Updated 
Quick answersGeneral directories vs trade and sector directories
British business directory sites fall into three groups. General directories such as Yell, Thomson Local, Scoot and Cylex list every kind of business. Trade platforms such as Checkatrade (paid membership with checks) and lead sites such as Bark help tradespeople and service firms win jobs. Sector directories run by professional bodies, such as the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor or the RICS “find a surveyor” search, are often the most trusted of all for regulated professions.
A café needs the general directories and Google. An electrician benefits from a trade platform and the register of their certification body. A solicitor’s firm should make sure its regulator’s listing matches its Google profile before worrying about Scoot or Cylex. Sector directories aren’t in the table because they depend on your profession; add yours to your own checklist.
Registered office, trading address and postcodes
Many UK limited companies have a registered office at an accountant’s or formation agent’s address. That address belongs on Companies House, not on your listings: directories should show where customers visit you, or your service area if they don’t. Listing a registered office that you don’t trade from sends customers to the wrong door and can break Google’s rules.
Write the postcode in full and in capitals with its space (“LS1 4AB”), keep the street name spelled the same everywhere, and use one phone number, written the same way, on every site.
Directory profiles: UK
One profile for each directory in the table, in the same order. Each says what the platform is, who it suits, how to claim or add a listing, and what to watch out for, followed by the evidence behind it.
Google Business Profile
EssentialFreeDocs reviewed
Google’s own business listing, shown in Google Search and Google Maps when someone searches for a business by name or looks for something nearby. For most local businesses it is the listing that customers see first.
In the UK: If your registered office at Companies House is your accountant’s address, don’t put it on your profile. Use the premises customers visit, or hide the address and set a service area.
Why list here
Customers can call, get directions, open your website, read reviews and check hours without leaving Google. A service-area business can show the area it covers instead of a street address.
Claim or add
Search Google Maps for your business before adding anything. If a profile already exists, request ownership of it; otherwise add the business and complete verification. Google decides which verification method to offer, and it can differ between businesses. Our guides cover creating a profile, claiming one and verification.
Watch out for
Google’s guidelines ask for your real-world business name with no added keywords, and a location you genuinely serve customers from. A business has to meet customers in person, at its premises or theirs, to qualify; virtual offices and mailbox addresses aren’t eligible, and one location should have one profile.
Yell
RecommendedFree + paid optionsDocs reviewed
A long-established UK business directory, from the company behind the UK’s printed Yellow Pages.
Why list here
The free listing includes customer reviews, and Yell sells optional paid upgrades. Its free listing form asks for the basics: business name, postcode, phone, address, an “about” description, website and photos.
Claim or add
Search Yell for your business first so you don’t create a duplicate, then use the free listing form at yell.com/free-listing.
Watch out for
Upgrades are sold separately. Decide on them only after you’ve seen whether the free listing brings enquiries.
Apple Business Connect
EssentialFreeDocs reviewed
Apple’s free tool for managing how a business appears in Apple Maps and other Apple services, through a “place card” with hours, photos, a website and action buttons.
In the UK: Siri and Apple Maps use the same place card, so when a UK branch changes its hours, update Apple on the same day as Google.
Why list here
People who search in Apple Maps on an iPhone, iPad or Mac see the place card, not your Google profile. If you only manage Google, wrong hours or an old phone number on Apple can go unnoticed for months.
Claim or add
Sign in at business.apple.com with an Apple Account, search for your location and claim it, or add it if it isn’t on the map. Apple may ask you to confirm that you are allowed to manage the business before your changes go live.
Watch out for
Photos and showcases are checked against Apple’s policies, and not every feature is offered in every country. Look at what your place card supports before planning around it.
Bing Places for Business
EssentialFreeDocs reviewed
Microsoft’s free business listing for Bing search and Bing Maps.
Why list here
Bing has fewer searchers than Google in most countries, but a free, accurate listing takes little time and stops an outdated record showing to people who use it, including those with Bing as their computer’s default search engine.
Claim or add
Search for your business in Bing Places, then claim it if it exists or add a new listing. Ownership is checked by phone, email or post depending on the business. If Bing offers to import your details from Google Business Profile, it saves retyping, but check every field afterwards.
