There was a time when it was not questioned. If you wanted to get serious networking results and reach new customers, you had to be listed in an online business directory. Of course, those days were a long time ago and as the popularity of the internet has grown, the popularity of online business directories seems to have fallen in equal proportion. These days the more popular and effective choice may appear to be SEO/SEM, but the truth is that there are still a lot of benefits that you can get from being listed in “old-fashioned” online business directories.

Let’s take a look at five top reasons why online directories are still worth your time.

1: Attract Additional Traffic to Your Site

While it is true that the boom in popularity among online business directories has died down, there are still a large number of professionals who prefer them as a networking source. Compared to traditional CTR advertisement business directory listings are able to provide you with a method of customer generation that is highly focused and at the same time provides both a direct and indirect traffic flow. Ok, so that sounds kind of complicated, but let’s put it this way: Traditional customer exposure methods are great, but online directories can supplement them by not only providing a direct exposure method but an indirect one as well. Even more simply put, you get more potential leads that are looking for someone just like you.

2: Improve Your Website Visibility

OK, so getting a lot of new viewers to your website is great and all, but what good is it if the people who are seeing your ads aren’t interested in what you are offering. While some other methods such as Facebook and Google can help to narrow your audience exposure they are still not as good at doing that as online business directories. The folks who are looking in these directories are actively looking for someone just like you. This means that the traffic that is being directed toward your site is not just higher in volume, but they are interested parties that are ready to make a connection.

3: Find New Potential Partners and Investors

Online directories have long been a way for those who are looking for professionals to partner with, or for those who have capital that they want to invest, to make connections. Many times, a directory is the first place that they will turn to in order to get a listing of potential contacts in the area and the field that they are wanting to do business. If you are listed in an online business directory you have a much better chance of having such an opportunity present itself than those who are not.

4: Make Yourself More Easily Accessible

So…you run a local business and you want to get more local customers. While you may think that the internet is your best option, you would be wrong. The truth is that most local customers still turn to local online business directories when they are searching for a service provider to fulfill their needs. Think of it this way: The internet is huge, like a gazillion people huge, and if fifteen thousand people are looking for cat groomers in Memphis, then they will see cat groomers in Memphis, TN, Memphis, MS, Memphis, TX, and even Memphis, ON, Canada. If, however, someone looks up a local business directory online for pet care providers which is focused on Memphis, TN, and searches for cat groomers — they see you and you alone. Which method would you rather spend your main focus on?

5: Local Customers Will Learn About Your Business

People don’t want to spend a lot of time searching through websites or search engine listings to learn about a business. They just want to get the quick facts about a business to make a decision. An online business listing is great for this. Basic information like, name, address, phone number, specialties, mission statement, and reviews are presented in an easily digestible format that customers can read quickly. The easier it is for potentials to understand who you are, what you do, and how they can get ahold of you, the easier it is for them to make a decision as to whether to choose you to fulfill their needs.

These are just a few of the great reasons why you should still be devoting your time to online business directories. While other marketing methods may be newer and flashier, the truth is that good old-fashioned directories are still a highly important part of the business marketing toolkit.