Hi Guys,

 

www.homedecorhull.com

So recently I've been updating directories so that they all read the same Home Decor Hull Limited - address, opening times etc. We took over the company from Home Decor Wallpapers in OCT15 so we still need to work our way through a lot yet.

 

I've had Yell, Yelp and Scoot offer services to fix all directories (500+) so that they all read the same - good for SEO right?

 

I'm just really apprehensive about this as I'm aware if we're on sites that have no relevance then it will have a negative effect on our SEO and I don't want to be paying £20 a month + for that.

 

So I'm wondering has anybody used these services before and are they worth the money?

 

Thank you in advance

They do NOT all want to be the same - that's the worst thing you can do.

 

The descriptions should vary as should any anchor text. Or just forget all about the directories. Google junked most of them a few years back so any links you have will be pretty much worthless.

Well when I say the same, I'm talking same business name, address and phone number + web address.

 

You say google doesn't use that for ranking any more? I thought good links like main directories still help SEO - Like 118, yelp. yell, scoot etc...! Its only bad links to poor sites that have nothing to do with your business are bad? like those websites that just have adverts on?

 

Still learning so appreciate your information

Personally I doubt we'll get any traffic from these directories but isn't important to be on them anyway?

 

Yell, Yelp and other well known networks?

 

Thanks again

No, its not worth being on those directories. Some (most) of them may even be hurting your ranking.

 

I'd just let them be and wait for them to die a natural death. I certainly wouldn't pay any of them for any sort of listing

Thanks Fisicx,

 

learning a lot, not done this stuff for years and only brought into the mix as my mum bought out the shop (Family help to make it successful)

This link building stuff is bloody confusing.

 

Seems I need to link in with our suppliers for backlinks (though their traffic seems pretty low), maybe link in with builder and decorators (though thats not great as many of them don't have great websites etc) - Its easy to link with these companies via social media but online its a bit more difficult.

 

We're getting organic links to the site through google and a few directories but I want more lol.

 

I don't expect to compete with the main dealerships - ILoveWallpaper is one of them but I want our website up there in the search results so optimising where I can.

 

Thanks,

Onsite optimisation is the answer. The site needs lots of it.

 

On this page for example http://www.homedecorhull.com/wallpaper/cracked-slate-effect-wallpaper the title is 'Cracked Slate - Home Decor' and the H1 is 'Cracked Slate' google won't even consider that page to be for wallpaper so won't rank it for wallpaper.

 

But even if you fully optimise the whole site you are still going to need thousands of inbound links to compete with the big sites. Forget your suppliers and local builders and decorators, any links you get from these will count for nothing.unless there are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds.

 

Making your site a shop is the wrong way to go. Focus on being a showcase for your products and offer a click and collect type service and you could really fly for local searches.

On this page for example http://www.homedecorhull.com/wallpaper/cracked-slate-effect-wallpaper the title is 'Cracked Slate - Home Decor' and the H1 is 'Cracked Slate' google won't even consider that page to be for wallpaper so won't rank it for wallpaper.

 

Though the headings are important for SEO they should be written for humans and humans have dreams, feelings and imagination*.

 

Take a look at these two headings:

 

 

Step Into a World of Elegance and Comfort

 

Car, Opel Astra, 5-Door Van

 

 

Which article would you rather read?**

I would certainly prefer the first heading even though it doesn't help google much.

 

If Google can find the word "Car" in the url, the title element and the body copy, there should be no need to dumb keywords in the headings as well. Use the heading to capture the readers interest instead.

 

 

* Which is why you can make them buy stuff in the first place

**Rhetorical question, please don't answer

Edited February 17, 201610 yr by Nillervision

Thanks again, We're not trying to compete with those big corporate site. We're just trying to get seen by more in our area - which is why I'm working double time on optimizing what we have.

 

Though you keep saying dont sell online, its all to do with the professional look. We've had multiple people visit the shop from afar due to the look of the website (which includes the products). I believe if that isn't available then some won't bother to visit.

