You have a new business… perhaps a bar, a coffee shop, or maybe a GIS consulting firm! Regardless of the business type, if you have a brick and mortar presence then you need to get your business listed. This is particularly important if you’d like to have your business turn up in local search results from such services as Google Maps, Mapquest, Yelp, and the many other local search resources on the web.

Chances are good that your business may already be listed in some POI databases and directories, however, as the business owner wouldn’t you rather be charged with taking control of what information is being conveyed about your business to potential clients or customers?

The following are a few places where any business owner should start and make sure they have accurate and current listings.

1. Google business listings
   
2. Citysearch
3. Mapquest
4. Yelp
5. Navteq
6. Where
7. GoWalla
8. Foursquare
9. Truvo
10. facebook Places

For the business owner, taking ownership of listings within these directories is crucial. As the owner you want to maintain accurate and complete information within you listings. You should also want to monitor via social location services who is checking into your place of business, what they are doing and what they are saying about you.

Finally, if you aren’t claiming your business listing chances are good that the crowd is adding your place to these directories and the chances are good that inaccurate or incomplete information is being shared to your potential customers.

For complete information and links to the above-mentioned resources see this article 10 Local Search and Social Location Resources To List your Business

Originally published on AnyGEO