Once you have your website completed it is important submit it to the primary search engines and directories. While there are software options and websites that will provide for this, it is considered best to manually submit your website to ensure that you have followed the submission guidelines and that your submission listing gets accepted.

When submitting, read the submission guidelines first. Some will request the full URL while others will ask for just the suffix.  Many of the directories will require that you also provide the business name and the business description; others will require that you select from their directory categories.

Once your site has been submitted you do not need to resubmit it in most cases — some search engines / directories will lower a site’s ranking if over submitted. In this regard it is best to do a name search for your business on a search engine or directory before you submit. If your ranking is low you will want to ensure that you do have the proper Meta-tags in place.

sacramento

Near the top of the source code view, within the head tags, you will see the title, description, and robots Meta-tags.

<head>
<title>Page Title (60 characters maximum)</title>
<meta name=”description” content=”Your page description (160 characters maximum)” />
<meta name=”robots” content=”index, follow” />
</head>

Local Business Directories

Google My Business: Submit your business on Google to get it found across Google Search and Maps. This is essential for any local business aiming to increase their visibility online.
Account Creation: Google My Business Page

Bing Places for Business: Similar to Google My Business, submitting your local business to Bing can help reach customers in the Bing network.
Account Creation: Bing Places for Business

Yelp: Known for user reviews, it’s important for businesses, particularly those in service industries, to manage their presence on Yelp.
Account Creation: Yelp Reviews

Nextdoor: A neighborhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services, and can be good for local businesses to engage with the community.
Account Creation: Nextdoor

Foursquare: It’s particularly popular for businesses like restaurants and bars. Listing your business on Foursquare can help customers find you when they are looking for places to go.
Account Creation: Foursquare

Chamber of Commerce: As the digital version of your local chamber, the directory can be a valuable resource for building authority and a presence online.
Account Creation: Chamber of Commerce

Hotfrog: A free online directory that is designed to help get your website noticed by customers and search engines.
Account Creation: Hotfrog

Better Business Bureau (BBB): Listing your business on the BBB’s directory can add credibility through customer ratings and accredited business statuses.
Account Creation: Better Business Bureau

Superpages: Superpages.com is an online directory that allows users to search for businesses, services, and professionals in their area.
Account Creation: Superpages

Manta: A free small business search directory. Find a local business in your neighborhood to support.
Account Creation: Manta

Social Media for Business

Facebook: With its vast user base, Facebook allows businesses to create pages, advertise, sell products, and engage with customers.
Account Creation: Facebook Business Page

X (previously Twitter): This platform is useful for real-time communication and sharing updates about your business.
Account Creation: X Sign Up

LinkedIn: The go-to professional network, LinkedIn is ideal for B2B companies for networking, recruiting, and sharing industry-related content.
Account Creation: LinkedIn Sign Up

Instagram: A visual platform owned by Facebook, Instagram is perfect for brands with strong visual content to share.
Account Creation: Instagram Sign Up

Pinterest: Pinterest works well for businesses with visually appealing content, particularly in industries like food, fashion, and home decor.
Account Creation: Pinterest Sign Up

YouTube: As a video-sharing website, YouTube is ideal for businesses that benefit from product demonstrations, tutorials, or visual storytelling.
Account Creation: YouTube Sign Up

WhatsApp: Although not a traditional social media platform, WhatsApp’s Business App allows companies to provide customer service and share updates with customers.
Account Creation: WhatsApp Business App

TikTok: This recent phenomenon is especially popular with younger audiences and can be utilized for creative video marketing.
Account Creation: TikTok Sign Up

Bluesky: Bluesky is a desktop and app-based social network that operates similarly to X. Users can post text, videos and photos, reply to one another and share other users’ posts.
Account Creation: Bluesky Sign Up