Watch out for
Microsoft’s own guidance stresses keeping information consistent with your other listings. Some features and verification options are limited by region.
Facebook Pages
RecommendedFree + paid optionsNeeds verification
A business Page on Facebook. It isn’t a classic directory, but many people search Facebook for local businesses and check a Page for hours, photos, posts and recommendations.
Why list here
Useful for consumer-facing businesses that post updates, events and offers, and for customers who would rather message than call.
Claim or add
A Page is created from a personal Facebook account. Check first whether an old or unofficial Page already exists for your business; if it does, use Facebook’s options to claim or merge it rather than running two.
Watch out for
Pages are controlled through personal accounts, so add at least two trusted people with full access and keep a record of who they are. Advertising is optional and separate.
Thomson Local
RecommendedCheck plansNeeds verification
A UK local business directory that started as a printed local directory.
Why list here
A recognised UK citation for local businesses.
Claim or add
We could only confirm the homepage. Visit the website and look for its option to add or claim a business.
Watch out for
Free and paid options weren’t confirmed.
FreeIndex
RecommendedCheck plansNeeds verification
A UK directory focused on services and trades, with customer reviews on business profiles.
Why list here
Suits UK service firms and freelancers who want a profile with reviews outside Google.
Claim or add
We could only confirm the homepage. Visit the website and look for its option to list your business.
Watch out for
Free and paid options weren’t confirmed.
Checkatrade
RecommendedCheck plansNeeds verification
A UK trades platform where tradespeople are checked before they join and customers leave reviews.
Why list here
Homeowners use it to find vetted trades, so it suits UK builders, electricians, plumbers and similar firms.
Claim or add
We could only confirm the homepage. Look for Checkatrade’s option for trades to join.
Watch out for
It’s a membership platform; costs and the checks involved weren’t confirmed. Compare the membership cost with the jobs you expect.
Yelp
EssentialFree + paid optionsDocs reviewed
A review and local discovery site, used most for restaurants, cafés, salons and local services. We list it for the USA, UK, Canada and Australia.
In the UK: Claim the page so it is accurate, but for most UK businesses Yell, Google and sector sites will bring more enquiries.
Why list here
A claimed Yelp page lets you correct your details, add photos and reply to reviews. Yelp pages can also appear in Google results when people search for a business by name.
Claim or add
Search Yelp for your business first: a page may already exist, added by Yelp or by a customer. Claim it through Yelp for Business. New businesses are moderated before they appear; Yelp’s help centre says this typically takes two days or less, but it isn’t guaranteed.
Watch out for
Yelp’s review rules are different from Google’s, including what you may say when asking customers for reviews, so read them before any review campaign. Advertising is optional and separate from the free page.
Nextdoor
RecommendedCheck plansNeeds verification
A neighbourhood social network where residents ask each other for recommendations and recommend local businesses.
In the UK: Useful for UK trades and local shops; keep the page’s name and phone identical to Yell and Google.
Why list here
Strong word of mouth for home services, trades and neighbourhood shops: recommendations come from people living nearby.
Claim or add
We could only confirm the homepage. Visit Nextdoor and look for its business page option; search first in case neighbours have already added your business.
Watch out for
Paid options weren’t confirmed, and features vary by country.
Foursquare
RecommendedCheck plansNeeds verification
A places database and city-guide app. Foursquare’s location data is also licensed to other apps and services, so its record of your business can show up well beyond Foursquare itself.
Why list here
An accurate Foursquare record helps stop wrong details spreading into the apps that use its data.
Claim or add
We could only confirm Foursquare’s homepage, not a business route. Visit the website and look for its option to claim a place or add a business, then follow its verification steps.
Watch out for
What a claimed listing includes, and what it costs, weren’t confirmed. Check before spending time on it.
LinkedIn Company Pages
RecommendedFree + paid optionsNeeds verification
A company profile on LinkedIn, the professional network. It’s a B2B identity page rather than a local citation directory.
Why list here
Buyers, partners and job candidates check it to confirm a company is real. For B2B firms, consultancies and professional services it can matter more than consumer directories.
Claim or add
You need a personal LinkedIn account to create a Page. Search LinkedIn first in case one already exists for your company, created by an employee.
