How to Add a Business to CitySearch
I’m in the process of doing some link-building for my business, and I noticed that some of my local competitors are listed in city and business listings that I’m not. One is called CitySearch.
I debated whether or not it was worth the effort to get listed in this type of local business directory. In the end I decided I should. First off, my competition is there and I’m not. Second, there is some SEO benefit to being listed in business and location-specific directories, since they often manage to rank higher for key search terms than the businesses in the listings they provide. So if folks search for “computer repair in mifflinburg” and get local business directories first, I probably want to be there.
CitySearch doesn’t have an Add Your Business button. So How, pray tell, do you get into their business listings?
How to Add a Business to CitySearch
According to CitySearch’s FAQ (now hidden away at the bottom of their About Us page),
Citysearch partners with InfoUSA for local business data. They offer an Express Update service that allows merchants to update their listing data as well as add new businesses. Once you’ve added your business please allow 1 – 2 months for the information to be on Citysearch. Find out more at: http://www.expressupdateusa.com. CitySearch FAQ
Once you discover this little nugget of truth, getting listed is actually pretty easy. Follow the instructions below.
- Go to ExpressUpdate and create an account. If you’re like me and totally distrust services like this you’ll be wise to use a junk email account to register. Don’t worry: you can associate a different email address with the actual business listing.
- After you’ve registered go back to the home page and search for your business. If it finds it, great! Claim your business and make any changes it requires to keep it current. If not, follow along.
- If the search didn’t find your business, you’ll see a link to Add it Now. Click that link and you’ll be provided with a form to add all of you business information. Once that’s completed, you’ll have to verify via phone that you have permission to manage the directory listing for this business.
- After phone verification your listing will go into a verification state. Mine took a few hours, but eventually it was ready for me to claim.
- Go back to ExpressUpdate, login, and on your dashboard you’ll see a table of business listings you manage. Go ahead and click Claim. It will give you a phone number to call to complete the process.