 

I don't care to much for selling online, this isn't the type of product that sells online to great - People generally look in shops and then may buy online - those are the ones looking for the cheapest price. We just want to create traffic and new customers and its working. The E-Commerce and time spent on the website/facebook has been more than worth it and I'd say it's currently created around 50-60% of our in-store customers that have spent monies.

I didn't say done display the products. They all need to be on the site, just remove the shop bit and point people towards the B&M store. That way you will get more people through the door.

 

So put more products online. List everything you can get in the shop and let people build a shopping list you can put together for them to collect when they call in tomorrow.

 

By doing this you will be doing something nobody else locally is doing. And if you do it right your local ranking will leap up.

Local directories are useful for optimization purposes and listing. Directories are mostly paid platforms to share your information. I like the directories that provide instant link of your business.

Directories in 2016? Really?

 

The only useful one's are usually paid and hard to get listed on.

Directories in 2016 is still working, depends on the DA,PA,TF,CF.

I do 10 Unique C class IP directory listings a month for my site/client instead of 100's spam directories. For me yes, they are still working.

When it comes to directories, you should concentrate more on the quality rather than the quantity. Submitting your business/website on top directories like yelp surely provide great benefit to any online business.

For me yes, they are still working.

Working in what way?

 

Submitting your business/website on top directories like yelp surely provide great benefit to any online business.

Yelp? Top directory? You are having a giraffe.

Hiya,

 

Just remember backlinks still hold a lot of weight with the Google Algorithm.

You really need to make sure they are high quality and high authority links like many directory links.

 

Part of a holistic SEO strategy are quality backlinks with much much more.

local catalogs are helpful for enhancement purposes and posting. Catalogs are for the most part paid stages to share your data. I like the catalogs that give moment connection of your business.

To answer your question directly, yes you need these backlinks from business directories.

 

However you don't need to pay for these, there are plenty of free business directories out there that provide great authority and there UK directories.

No you don't. This is bad, bad advice.

There are many free sites with huge traffic that can increase your SEO, like Reddit, for example. I would not pay for advertising in a site with few visitors.

There are many free sites with huge traffic that can increase your SEO, like Reddit

No it can't reddit links are no-follow.

No it can't reddit links are no-follow.

 

You can have huge success with Reddit. Granted, it's hit and miss and you have to be careful, but you can use Reddit to drive significant amounts of traffic if you do it right. While any links will be no-follow, you will get referral traffic.

But most of that referral traffic from reddit will be non-converting. Same as most SM traffic. Granted there will be some successes but the majority of the traffic from these sorts of sources won't have any value.

Directories are pretty much worthless now as Google removed the majority of them from its index.

 

They can still be useful, though, but don't put too much effort into it. There are far more important tasks to be completed.

 

The key here is 'relevancy'.

 

Is the directory niche specific? I don't mean does it have a category that you can fit into, but is the entire directory based around one specific topic (your topic). If so, and the site passes the 'eyeball test', then grab a link from it.

 

Again, don't spend much effort on this. There are better ways to spend your time.

Edited May 27, 201610 yr by Gareth Daine

But most of that referral traffic from reddit will be non-converting. Same as most SM traffic. Granted there will be some successes but the majority of the traffic from these sorts of sources won't have any value.

 

It depends on the goal, the content you're promoting, the engagement of the audience, the relevance and how well your page converts. It also depends on what you're using the traffic for, for example, social proof, or to gain backlinks.

 

In most cases, you're not using traffic like this to drive customers to make a purchase. That said, it's one small part of your overall promotion strategy.

Edited May 27, 201610 yr by Gareth Daine

I agree. But if you are selling cheap socks I doubt anything you promote on reddit and facebook or outreach to influencers is going to help much.

I agree. But if you are selling cheap socks I doubt anything you promote on reddit and facebook or outreach to influencers is going to help much.

 

Haha! Sure, but again, it depends on the content you've written about 'cheap socks'. There are many quirky, funny and socially engaging concepts you could come up with regarding 'cheap socks' to get traffic and social engagement.