Watch out for
Use the same company name, website and head-office address as on your other listings. Paid upgrades are optional.
Bark
OptionalCheck plansNeeds verification
A services marketplace running in several countries, where customers post what they need and professionals respond.
Why list here
Suits professional and personal services, from accountants to personal trainers, looking for new requests.
Claim or add
We could only confirm the homepage. Look for Bark’s sign-up for professionals.
Watch out for
Marketplaces like this usually charge professionals to contact customers; Bark’s pricing wasn’t confirmed. Check it before you respond to requests.
Cylex UK
OptionalCheck plansNeeds verification
The UK edition of Cylex, a business directory that runs sites in several countries.
Why list here
An optional extra UK citation.
Claim or add
We could only confirm the homepage. Visit the website and look for its option to add a company.
Watch out for
Optional priority. Check that your entry is accurate if one already exists, rather than adding a second.
Scoot
OptionalCheck plansNeeds verification
A UK local business directory.
Why list here
An optional extra UK citation for local businesses.
Claim or add
We could only confirm the homepage. Visit the website and look for its option to add or claim a business.
Watch out for
Optional priority; costs and what a listing includes weren’t confirmed.
How to claim or add a business listing
The same six steps work on almost every platform. Doing them in this order avoids the two most common problems: duplicate listings and details that don’t match.
Write your master record
Before touching any site, write down the exact name, address, phone, website, hours, categories and a short description you’ll use everywhere. For example: Unit 3, 12 Example Road, Leeds LS1 4AB, +44 113 496 0018. Use your trading name, the one on your van, sign and invoices. If your company’s registered name at Companies House is different, keep that for legal documents.
Search before you add
Search each platform for your business name, phone number and address. Listings are often created by the platform, a customer or a former owner; if one exists, claim it rather than adding a second.
Claim or add through the official route
Use the link in the table. Where it says “Official website”, we haven’t confirmed a direct claim page: look for “Claim this business”, “Add a business” or “For business owners” on the site itself, and avoid third-party forms.
Verify ownership
Platforms check that you run the business, by phone, email, post, video or documents. Use details you control, and don’t change your name, address or category while verification is pending.
Complete every field you genuinely can
Fill in each supported field from your master record: categories, description, hours, photos, services, website and booking links. Leave out anything that isn’t true for your business.
Record it
Note the listing URL, the login used, who owns it and the date. That list is what makes the review schedule below possible.
What to fill in on every listing
Directories accept different fields, but most ask for the same core details. Complete every field a platform supports that is genuinely true for your business, from one master record, and skip the ones that aren’t. The table below is our completion guide; “Typical availability” describes how often directories offer the field, not a rule from any one platform.
| Field | Typical availability | When to complete | How to fill it in | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal/public-facing business name | Very common | Always | Real-world trading name; no keyword stuffing | Mismatch creates customer confusion and weaker citation reliability |
| Street address and unit number | Common for storefronts | If eligible | Use exact physical address; consistent suite formatting | Wrong directions; duplicate or contradictory business entities |
| Service area / hidden address | Platform dependent | When relevant | Service-area businesses should follow site eligibility; hide address if required | Risk of misleading customers or policy issues |
| Primary phone number | Very common | Always | Use stable business-controlled location number; international format where accepted | Missed calls and incorrect contact paths |
| Website / location landing page | Very common | Whenever allowed | Use official website; specific location page for branches; avoid redirects | Incorrect traffic/referrals |
| Main business category | Very common | Always | Choose the most specific truthful category | Irrelevant enquiries and potential moderation |
| Secondary categories | Platform dependent | If available | Only genuine offered categories, not keywords | Category dilution or rejection |
| Business description | Common | Whenever available | Unique concise human text explaining offer, service area, differentiation; respect policies | Low clarity; keyword-stuffed descriptions may be rejected |
| Standard hours | Common | If meaningful | Accurate customer-facing hours; match service reality | Customers arrive when closed |
| Holiday/special hours | Platform dependent | If available | Update ahead of public holidays/events | Bad customer experience |
| Business email | Platform dependent | If available | Published monitored inbox, avoid personal email | Missed leads |
| Logo | Common | If available | Current brand logo, clean proportions | Brand inconsistency |
