Published: 1 February 2026 | Last Updated: 1 February 2026
The best UK business directories for 2026 are Google Business Profile, Yell.com, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, and FreeIndex. However, AI search engines like ChatGPT now source 60-70% of local recommendations from Foursquare's database, making it essential for UK small businesses to optimise for both traditional citations and AI visibility. This guide from Whitehat SEO ranks 60+ UK directories with current metrics and reveals which sources AI engines actually cite.
Business directory citations remain foundational for local SEO success, but 2026 brings a fundamental shift. According to BrightLocal's research, 58% of ChatGPT's local business recommendations now come from business websites, whilst directories account for just 15% of direct citations. Yet here's the critical insight: the majority of ChatGPT's actual local results flow through data aggregators like Foursquare.
For UK small businesses, this creates a dual optimisation challenge. You need consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across traditional directories for Google's Local Pack, whilst simultaneously building presence on the platforms AI engines trust. Whitehat SEO's analysis of citation sources across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews reveals which directories matter most for both channels.
UK businesses should prioritise directories based on domain authority, UK traffic relevance, and data syndication reach. The following directories form the foundation of any effective citation strategy.
These directories are non-negotiable for UK small businesses. Google Business Profile alone contributes 32% of local pack ranking factors according to Whitespark's 2024 Local Search Ranking Factors study. Complete listings receive seven times more clicks than incomplete ones.
| Directory | DA | Free/Paid | UK Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | 94 | Free | Critical - required for local pack |
| Apple Business Connect | 99 | Free | Essential for iOS and Siri users |
| Bing Places UK | 93 | Free | Powers ChatGPT search |
| Trustpilot | 92 | Free/Paid | Critical for UK consumer trust |
| Yell.com | 72-78 | Free/Paid | UK's leading directory, 92% UK traffic |
These directories provide valuable citation diversity and many offer DoFollow links that pass SEO value. FreeIndex and Cylex UK are particularly valuable for small businesses due to their quick approval processes and UK-specific focus.
| Directory | DA | Monthly UK Traffic | Link Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 192.com | 66 | 2.9M (81% UK) | NoFollow |
| Kompass UK | 69 | Moderate | DoFollow |
| Cylex UK | 59 | 516K | DoFollow |
| Thomson Local | 57 | 428K (85% UK) | NoFollow |
| FreeIndex | 56-57 | 78K (97% UK) | DoFollow |
| Scoot | 54 | 76K (93% UK) | NoFollow |
Vertical directories carry significant weight for specific sectors. Trades and home services businesses should prioritise Checkatrade (DA 68-72), which has strong brand recognition from television advertising. Professional services firms benefit from sector-specific directories like The Law Society's Find a Solicitor for legal practices or Unbiased.co.uk for financial advisers.
For healthcare providers, NHS.uk Find Services (DA 85+) provides exceptional authority. Hospitality businesses should claim TripAdvisor profiles, which consistently appear in AI search results and feed data to Apple Maps.
Not all international directories serve UK businesses equally. Whitehat SEO recommends focusing on platforms with genuine UK presence rather than attempting to list on every global directory available.
| Directory | DA | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook Business | 96 | Feeds to Instagram and Messenger |
| Foursquare | 92 | Powers Apple Maps and ChatGPT local results |
| Yelp UK | 93 | Feeds to Apple Maps for UK businesses |
| HERE WeGo Maps | 80-85 | Powers BMW and Mercedes in-car navigation |
| LinkedIn Company | 98 | Essential for B2B businesses |
Skip these for UK businesses: BBB (Better Business Bureau) operates only in North America. The US Chamber of Commerce website offers no value for UK companies. Use local British Chambers of Commerce instead.
This section represents the critical differentiation for UK businesses in 2026. Understanding which sources AI engines actually cite transforms directory strategy from checkbox compliance to competitive advantage. Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is now essential alongside traditional local SEO.
BrightLocal's December 2024 study analysed 800 manual local business searches in ChatGPT. The findings reveal a surprising source hierarchy. Business websites account for 58% of all local search sources. Business mentions on third-party sites like Wikipedia and publications contribute 27%. Directories represent just 15% of direct citations.
Within that 15% directory share, Three Best Rated leads with 24% of directory citations, followed by Expertise (18%) and TripAdvisor (8%). Notably absent from ChatGPT's cited sources are Yelp, Facebook, and Google Maps despite their SEO prominence.
However, there's a hidden data pipeline. Approximately 60-70% of ChatGPT's local results come from Foursquare's city guide listings, particularly for smaller towns. This makes Foursquare claiming essential despite its lower direct visibility in citations.
Google's AI-powered features draw heavily from existing search positioning. Research shows 80% of AI Overview citations come from pages ranking in the top three organic positions. Google Business Profile data features prominently in AI Mode even for queries that aren't explicitly local.
For UK businesses, this means traditional SEO investment directly supports AI visibility. The businesses ranking well in standard search are the same ones AI engines cite.
