's free! Add your business listing here.
YellowPages.com
Yellowpages.com does offer a free listing. {Ed. note: Two free listings I created months ago are still in "pending" status.} Enter your zip code here: http://store.yellowpages.com/router/?_load=1&za=pz and follow the instructions to register and create your listing. You can also update an existing listing by clicking on the "Improve this listing" link on a business details page.
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last updated 4.23.2008
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