10 Local Search Directories You Can't Do Without

Back in the pre-Internet days, if you wanted your small business to be found, you would list it in the local phonebook. Neglecting to do so would not only be lazy, it would be detrimental to your business.

Today, failure to list your business in a wide variety of local search websites is tantamount to that same detrimental neglect. There are many sites vying to be the local phonebook of the web, and you would be foolish not to list your business on each and every one of them.

Working off of Hubspot's very thorough local search listing, we have chosen ten local search directories that every local business should try to join.

These ten listings are some of the top contenders for local search, and they are some of the first places that your potential customers will look. Developing listings on these sites is fast, simple, and free, and it will likely be the single most productive and lucrative thing you do all day long. (Photo: Google Places listing for famous Cville restaurant The Local- get it??)

10 Local Search Directories You Can't Do Without

• Google Places- Not surprisingly, Google offers one of the most prominent and lucrative local search engines. Google Places lets you add photos, vidoes, and promotional offers, in addition to the crucial contact information.
• Yahoo- The Yahoo local directory homepage lists reviews of local businesses and sorts businesses by category. You can get a basic business listing for free, and an advanced listing for $9.95 a month.
• Yelp- Yelp lets you create exclusive deals for Yelp users, reply to customer reviews, and monitor trends in your industry.
• Bing- Like other directories, Microsoft's search engine lets you build a custom business profile
• Yellowpages- Because some people will never get tired of turning to the Yellow Pages. 
• Merchant Circle- A trusted business search site that also offers platforms for blogs and newsletters. 
• Foursquare- Foursquare is a great way to link up with various social media accounts, as customers can "check in" at your business and let their friends know they are enjoying the experience. 
• Supermedia- This site offers the basic business profile and also has a platform for distrubting online coupons and deals.
• Mapquest- Link your business to one of the biggest names in local navigation
• ThinkLocal- Users can browse businesses by state, city, and type on this up-and-coming local search directory.

Putting your business on these sites is free, it could drive a lot of local, highly-motivated traffic, and it could rapidly boost your geographic SEO credit. What are you waiting for?