Where to list your business online.

For a business that meets customers in person, consider Google Business Profile. For professional services, consider a LinkedIn Service Page or Company Page. For specialist buyers, assess relevant trade or professional directories. Mercator offers a free, prepared-for-you listing for professionals, agencies, suppliers and wholesalers.

We publish Mercator, so it is our own service in this comparison. Choose the options that fit your business; a directory listing alone does not guarantee customers.

Google Business Profile: for eligible in-person businesses

A Google Business Profile is free and can represent an eligible business on Google Search and Maps. It is a starting point for a shop or service business whose customers meet it in person.

Check eligibility before creating a profile. Google generally requires in-person contact with customers during stated hours and lists online-only businesses as ineligible. Working from home does not, by itself, make a remote service eligible.

Prepare your real business name, category, customer contact and accurate location or service-area information. Follow Google’s verification process and keep the profile current. Read Google’s eligibility guidelines and its Business Profile overview.

LinkedIn: for professional services and company introductions

LinkedIn lets you create a Company Page for free to represent an organization. Its Service Pages can also describe services through a personal profile or Company Page. These are options for a consultant, freelancer or agency whose prospective clients use LinkedIn.

Choose whether you are presenting your own expertise or an organization. Explain the work you accept, add relevant examples you have permission to share, and maintain your contact route. A profile is a starting point for conversations; you still need to decide how to reach the customers you want.

A LinkedIn account is required to create a Company Page. Check the current Company Page instructions and Service Page guidance for the features and requirements of each option.

Trade and professional directories: for a specific buying context

For a wholesaler, manufacturer or specialist studio, look for directories run by relevant trade associations, professional bodies or sector publications. Evaluate each one against the customers and markets you actually serve.

Before submitting, inspect current listings in your field. Check membership requirements, geography, fees, renewal terms and whether customers can reach your business directly. Ask for evidence behind any audience or enquiry claims. A long list of unrelated directories is not a substitute for a few relevant introductions.

Mercator: a free listing prepared from your introduction

Mercator accepts introductions from independent professionals, agencies, suppliers and wholesalers. Send a website or a few lines about your work. We prepare a proposed description and contact arrangement for you to review before publication.

You do not need a Mercator account, a finished portfolio or a product feed. Once approved, your public listing describes what you offer and where interested customers should go. Request a correction, pause or removal through your existing conversation with us.

Mercator is a growing directory; we do not promise an established audience, a number of enquiries or search placement. See what a free Mercator listing includes, or explore the current directory.

What to prepare before submitting your business

• A clear identity. The name you trade under and a website or professional profile, if you have one.
• A specific offer. The work you take on or goods you supply, the customers you serve, and any relevant location or order conditions.
• A customer contact route. Choose the business email, website or contact link you want published. Keep private reply details separate.
• Selected evidence. Relevant project examples, qualifications or product information you are allowed to share. Leave out confidential client material.

How to decide whether a listing is worth maintaining

Start with one or two relevant options. Check that the published description is accurate, the contact link works on a phone, and you can update or remove the listing. Ask new enquiries how they found you, and judge the quality of the conversations as well as their number.

For Mercator, choose the introduction suited to your work: independent professionals, agencies and studios, or suppliers and wholesalers.