How to Find Business Information
Use the Economic Census to find out the number of businesses operating in the US, a State, a City, or County. Search Google Maps to identify businesses (restaurants, grocery stores, copy shops) in a region. The SBA’s Size Up website provides data on businesses.
Ask your local Chamber of Commerce about businesses in the area. Check newspaper classifieds and city directories.
The US has 30.7 million small businesses. They create 1.5 million jobs annually, 64% of new US jobs.
How do I find a list of all businesses in my area? There are several sources you can turn to. Newest businesses often become members of the local Chamber of Commerce. Ask your Secretary of State. Check local media. Search your area online. Check your local library.
What tools can I use to find businesses? Use Google Maps and Apple Maps to search by category or location. Filter by ratings. See photos and hours. Check reviews on sites like Yelp and Facebook. Business directories like Whitepages, Bing Places, and LinkedIn also list companies.
The Impact of Technology on Businesses
New technology lets small firms expand beyond local areas and find distant customers. However, it may also lead one large firm to dominate a market.
Leveraging Listings for Business Success
How do listings support small businesses? Listings create brand awareness and help customers find businesses online and in-person. Directories organize companies by category, location, size, etc. Listings also provide SEO benefits to maximize search visibility. Promoting small businesses through listings helps them compete with large firms.
What information is in a business listing? Listings include business name, location, contact info, description, photos, store hours, and reviews. Complete listings build trust and aid purchasing decisions.
Supporting Small Businesses
Recommend small businesses to friends and family. Like, comment and share their social media posts. Most support costs nothing.
Local Business Statistics
How many local businesses are there? There are 30.2 million small businesses in the United States, according to the SBA’s Office of Advocacy. Small businesses comprise 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses.
There are around 7.7 billion companies on the planet. These include large multinationals and local businesses, with the latter contributing a significant proportion of the world’s GDP.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 33.2 million American businesses in 2023, but that number is skewed because it counts every single corporation, including those set up by independent contractors and even shell companies created solely to hold an asset.