| Exterior/interior photos | Common | If available | Original accurate recent photos; exterior helps identification | Reduced confidence and navigation |
| Team/service/product photos | Platform dependent | If available | Genuine contextual photos, no fabricated claims | Misrepresentation |
| Products and services | Platform dependent | If available | Specific relevant services and accurate pricing where supported | Wrong expectations |
| Booking or appointment link | Platform dependent | If available | Direct official action URL to active booking system | Broken conversions |
| Reviews and business responses | Platform dependent | Where enabled | Respond constructively; do not fabricate reviews or incentivise against policy | Poor trust / reputation |
| Social profile links | Platform dependent | If available | Official active accounts only | Confusing identity |
| Business registration / licence | Platform dependent | Only if requested | Provide authentic evidence securely; avoid publishing sensitive IDs unnecessarily | Failed verification |
| Attributes, accessibility and amenities | Platform dependent | If available | Truthful wheelchair, parking, delivery, payment attributes | Inaccurate filters |
| Multiple locations / branches | Platform dependent | If appropriate | One eligible listing per genuine qualifying location | Duplicates; location confusion |
| Ownership and login access | Very common | Always | Business owns login; use delegated access where possible | Lost control or takeover |
Write your description for people first: what you do, for whom and where, in two or three plain sentences, and vary it between the major platforms rather than pasting the same paragraph everywhere. For Google specifically, see our guides to writing a business description and choosing categories.
NAP consistency: name, address and phone
NAP stands for name, address and phone number, the three details that identify a business on every listing. When they differ from one site to another, the problems are practical: customers ring an old number, drive to a previous address, or find two listings and can’t tell which is real. Platforms that compare data from several sources may struggle to match your records, which can complicate verification or moderation, and an old duplicate can keep showing out-of-date details.
Nobody can honestly put a number on what an inconsistency does to your ranking, and not every difference matters. “St” and “Street”, or a missing comma, describe the same place. What matters is that a customer, and a platform, can tell that every listing belongs to one business at one location. Pick one written form of your details, such as Unit 3, 12 Example Road, Leeds LS1 4AB and +44 113 496 0018, and use it everywhere.
| Element | Best practice | Acceptable nuance | Risk if inconsistent | When to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public business name | Use the real name customers see, without extra city keywords or slogans | Different legal name vs brand only when allowed; document approved display name | Confusing entity signals, rejection on some platforms, customer doubt | Check monthly and after rebrand |
| Address | Same physical location and unit; format local postcode/ZIP consistently | Accept cosmetic formatting variations if same address; do not invent premises | Misdirected visits, duplicate locations, possible verification issues | After move immediately; otherwise monthly |
| Telephone | Consistent primary line controlled by business | Tracked numbers only where directory guidelines permit and core number stays accessible | Missed calls, fragmented citations, mismatched contact data | After phone change immediately |
| Website URL | Use business-owned canonical HTTPS link; preferably branch page for branches | UTM parameters allowed only when platform supports; canonical remains same site | Wrong referrals, duplicate tracking, broken links | Quarterly and after migration |
| Hours | Regular & special hours align with real operations | Directory-specific opening hours fields may differ | Customer frustration / failed visits | Before holidays and whenever changed |
| Category | Most specific genuinely fitting category per directory taxonomy | Exact wording can differ among platforms | Incorrect discovery; poor enquiry quality | Quarterly and after service changes |
| Duplicates | Claim/edit old listings, merge/remove duplicates using platform rules | Never mass delete without ownership and data checks | Conflicting stale information and control | Quarterly and during audits |
Legitimate differences
- Trading name and legal name. Use your trading name, the one on your van, sign and invoices. If your company’s registered name at Companies House is different, keep that for legal documents.
- Branches. Each genuine location has its own address, local phone number and branch page; the brand name stays the same.
- Tracking numbers. Use one only where the platform allows it and your main number is still shown; otherwise keep the main number.
- Platform wording. Category names and hours fields differ between sites. Choose the closest true option on each.
Duplicates: find them before you add anything
Search each platform for your name, your phone number and your address separately: a duplicate often has an old name or number. Claim it, then use the platform’s own process to merge it, mark it as moved or closed, or remove it. Never delete a listing you don’t own, and don’t create a new one to escape an old one. For Google, see merging duplicate profiles.
