5 High-Value Directory & Listing Sites to Target Now

Is your company visible enough?

If it’s not featured on the Web’s highest-value directories and listing sites, the answer is probably no.

Yes, it’s important to have a polished corporate LinkedIn page, a thriving YouTube channel, a lively Facebook community and an active Twitter handle. But social media only gets you so far. Here’s a look at five business-friendly directory sites and general-purpose listing platforms, with succinct arguments for why each is worth your time.

1. Crunchbase

Crunchbase is a techy clearinghouse for information about startups, established enterprises, and every type of company in between — plus founders, funders, and more. Whether you’re prepping for a new funding round, looking for a strategic partner, hiring for the next round of growth, or all of the above, Crunchbase confers crucial visibility with the people who matter most to your plans.

2. Wikipedia

If Crunchbase is a general-purpose platform for tech companies and their backers, Wikipedia is a general-purpose platform for, well, just about everything. (Including tech companies and their backers.) Wikipedia’s encyclopedia-style listings boost up-and-coming companies’ performance in Google’s search results, conferring no small measure of credibility.

3. Angel.co

Angel.co bills itself as a platform where “the world meets startups.” But you don’t have to be green around the ears to benefit from a listing here. Like Crunchbase, Angel.co is popular with investors, advisors, and others who’ve made it their mission to give growing companies a leg up. And, like Wikipedia, it has very high domain authority — catnip for search engines.

4. Better Business Bureau

Whether you know it, your company probably has a Better Business Bureau listing.

Never seen it? Then it’s probably unclaimed. Fortunately, claiming your BBB listing (or review, as it’s known locally) is a pretty straightforward affair. Here’s how to do it.

Once you’ve claimed your BBB review, you can update and customize your company’s contact information, edit your service hours, expand or shrink your service area, and more. You’ll also have access to customer reviews that may or may not reflect poorly on your company — and the opportunity to address them directly with those affected.

Like the other properties on this list, BBB’s search visibility is off the charts. It’s may well be your first hit after your corporate website and social profiles. Protect it accordingly.

5. Yelp

Yelp isn’t just for restaurants anymore. It’s a clearinghouse for a stunning variety of customer-facing businesses, from local professionals to national service providers with multiple locations and household name status. Like BBB, Yelp makes it easy to claim your business listing. Plus, its mobile app is among the country’s most popular — a huge help for vendors that do a brisk walk-in trade.

Where Are You Listed?

Get listed on these five high-traffic sites and you’ll be well on your way to better corporate visibility. But it’s still a long way from there to true household name status. (Yes, it’s possible. No, one viral post won’t do the trick.) Turning your company into a true top-of-mind powerhouse takes time and diligence. On the way up, it helps to keep your expectations in check.