You chaps and dames in the UK may drive on the wrong side of the road and confuse beer with cocoa (only one of which should be served warm!), but at least the challenge of getting a business visible in Google Places is the same across the pond as it is here in the States.
OK, fine, so maybe even the Google Places / local-search-visibility puzzle is different in the UK from how it is here. That is, you need to list your business on different third-party sites in order to get maximum local visibility (which isn’t news to you).
The first step, of course, is to know what those third-party sites are.
Enough of me mates have asked me to cough up my list of UK local-search citation sources. It’s about bloody time I do so.
Here’s the full monty:
(extra-important sites in bold)
118Information.co.uk (www.my118information.co.uk/Search.aspx)
AgentLocal.co.uk (www.agentlocal.co.uk/add-business)
ApprovedBusiness.co.uk (www.approvedbusiness.co.uk/register.aspx)
BizWiki.co.uk (www.bizwiki.co.uk/write.htm)
Britaine.co.uk (www.britaine.co.uk/post-business)
BTLinks.com (www.btlinks.com/advertise.htm)
BusinessNetwork.co.uk (businessnetwork.co.uk/register/)
City-Listings.co.uk (www.city-listings.co.uk/add_listing/service)
City-Visitor.com (add listing from homepage)
CityLocal.co.uk (www.citylocal.co.uk/changelocation-all.php?type=business)
CompaniesintheUK.co.uk (www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/AddCompany/AddCompany)
Cylex-UK.co.uk (http://admin.cylex-uk.co.uk/firma_default.aspx?step=0&d=cylex-uk.co.uk)
FreeBD.co.uk (www.freebd.co.uk/account/?create)
FreeIndex.co.uk (www.freeindex.co.uk/myfreeindex(display-details).htm)
Fyple.co.uk (www.fyple.co.uk/add-business/)
GoMy.co.uk (www.gomy.co.uk/signup/faccountinfo)
HotFrog.co.uk (www.hotfrog.co.uk/AddYourBusiness.aspx)
It2.biz (http://it2.biz/d/Advertise)
Local.TrueKnowledge.com (http://local.trueknowledge.com/add_business/)
LocalDataCompany.com (www.localdatasearch.com/edit-business.php)
LocalDataSearch.com (www.localdatasearch.com/edit-business.php)
LocalMole.co.uk (www.business.localmole.co.uk/enquiry)
LocalLife.co.uk (pick a city, then find the “Add” button in the top-right)
LocaTrade.com (www.locatrade.com/business.php)
Manta.com (www.manta.com/world/Europe/United+Kingdom/)
MarketLocation.com (www.marketlocation.com/data.php)
MiQuando.com (www.miquando.com/ServiceProvider/ServiceProviderRegistration)
MisterWhat.co.uk (www.misterwhat.co.uk/content/add-company)
MySheriff.co.uk (www.mysheriff.co.uk/users/)
Opendi.co.uk (www.opendi.co.uk/entry/add/step-1.html)
Qype.co.uk (www.qype.co.uk/business_users/find?qlb_path=HeaderB1)
Recommendedin.co.uk (www.recommendedin.co.uk/for-businesses/register/)
Scoot.co.uk (www.scoot.co.uk/advertise/free-listing.html)
SmileLocal.com (www.smilelocal.com/get_listed.php)
TheBestof.co.uk (add listing from homepage)
TheDirectTree.com (www.thedirecttree.com/the-direct-tree/free-premium-listing)
TheDiscDirectory.co.uk (www.workingfeedback.co.uk/the-disc-directory-new-listing-request/)
ThomsonLocal.com (www.thomsonlocal.com/free-listing.aspx)
Tipped.co.uk (www.tipped.co.uk/login)
TouchLocal.com (www.touchlocal.com/add-listing)
UFindUs.com (www.ufindus.com/get_on_ufindus.php)
UK.Uhuw.com (www.uk.uhuw.com/logon?ReturnUrl=%2faddbusiness)
UK.WowCity.com (www.uk.wowcity.com/login_register.php)
UK-Local-Search.co.uk (www.uk-local-search.co.uk/add-listing.aspx)
UK-Locate.co.uk (www.uk-locate.co.uk/business/add-business/)
UKSmallBusinessDirectory.co.uk (www.uksmallbusinessdirectory.co.uk/advertising/free.asp)
Wampit.com (www.wampit.com/individual_register.aspx)
WheresBest.co.uk (www.wheresbest.co.uk/suggest-or-edit-business.php)
WhoseView.co.uk (www.whoseview.co.uk/claim-your-business-1.html)
Yalwa.co.uk (www.yalwa.co.uk/post/)
Yell.com (www.yell.com/free-listing/)
Yelp.co.uk (www.biz.yelp.co.uk/)
Zettai.net (www.zettai.net/Add/add.php)
Now comes the fun part: listing your business on all the above sites. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, links to the “Add business” pages are on the right, so at least you don’t have to hunt around for them.