Based on Whitehat SEO's analysis across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, these sources have the highest likelihood of AI citation:
NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency has always mattered for local SEO. In 2026, it directly impacts AI visibility as well. Research from Visalytica shows businesses with uniform NAP across directories experience up to a 40% boost in local rankings.
For AI specifically, inconsistent NAP causes models to skip businesses entirely due to what researchers call "pattern co-occurrence" confusion. When AI systems encounter conflicting information across sources, they simply omit the business rather than risk providing incorrect details.
The statistics are compelling. According to BrightLocal's research, 68% of consumers would stop using a local business if they found incorrect directory information. Businesses with clean, structured NAP are 2.5 times more likely to appear in voice search results. AI systems use NAP data to verify and resolve business entities across multiple sources before making recommendations.
Only 12.4% of domains currently implement structured data, yet LLMs grounded in knowledge graphs achieve 300% higher accuracy compared to unstructured data sources. For UK small businesses, implementing LocalBusiness schema markup is one of the highest-impact actions for AI visibility.
Essential schema types for local business AI visibility include LocalBusiness (or specific subtypes like Restaurant or Dentist), PostalAddress with detailed fields, GeoCoordinates for precise location, OpeningHoursSpecification, and AggregateRating for review scores.
Microsoft's Fabrice Canel confirms that schema markup helps Microsoft's LLMs understand content and serves as a critical data source for AI-driven search features. This makes structured data implementation a priority for any business serious about AI search visibility.
Data aggregators syndicate business information across multiple directories simultaneously. Understanding this layer helps UK businesses maximise citation reach efficiently.
Foursquare (which acquired Factual) feeds data to Apple Maps, Uber, ChatGPT, Snapchat, and Samsung devices. For UK businesses, this single submission reaches millions of users across platforms. The typical cost is £15-30 per location.
Unlike the US market, the UK lacks dominant standalone data aggregators. This makes direct submissions to major platforms more important for UK businesses. Key UK-specific data sources include Companies House for official business registry verification, Royal Mail for address verification, and 118 Information as a directory data compiler.
Whitehat SEO recommends this phased approach for UK small businesses building their citation foundation:
Start with the five platforms that have the greatest impact on both traditional local SEO and AI visibility: Google Business Profile UK, Bing Places UK (critical for ChatGPT), Apple Business Connect, Facebook Business Page, and Yell.com.
Build out your UK citation base with Thomson Local, FreeIndex, Scoot (which syndicates to six directories), 192.com, Yelp UK, Trustpilot, and critically, Foursquare for AI visibility.
Add relevant vertical directories for your sector. Trades businesses should prioritise Checkatrade and MyBuilder. Legal practices should claim Law Society profiles. Hospitality businesses must have TripAdvisor presence.
Complete your citation profile with local newspaper directories (which often have DA 80+), regional directories for Scotland or Wales if applicable, and submissions to data aggregators.
These statistics inform effective citation strategy for 2026:
Research indicates 40-50 high-quality citations yield better results than attempting to list on 100+ directories. Whitehat SEO recommends prioritising accuracy and consistency over volume. Focus on the tier one and tier two directories listed above, plus relevant industry-specific platforms for your sector.
Several UK directories provide DoFollow links that pass SEO value: Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect, TripAdvisor, FreeIndex, Cylex UK, Hotfrog UK, and Kompass UK. However, NoFollow links from high-authority directories like Yell.com and Trustpilot still provide citation value for local rankings even without direct link equity.
AI engines primarily cite business websites (58% of sources), so maintaining authoritative website content is essential. For directory visibility, claim Bing Places immediately as it feeds directly into ChatGPT. Ensure your Foursquare listing is accurate since it powers 60-70% of ChatGPT's local results. Implement LocalBusiness schema markup on your website to help AI systems understand your business details.
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone number. Consistency means using identical business details across all directories and your website. Inconsistent NAP confuses both search engines and AI systems, potentially causing them to omit your business from results entirely. Businesses with consistent NAP across 85% or more of their citations see a 23% improvement in local pack rankings.
Paid listings on reputable directories like Yell.com or Checkatrade can provide value through enhanced profiles, additional features, and in some cases DoFollow links. However, free listings on high-authority directories often provide sufficient citation value. Whitehat SEO recommends exhausting quality free options before investing in paid listings, then evaluating paid options based on your specific industry and local competition.
The 2026 citation strategy requires parallel optimisation tracks. Traditional local SEO demands consistent NAP across 40-50 high-quality citations, with Google Business Profile contributing 32% of local pack ranking factors. AI visibility increasingly depends on Bing Places, Foursquare, and structured data implementation.
With AI-sourced traffic growing 527% year-over-year and Gartner predicting 25% decline in traditional search by 2026, the window for building AI-ready citation foundations is now. Businesses that treat directory management as ongoing infrastructure rather than a one-time task will capture visibility across both traditional and AI-powered search channels.
For UK small businesses ready to implement a comprehensive local SEO strategy that includes both citation building and AI optimisation, contact Whitehat SEO to discuss your specific requirements.
About the Author: This guide was produced by Whitehat SEO, a London-based HubSpot Diamond Partner specialising in SEO, inbound marketing, and AI consultancy for UK businesses.