Directory submissions • Local SEO for UK schools
Reputable School Directories (UK): How to Choose Safe, High-Value Listings
Published by SEO for Schools • Author: Paul Delaney
Directories still matter—but not because of “link juice”. For schools and trusts, reputable listings improve consistency (your school’s name, address and phone), increase 'findability' in maps and local search, and support brand trust. This guide shows how to recognise reputable directories, which UK sources to prioritise, how to complete Google/Apple/Bing/LA listings quickly, and how to govern data across a MAT.
Official guidance: Google — Search Essentials • Google Business Profile Help — Guidelines for representing your business • GOV. UK — Content design • ICO — UK GDPR.
Why reputable directories help (and what they don’t do)
What they help
Consistency. Repeating the same Name–Address–Phone (NAP) and URL across trusted places confirms your contact details for parents and platforms (Google, Apple, Bing). Discovery. Many parents start in Maps or a council directory—especially new families, SEND queries, or Sixth Form searches. Trust. Civic and education partners confer credibility to unfamiliar families and staff recruits.
What they don’t do
They’re not a shortcut to rankings. Bulk submissions and “500 directory links” services are discouraged by Google’s link spam policies. Focus on usefulness, accuracy and accessibility.
9 quality signals of a reputable directory
UK shortlist: civic, education & mapping
Core platforms (start here)
| Google Business Profile (GBP) | Essential for Maps/Local Pack. Guidelines |
| Apple Business Register | Needed for Apple Maps and Siri. Register |
| Bing Places | Completes the “big three”. Submit |
These three listings account for the majority of “Directions”, “Call” and “Website” clicks on mobile.
Civic & community
| Local Authority portals | Family Information Services; schools directories; SEND Local Offer. |
| Libraries & museums | Venue directories; education programmes. |
| Community hubs | Local newspapers; sport trusts; STEM hubs; youth networks. |
Education ecosystem
| Trust/MAT website | Each campus page should link to the school website and vice versa. |
| Independent/sector bodies | Where relevant (e.g., ISI, associations, careers hubs). |
| Nursery/Sixth Form partners | Local networks where parents search by phase. |
Walk-throughs: Google, Apple, Bing, LA
Google Business Profile (GBP) — quick start
?utm_source=google&utm_medium=gbp).Apple Business Register — quick start
utm_source=applemaps).Bing Places — quick start
utm_source=bingplaces).Local Authority (LA) portals — quick start
10-minute due-diligence workflow
| Step | Action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google the directory name | Check reputation/sentiment; look for “scam” threads |
| 2 | Open 3–4 listings | Scan categories; look for spam neighbours (casino/crypto/loan) |
| 3 | View source/robots | Ensure listing pages are indexable |
| 4 | Find privacy/contact details | UK GDPR and support routes |
| 5 | Confirm link policy | nofollow/sponsored acceptable; no link-selling |
| 6 | Check update/ownership process | You’ll need edits later (moves, hours) |
| 7 | Identify category mapping | Choose an appropriate school phase |
| 8 | Decide Pass / Soft Pass / Fail | Apply your RAG policy consistently |
| 9 | Record in the log | URL, date, owner, status, notes |
| 10 | Submit with Golden NAP | Keep data identical everywhere |
Copy blocks you can paste (descriptions & links)
Descriptor examples (150–250 chars)
Website links with UTM examples
| Platform | Example |
|---|---|
| GBP | https://www.school.sch.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=gbp&utm_campaign=local |
| Apple | https://www.school.sch.uk/?utm_source=applemaps&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=local |
| Bing | https://www.school.sch.uk/?utm_source=bingplaces&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=local |
UTMs help you see directory-driven visits in GA4 without affecting user experience.
Governance for schools & MATs
Golden NAP (single source of truth)
| Name | Greenfield Primary School |
| Address | High Street, Town, County, POSTCODE |
| Phone | 01234 567890 |
| Website | https://www.greenfieldprimary.sch.uk/ |
| office@greenfieldprimary.sch.uk | |
| Hours | Mon–Fri 08:30–16:30 (term time) |
| Descriptor | As above (150–250 chars) |
Store this in a central document. For multi-campus, suffix names (e.g., “— West Campus”) and use distinct phone lines where possible.
Listing log (per school)
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Directory | Google Business Profile |
| Listing URL | https://maps.google.com/… |
| Status | Live |
| Categories | Primary School |
| Link attribute | — / nofollow / sponsored |
| Owner | Comms |
| Date / Review | 2025-03-14 / annual |
| Notes | Photo refresh July |
How to measure impact
GA4
GSC (Search Console)
Print-screen scorecards & templates
Reputable or Risky? — 9 Signals
print this cardSubmission Log — Columns
print this card| Directory | Listing URL | Status |
| NAP version | Categories | Link attribute |
| Owner | Date | Next review | Notes |
Annual Audit — 10 Checks
print this cardFAQs (10)
Do directories still help SEO?
They help with consistency, local discovery and trust. They’re not a ranking shortcut, so avoid bulk submissions and link-selling sites.
How many directories should we use?
Start with the big three (GBP, Apple, Bing) then 5–10 reputable civic/education listings. Prioritise quality and maintenance over quantity.
Is a nofollow listing worth it?
Yes. Nofollow is fine for citations. The benefit is visibility and data accuracy, not PageRank.
We moved campus—what now?
Update your Golden NAP, then GBP/Apple/Bing and LA portals first. Search for duplicates and request merges/removals; keep screenshots.
Can we list multiple campuses?
Yes—use unique campus names and, ideally, distinct phone numbers. Keep each campus page on the Trust website up-to-date.
Should departments (e.g., Sixth Form) have separate listings?
Only if they have a separate public entrance or phone and serve the public separately. Otherwise use categories on the main listing.
What photos are safe to upload?
Exterior, reception, accessibility info, maps/entrances. Avoid identifiable pupil images unless consented under policy.
How do we track results?
Use UTM parameters on website links; monitor GA4 traffic and GBP Insights. In GSC, track branded query CTR and clicks YoY.
What if we’re emailed “DA 50 directory packages”?
Decline. Your policy should reject any service selling followed links or bulk submissions. Use our due-diligence workflow to vet new platforms.
Do we need to add schema to listings?
No—you can’t control third-party platform markup. Focus on your website’s structured data and accurate citations in directories.
Glossary (plain English)
NAP
Name, Address, Phone. Keep identical everywhere.
Citation
A mention of your school’s details on another website (often with a link).
GBP
Google Business Profile—controls how your school appears on Google Maps.
UTM
Tags added to URLs so GA4 can attribute visits (e.g., ?utm_source=).
Need practical SEO support?
Speak With Paul Delaney
Paul Delaney helps schools turn complex SEO into simple, effective actions. As a guest writer for SEO for Schools, Paul shares step-by-step playbooks and evidence-based guidance that busy teams can apply immediately. With three decades’ experience working with UK and international institutions, he understands the challenges school teams face and is well positioned to offer support and guidance.
For our readers, Paul offers free 30-minute sessions for institutions exploring how to raise visibility, strengthen brand trust and streamline admissions. Sessions are practical, jargon-free and free from sales pressure. You can contact him using the buttons below—please mention SEOforSchools.co.uk.
