Brownbook

About

Brownbook is a free, global, crowd-sourced business listing database, often described as the "Wikipedia of the yellow pages industry". Launched in May 2008 and based in London, United Kingdom, it is the world’s largest platform of its kind. The platform is built on a simple, powerful idea: creating a business directory that is more flexible, affordable, and accurate because it is created and maintained by its users.

Anyone, anywhere in the world, can add, edit, and review businesses in any country. This wiki-style approach, combined with a steadfast commitment to keeping the service free, has resulted in an unmatched global reach. Brownbook currently lists over 44.6 million businesses across more than 200 countries, making it a crucial resource for businesses looking to get found online and for SEO agencies managing their clients' digital presence.

What Brownbook Does

Brownbook provides a comprehensive, feature-rich platform for both business owners and consumers.

For Business Owners & SEOs:

• Free Listings: Create a free business listing to get found online.
• Claim & Verify: Claim your listing to verify your business details, build trust, and prevent unauthorized edits.
• Rich Media Profiles: Enhance your listing with logos, photos, videos, social profiles, opening hours, rich text descriptions, and interactive features.
• Embedded Google Street View: Use Brownbook's unique feature to embed a 360° Google Street View of your location directly into your business page.
• SEO Value: Gain a valuable dofollow backlink from a high-authority domain to boost your search engine rankings.
• Reputation Management: Receive email alerts whenever someone leaves a review for your business, allowing you to respond and manage your online reputation.
• API Access: For agencies and power users, Brownbook offers a Publisher API to search, insert, edit, and delete listings in bulk, saving significant time and effort on manual data entry.

For Users & Consumers:

• Search for Businesses: Find businesses in any country by name, category, or keyword.
• Read & Write Reviews: Access and contribute user-generated reviews of local businesses.
• Edit Listings: Contribute to the community by updating and correcting business information as you find it.

Key Facts

Metric	Value
Domain Authority (DA)	59
Total Business Listings	44.6 million+
Countries Covered	200+
Business Model	Free (basic), Enhanced Listings (paid), API (paid commercial agreement)
Submission Cost	Free for standard listing
Link Attribute	Dofollow **

Why Brownbook Matters

For startup founders, small business owners, and SEO professionals, Brownbook offers a unique combination of scale, authority, and cost-effectiveness.

• High-Authority Dofollow Backlinks: With a DA of 59, a backlink from Brownbook is a powerful signal to search engines that your site is credible and trustworthy. This can significantly improve your website's search engine ranking, making it easier for potential customers to find you.

• Unparalleled Global & Local Reach: Listing your business in over 200 countries provides both global visibility and local SEO benefits, especially crucial for markets like the UK. Brownbook is trusted by major industry players like Yext, Uberall, and InfoUSA, further cementing its authority.

• Free and Accessible: The core service is completely free, making it an indispensable tool for startups, indie makers, and bootstrapped businesses with limited marketing budgets. You can enhance your listing with rich media, but the essential SEO value comes at no cost.

• "Set It and Forget It" SEO Value: Once you create and claim your listing, the backlink and online presence persist, providing ongoing SEO benefits without recurring fees or constant maintenance.

• Trusted by the Industry: Brownbook's reliability and scale have made it a go-to data source for major local data aggregators and SEO platforms, a testament to the quality of its data and its importance in the local search ecosystem.

Who Uses Brownbook

• Small and medium-sized business owners looking to improve their online visibility and local SEO for free.
• Startup founders and entrepreneurs seeking high-authority backlinks to boost their new website's search rankings.
• SEO agencies and professionals who manage client listings at scale, leveraging the platform's free listings or paid API for efficient management.
• Consumers searching for local businesses, products, and services worldwide, and contributing reviews to the community.

How to Get Listed (Submit Your Business)

Adding your business to Brownbook is a straightforward, free process. You can do it in two simple stages: first, add your listing, and second, claim it to gain full control.

Step 1: Add Your Business

1. Go to https://www.brownbook.net/register and click "create an account".
2. Fill in the required fields, complete the CAPTCHA, and click "Next". You'll receive a verification email; click the link inside to activate your account.
3. Log in to your new account. Click the "+" sign at the top right of the page, or click the dropdown arrow under your name and select "Add a business".
4. Fill out the business information form with as much detail as possible, including your website URL.
5. Check the "I'm not a robot" box and click "Add". Your listing will appear on Brownbook almost immediately.

Step 2: Claim Your Listing

1. After your listing is created, you will be invited to claim the page. Click on "Claim this listing for FREE".
2. If you need to claim an existing listing you did not create, search for your business on Brownbook, find your page, and click "Is this your business?" or "Claim Listing".
3. Confirm your identity. The claim is now complete. You can now edit and fully manage your listing.

Pro Tip: To maximize the SEO value of your listing, complete all available fields, add high-quality images, and encourage customers to leave positive reviews. A fully optimized listing is more likely to rank well in search results and attract potential customers.