Business directories are a useful tool for finding businesses. These online resources provide a wealth of information in an easily digestible format. They also offer a variety of features to make them more useful.
Historical newspapers and city directories often include business listings. These can be found in digitized collections at the Portal to Texas History or through WorldCat.
Better Business Bureau
If you’re a Texas business directory owner, there are many benefits to joining the Better Business Bureau. The non-profit membership association’s mission is to advance marketplace trust by promoting honesty, integrity and respect for consumers. Its services include evaluating businesses based on their reliability and performance and resolving consumer complaints.
According to a recent Dallas Morning News article, the BBB is still relevant even though younger consumers prefer to use social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok to complain about companies. However, the BBB tries to keep up with new trends and is trying to adapt to meet the needs of its consumers.
While many big businesses aren’t members of the BBB, some do pay to join. For example, the popular Texas convenience store chain Buc-ee’s pays $500 a year to be a member of BBB. The company has racked up 100 customer complaints in the past decade, but it says that it works with dissatisfied customers directly to resolve problems. This allows it to save money on ad costs and focus on growing its business.
Angi
Angi is an online business directory that connects homeowners with service providers. It has more than 700 categories and is a great resource for finding quality professionals. Its customer support team will help you resolve any issues you might have with a service provider. The company also offers two special badges for businesses and contractors: Angi Approved and Angi Certified.
Whether they live in sprawling brick homes outside town or historic frame houses in the heart of the city, Austinites take pride in keeping their abodes in top condition. Angi members in the city can rely on a host of highly-rated service providers to get the job done. The company also provides a Happiness Guarantee that protects consumers from unscrupulous companies.
There are several other business directories to consider, including MerchantCircle, Hotfrog, Spoke, and CitySquares. Having a listing in these directories is important for business owners because it makes their businesses easier to find and increases their exposure online. It is also a good way to generate more sales. There are both free and paid options for these listings.
FindLaw
FindLaw provides legal marketers with a comprehensive program that includes local online visibility, website design, and listings in multiple online directories. It also offers marketing services to drive leads and traffic. Matthew Post has dedicated over two decades to building and optimizing websites for both large e-commerce companies and local law firms. He has experience in generating traffic and conversions through content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and digital advertising.
The company claims to have more than 8 million monthly visitors. However, it is difficult to determine how many are actually potential clients. The site also doesn’t offer the most detailed information about individual attorneys.
Attorneys can choose to enable ratings and reviews for their profile. However, this option should be carefully considered. Reviews can be very influential in a client’s decision to hire an attorney.
FindingLaw has a page that touts its content marketing and SEO efforts. The page states that search engines and potential clients love content. It is impossible to know whether this content is high-quality or not, since it isn’t revealed. In addition, the page boasts of awards won by FindLaw, but it’s unclear what these awards mean and if they have been verified.
HomeAdvisor
HomeAdvisor is a digital marketplace that connects consumers with service professionals for home repair, maintenance and improvement projects. Its ProFinder tool allows homeowners to find local, pre-screened and customer-rated service providers. It also enables them to instantly book appointments online or by phone.
To use the service, a homeowner simply enters the details of their project. It then displays a list of best-match service professionals. These professionals then contact the homeowner and provide quotes, based on the project’s size and complexity. HomeAdvisor also charges service professionals for each job lead they receive, regardless of whether the professional ultimately secures the project.
According to a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint, HomeAdvisor uses a variety of deceptive tactics to sell job leads to service professionals. These include false, misleading and unsubstantiated claims about the quality of the leads. The company also allegedly misrepresents its process for verifying and screening contractors. Its terms of service allow it to use the information in a contractor’s profile to direct traffic back to its own website, which many contractors consider to be an unfair practice.
Texas Secretary of State
Many types of business entities in Texas must register with the Secretary of State. Some of them also need to designate what’s known as a registered agent. These include corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships. However, sole proprietors and general partnerships are not required to register with the Secretary of State.
The office of the Secretary is responsible for publishing government rules and regulations, commissioning notaries public, and acting as a repository for official and business and commercial records. In addition, the Secretary of State serves as the Chief Election Officer, assisting county election officials.
The current Secretary of State is Jane Nelson, who was sworn in on December 14, 2018. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She has been a champion for the state’s economy and small businesses. She has authored four balanced state budgets, and passed legislation to help families with medical costs and other issues that affect their daily lives. She has also helped to pass bills that promote economic development and increase transparency in the state government. She has received dozens of awards for her work in the legislature, including from the American Cancer Society, CASA and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