 

Also, the content doesn't have to be directly related to your main product/service offering, as long as it relates in some way.

But I want sell socks, I don't care about social engagement. I'm working with a client who sells sealant for deep sea equipment. It's a niche business that does very well through direct marketing. tweeting about glue and writing long copy about pressure seals isn't going to shift product. So while I agree with you methods, they aren't going to work for everybody.

 

And I've still to see any good evidence that social sharing generates much new business. Being visible on FB and other sites is all well and good but unless it results in the sale of a cement mixer it's not going to be useful. Of course I could spend time writing and posting and contacting influencers but I can make more money with direct marketing.

Do what works for you. If direct marketing works for you, then keep at it.

 

The ultimate goal of any business is to sell something. That's a given, but you're missing the point here, I feel.

 

There's going to be very few people interested in reading a long-form article about 'glue' or 'pressure seals', and even fewer people who will share it, I agree, but that is not what I'm saying do.

 

Social engagement is extremely important for a number of reasons.

 

Firstly, it provides 'social proof', which is to say it is an immediate indication to a visitor of the social validity and quality of your content.

 

People are far more inclined to share your content if it already has 'social proof'.

 

It's based on the same psychological principle of why people would rather go into a restaurant that is full of people, compared to one that isn't. It's a trigger.

 

Why is social proof important to rankings?

 

Studies show that content with high social engagement gets linked to far more than content that doesn't.

 

Secondly, social engagement (sharing, commenting, tagging and liking) helps put your content in front of a wider audience, increasing your chances for more successful advertising and remarketing campaigns (custom audiences), as well as opportunities for backlinks. This is especially important for brick and mortar businesses.

 

Thirdly, it increases brand awareness.

 

Despite what Google and Matt Cutts may have said, there appears to be some correlation between social signals and ranking.

 

Furthermore, social profiles and results show in Google's index.

 

Don't forget that Google isn't the be all and end all, though.

 

Sites such as Facebook and Twitter are essentially search engines.

 

Facebook alone has over 1 billion users worldwide. This is huge, and with people posting virtually every aspect of their lives on the platform, Facebook probably has the best demographic, purchasing, and behavioral data available for marketers and advertiser to use.

 

It's a similar story with Twitter.

 

Using custom audiences (people who've visited your website) with powerful marketing tools and data as above, is an extremely potent marketing mix.

 

On another note, long-form shareable content gets significantly more backlinks (even more so when combined with outreach) than content that doesn't, and backlinks are still the number one ranking signal.

 

In terms of evidence for social converting to sales, I have no idea what research/evidence you've been looking at, but it's extremely lucrative and successful if done correctly. Especially for businesses that actually sell products.

 

Furthermore, building an opt-in email list via social channels is extremely effective, and 'the money is in the list', as the saying goes.

 

I've seen first hand results for all of the above.

 

But I want sell socks, I don't care about social engagement. I'm working with a client who sells sealant for deep sea equipment. It's a niche business that does very well through direct marketing. tweeting about glue and writing long copy about pressure seals isn't going to shift product. So while I agree with you methods, they aren't going to work for everybody.

And I've still to see any good evidence that social sharing generates much new business. Being visible on FB and other sites is all well and good but unless it results in the sale of a cement mixer it's not going to be useful. Of course I could spend time writing and posting and contacting influencers but I can make more money with direct marketing.

Treat directories the same as any other website because that is exactly how Google treats them.

 

If the content is related to your own, the site is well built, and low on backlinks per page and no broken links then you are on a winner and can massively boost your own websites rankings.

 

Obviously if you can find a directory through the Google search engine and has a high domain authority (or page rank), then you know its good

 

Good luck in your search as there are not that many!

I heard some Indian directories add your site for free. But when you want to opt out they ask for certain amount.

 

They won't be much help. Firstly a backlink from them will result you in ranking higher in Google in India, but not in the UK. Secondly if they are free, then they don't pay anyone to monitor the content, in which case they won't hold much weight with Google and mostly likely contain spam links (which could do more harm than good).