Optimisation checklist and common mistakes
Do
- Use your real public business name, with no added keywords, cities or slogans
- Choose the most specific category that is genuinely true, and only add secondary categories for things you really do
- Write a unique description for each important platform, in plain words, explaining what you offer and where
- Add recent, original photos: the outside (so people recognise it), the inside, your team and your work
- Set regular hours and update special hours ahead of bank holidays, which differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Link to your own website, and to the branch page for multi-location businesses
- Reply to reviews politely and promptly, following each platform’s rules
- Keep logins in the business’s name, with at least two people who can get in
Avoid
- Don’t list an address where you don’t meet customers: virtual offices, mailboxes and co-working desks you don’t staff
- Don’t create a second listing because the first is hard to claim; ask the platform to transfer it
- Don’t copy the same description to every site word for word, or stuff it with keywords
- Don’t buy, write or swap reviews, or offer customers anything in return for a review
- Don’t use a tracking number unless the platform allows it and your main number still appears
- Don’t pay for an upgrade before the free listing is complete and accurate
How often to review your listings
Listings drift: platforms accept suggested edits from the public, old data resurfaces, and your own details change. This schedule is our suggested practice, not a rule set by any directory; a change to your business always overrides it.
| When | What to review | What to do | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immediate | Name, address, phone, URL, closure, ownership change | Update master data; update priority directories; log changed date | Business changes override fixed cadence |
| Weekly | Google / high-visibility reviews, unanswered messages, suggested edits | Respond per platform policies; triage changed profile details | Operational recommendation, not directory requirement |
| Monthly | Core NAP, hours, links, fresh photos, duplicates, directory access | Spot-check high-priority directory listings and sample secondary entries | Editorial recommendation |
| Before holidays | Special hours, holiday closures and booking availability | Check Google/Bing/Apple and local high-traffic listings | Apply as soon as schedule known |
| Quarterly | Full audit of top directories, categories, descriptions, services, duplicates | Document URL, date, owner and before/after status | Editorial recommendation |
| Every 6 months | Lower-priority directories, paid-plan economics, sites closed or changed | Reassess listing usefulness and accuracy | Editorial recommendation |
| After website migration | All links, redirects, branch URLs, UTM tracking | Test outbound links on listings and update migrated URLs | Event-driven |
| Yearly | Reconsider directory inventory and ROI | Retire irrelevant platforms and check country/local eligibility | Editorial recommendation |
Before bank holidays, which differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, update special hours on Google, Apple and Bing first, then the directories customers in the UK use most. Our guide to changing business hours covers Google’s holiday hours.
How we built this list
This page comes from our research into directory candidates for six countries. It lists 15 directories for the UK. For 5 of them we reviewed the platform’s official documentation, most recently on 27 October 2026; the others are candidates whose details still need manual verification, and each profile says which is which.
- Not exhaustive. The list holds candidates chosen for real-world use, not every directory that exists.
- Not flow-tested. We haven’t completed a sign-up on every platform. “Create or claim” links are official entry points; “Official website” means only the homepage was confirmed.
- No guessed numbers. Moz DA, Ahrefs DR and traffic estimates appear only when measured with the named tool on a stated date. None are measured yet.
- No assumed link attributes. Whether a listing’s link is follow or nofollow is shown only after inspecting a live listing.
- Priority is editorial. Essential, Recommended, Optional and Research reflect usefulness and eligibility for typical businesses; the top picks are our ordering for the UK.
- Independent. These directories don’t manage or endorse this page, and listing them isn’t a partnership.
Researched and written by the Ampli5 Pulse team. Page updated . Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll check it.
Sources: Google: Google business representation guidelines; Google: Google profile editing fields; Bing: Bing Places supported business models and information; Apple: Place card specification; Yelp: General business information guidelines; Yelp: Add a business to Yelp; Yell: Official free listing form; Yell: Free and paid listing policies; Yellow Pages Australia: Profile completeness guide; BrightLocal: Optimising local citations (industry guidance); BrightLocal: Local SEO checklist (industry guidance). Directory-specific sources are listed in each profile.
