How to Get a List of Local Businesses in Your Area (Free and Paid Ways)

Whether you sell websites, marketing or any service to small businesses, everything starts with a list of local businesses in your area. Here are five ways to build one, from free and manual to fast and done for you.

1. Google Maps (free, manual)

Search "plumber near me" or "plumbers in [your city]" on Google Maps. Each result shows the name, phone, website, rating and reviews. It is free and up to date, but slow: you copy each business by hand.

2. Online directories (free)

Yelp, Yellow Pages, Better Business Bureau and your chamber of commerce list local businesses by category. Useful for niches that are thin on Google Maps, and for checking that a business is real and active.

3. Local search on social media (free)

Facebook pages and Instagram accounts of local businesses often show the owner's name and a direct phone number. Search by city and trade, and check how recently they posted.

4. A lead scraper (fast)

A lead scraper runs the Google Maps search for you and returns a list with names, phones, websites and ratings in minutes. Better tools also check each business's website, so you can sort by no website, site down or outdated site.

5. Ready-made lead lists (done for you)

Some services deliver checked local business leads in your niche and area. Ask whether leads are shared with other buyers or exclusive to you, and how recently they were checked.

What to keep on your list

• Business name, niche and city.
• Phone number (checked) and email.
• Website status: none, down, outdated or modern.
• Google rating and number of reviews.
• Notes from your calls and the next follow-up date.

Next step: find the ones that need you. Here is how to find businesses without websites.