Local-search Services: Getlisted.org

Getlisted.org is a portal that aggregates several leading local-search sites into one convenient interface. Plug in the name of your business and your ZIP code, and Getlisted.org will check the status of your listings on Google, Yelp, Bing, Yahoo, and Best of the Web and give you a score for completeness. It also supplies links you can follow to add your business listing to those sites’ local directories or to edit your existing listings.

You can register with Getlisted.org to get a user account (called a “LocalDashboard™”) that will track your local-directory listings. The site also provides a “Resource Center” page with a handful of articles on topics related to local search and a page called “Enhance Your Listing,” which provides links to even more free and paid directories.

You could go nuts trying to cover all the bases in local-search listings. My advice is to start with Google, Yahoo, and Bing if your business is primarily providing business or personal services in clients’ homes or offices. If your business is anchored in a specific location—that is, if you sell a product or service from a storefront or an office with regular foot traffic—then you should also make sure to get yourself listed with Yelp.

If you’ve used Getlisted.org, I’d appreciate hearing about your experiences in the comment area below, or send me e‑mail.