I’ve added all of the sites to my Definitive List of Local Search Citations as well—where they mingle with their Yank counterparts.
Last but not least, credit goes to David Mihm for listing a number of these sites in a great blog post he did a few years ago on top UK citation sources.
I’m sure I’ve missed quite a few, so please leave a comment if you have any sites to suggest.
Cheers!
Hi Phil
Truly appreciate the extent of your selfless sharing of valuable information. This will save me hours of work trying to find UK citation sites when I set up my own UK entity . Highlighting the main ones are even more of a godsend. Many, many thanks again for all your insights.
Capital effort old boy
All the very best to you and yours over the the festive season.
Warmly
JasRoy
@JasRoy,
Not a problem, mate! Thanks for your compliments. I tend to compile lists like this for my own purposes and clients anyway, so simply posting one isn’t too much work.
I’d be interested in any of your suggestions for other sites or for how to improve the current list.
Hope you and yours have a great Holiday season, too!
One of the fastest growing business directories is Wampit.com now in UK, USA, AU, EU and CA
They include video and your twitter feed for free in their listings
Looks good; I’ve added Wampit. Thanks for the tip!
Useful list! From time to time we get down to see what kind of online business directories are out there, draw a table and analyze statistics a bit.
http://cylexuk.blogspot.com/2011/11/online-business-directories-in-2011.html
Hey, thanks for the compliments! That’s a very handy table you’ve created.
Thomsonlocal.com is one of the best local business directories too, and it has free listing feature.
Thanks for the intel – I’ve actually got that one on the list, in bold.
Cheers!
Thanks for providing such comprehensive information about best known business directories in UK. This page will really help entrepreneurs at UK to promote their business.
Thanks, mate!
Wow… This list is amazing. It helps me alot with my business! Thank you for sharing!
My pleasure!
Thanks awfully for the above list old chap, it will be a great help in my new business venture.
Cheers, Mark.
P.S. We have cold beer over here as well you know, in fact I am off for a swift one now
Thanks for the compliments, Mark old boy!
There’s some fantastic info on UK citations here as well:
http://www.ngsmarketing.com/local-citation-building-study-part-4-local-business-directories-around-the-world-canada-uk/
Yes, I know there are some bastions of cold beer across the pond. Even though it’s morning here in the States, I sure could use a cold one or three right about now (it’s a scorcher today)
Great list Phil. Thanks for sharing it.
No problem, Chris!
This is an excellent list Phil, thanks a lot for sharing. There’s quite a few I didn’t have in mine.
Any time, Ian! Thanks for the compliments.
Hi
The BEST list i have found by far! Thanks for saving me alot of hard work. Another good site to add to your list is freebd – http://www.freebd.co.uk.
Thanks
Thanks, Carl! I’ve just added that one.
This awesome list of UK citation sites will help us easily be find by our customers. Thank you for the list Phil. I would also like to thank those who suggested some links.
-Jorge
Thanks for the feedback, Jorge!
Hi!
I think it would be great to also add the Yalwa Business Directory UK http://www.yalwa.co.uk/ to your list. We’re a fairly new website but we’ve got fantastic customer support.
Thanks for the tip! I’ve added it to the list for UK citations and to the Definitive Citations List as well (I had it for the US and Australia already).
Hi! Is it alright to ask for the link to also be included beside the directory name?
Thank you very much by the way for including Yalwa. I think the Definitive Citations List would be better if the sites mentioned are clickable too, like this one.
Actually, not having each site hyperlinked was intentional on my part: it doesn’t save a significant amount of time for a business owner who’s working off of the list, and if I had 400+ links on one page it would look an awful lot like a link farm to Google. But thanks for the feedback (I’m always trying to make the citations list better.)
Hi again! Yes I understand.
For this article could you also include our link for Yalwa? Our directory is the only one without a link. Please? I would really appreciate it.
Ah, yes, I forgot (between this and the Definitive Citations List, I got my wired crossed). Done! Thanks for reminding me.
Thank you very much! Wishing you a great weekend.
Brilliant work, hugely valuable, thank you very much.
Please kindly check out http://www.recommendedin.co.uk
It’s still in Beta phase, but a free local directory all the same.
Added! I put it on the Definitive Citations List as well. Thanks for putting together a really nice-looking site, Geoff.
Thank you very much Phil. Keep up the great work. Hopefully we’ll get to chat more soon.
Thank you very much Phil! I create a new business directory – your opinion please! http://what-is-business.co.uk/
Hi Dorelini,
Thanks for the tip! I’m a bit unclear on the criteria for inclusion: obviously, if a business uses phony or spammy info then it shouldn’t be included, but otherwise is it open to any UK business?
Another good free local business directory is called Miquando – http://www.miquando.com. Has a free (and paide for version) of nline diary and booking system built in too
Looks good – added. Thanks!