Creating Local Listings for Small Business Clients - Verifying if phone call is only verification option? Are directory submission services worth it?

[RustySmith]

I'm relatively new to local SEO --- I do a lot of local websites for small businesses (restaurants, bars, hotels, attorneys, dentists) in my area and thought it would make sense to include basic local SEO work with my websites. I have a couple of questions about adding my client's businesses to local business directories...

I've started by adding each business to Google, Bing, and Yahoo business listings. I verified these listings with the postcard option which my clients then email to me.

I've started adding them to additional directories but have found that many local directories require a phone call to the business to verify it (no other options). How do most SEO companies handle this? Do I ask them to forward their phone to mine for a night?

Does it make sense to do local directory submission by hand? I created a spreadsheet for each company and keep track of each directory I submit to (the directory name, verification status, and username & password). I looked at services like Yext but doubt they are as thorough as doing it by hand?

Any other advice on local business directory submission would greatly be appreciated. Thanks.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Rusty,

That's great that you're considering amassing the skills you need to begin offering Local SEO to clients. It's a huge, ever-changing form or marketing that requires on-going study. If Local SEO is new to you, I recommend you access the following free resources to kick of your learning process on steady feet:

First and foremost, study the Google Places Quality Guidelines, here:

https://support.google.com/places/answer/107528?hl=en

Here is a recent Moz post I wrote which takes the Top 20 Local Search Ranking Factors and illustrates each:

Top 20 Local Search Ranking Factors - An Illustrated Guide

The above post features ranking factors that are deemed to be most important by the annual Local Search Ranking Factors Survey which is the premiere annual survey in the Local Search industry and must-read stuff for every aspiring Local SEO.

Here is my post on the psychological mindset behind a strong, good Local SEO campaign:

The Zen of Local SEO

And another on the more technical tenets of a Local SEO/SEM campaign:

The Rudiments of Local SEO

As you are also working on the design end of things, I recommend your read Matthew Hunt's article on local on-page optimization:

How To Do Onpage Optimization for Local SEO – The “Perfectly Optimized Local Page” ExampleAnd here's a great one from Darren Shaw on the art of citation building:How To Identify Quality Citations SourcesThere are many other great, free learning resources out there, but I've highlighted here some that will get at the heart of basic good practices for you.Moving along to the specifics of your question: directory submissions - called 'citations' in Local SEO - are one of the key components of any local search marketing campaign. Citations must feature completely consistent data about the business and follow all guidelines for each given platform. Where phone verification is necessary, the best thing to do is to alert your client that he must be ready to answer his phone within a given time window. Do not attempt to redirect the phone number as redirecting numbers are against Google's guidelines (linked to above) and could cause major NAP consistency issues for your client.You can choose to build citations manually. This is often the best way to go. On an agency level, however, you may be so busy that your clients' needs will best be served by you using a third party resource. Yext is such a service. I personally recommend WhiteSpark's service, which is conducted manually and is very highly thought of in the industry. Here's a link:https://www.whitespark.ca/citation-building-submission-serviceIf you do choose to hire a citation building service, be absolutely sure that you are carefully researching your options. Some work better than others and some have known problems. Thankfully, there are various option to choose from!One last tip: success as a Local SEO often depends heavily on knowing what NOT to do, as well as what to do. Studying guidelines and making daily reading of top Local SEO blogs part of your job is going to be a smart way to get started. In this industry, one never stops studying and learning, and changes happen overnight on a regular basis. Exciting stuff!Good luck and happy reading!