RateLocal allows UK – England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland – businesses to list on a hand-edited business directory. Businesses will pay a yearly fee, which is in essence an administration fee, and for this they can build an information rich page that can be edited as many times as they wish. It is worth noting that for the yearly fee, Rate Local will help business owners to build the best possible page.

We the owners of RateLocal.com feel that our business directory is unique to all the others currently on the Worldwide Web. Through our website, businesses can build a very detailed page that allows them to promote and showcase their services. At the top of their page, a new user can add a high quality logo, interactive map location, social media links (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn), their address, and phone number. There is also an internal messaging system, which allows potential customers to contact you and discuss, for instance, the possibility of using your services - or speak to you after they have already done this. A link to your website (if you have one) will also sit at the top of the page underneath your address.

In the middle of their page, users can add a unique description about their business, which has to contain more than 200 characters. Although we don’t recommend that users put a company description that is too long (potential customers will very rarely read an overly long description), we do recommend that they take the time to write an interesting and informative description that will both read well and promote their company. They can also put their business opening hours which sits underneath the location map. Underneath the opening times there will be a ‘listed in’ box. This will indicate the locations in which they’re placed and the categories which they have chosen.

Payment methods can also be added, such as Cash, Visa, MasterCard, BACS, Direct Debit and Cheque. Underneath payment methods you will be able to put up to 20 keywords which are relevant to the services you offer. So, for instance, if you own an independent supermarket, you can list all of the services that you offer, such as Organic Food, Gluten Free Food, Fresh Fish, Seasonal Produce, Fresh Bread, Organic Fruit & Veg, and so on. Alongside ‘Services’ on the right-hand side of the page, the user can add up to six high quality photos.

At the bottom of the page, the user can add a YouTube video (again, only if you have one) with no restriction placed on the length of the video. It will, however, have to be relevant to the business and this will be checked during the approval process.

The final section of the user’s business listing page is at the bottom and it is the reviews section. Customers can visit a single listing page and leave a review, which will be checked for its validity. You can have as many reviews as you like on your page (this is something we recommend as the page will then hold more authority with the major search engines).

What set’s us apart from the other business directories, in terms of what we offer, is that when a user has built their business listing page, it will never contain information about any other business and it will never be polluted with external advertising, such as AdSense. When a potential customer visits a single listing page, their focus will not be taken away from what YOU have to offer.

Alan Carr of Web pop Design (London) has a listing with RateLocal.com and he is more than happy with the service that we have provided. “My page gives me exactly what I want from a Business Directory. It looks very professional, it provides important information, and it allows me to collect reviews from my clients.”

RateLocal.com originally began in 2012, in London, though it wasn’t launched as a business directory until 2015. It will always remain a human-edited business directory, and it will always be a platform that allows businesses to promote their services in a way that is effective for them and their customers: potential and existing. Find out more at http://www.ratelocal.com/