Business Directory Alternatives for Kenyan Businesses
A directory listing can help a customer find you by name, category or area. But a short profile with a phone number and a line of description often leaves the real questions unanswered. What exactly do you do? Which areas do you cover? What does it cost? Is there proof of your work? If customers keep calling just to find out whether you're the right fit, the listing is not doing enough.
The short answer: you don't have to delete your directory listing. Keep it for discovery, and add something that explains your offer in detail. A KobStore storefront is a practical way to do that. You can start it free, and it also puts your listings in KobStore Browse.
Details below were checked on 5 October 2026. Fees and features change, so confirm them with each platform before you commit.
First, fix the listings you already have
Before opening a new account, check what's already out there:
Is your business name spelled the same everywhere?
Are your phone number, area, category and hours correct?
Do all contact links work when you tap them on a phone?
Are there duplicate or outdated profiles you can correct or remove?
Ask a friend to find you as a customer would. Keep a record of each profile's URL, login, renewal date and where enquiries come from.
Option 1: add a Google Business Profile
When someone searches "salon near me" or "plumber Westlands", Google usually shows a map with a few local listings above the normal results. That box comes from Google Business Profile, which is free. You add your name, category, hours, phone, photos and service area, and customers can see reviews and call you straight from the result.
Good for: local discovery and directions.
Limits: little room for packages, scope or pricing.
Option 2: list in more than one directory
Look for active directories relevant to your trade and location. Check their current inclusion, profile, and paid-placement terms before adding one. Before adding any directory, ask:
Does it include my category and my actual area?
Do customers really search there?
What does a free profile include, and what do paid placement and renewal cost?
What does "verified" mean, and can I link to my own page?
Don't copy the same long text into every directory. Write a short, accurate profile for each, and keep the full explanation on a page you control.
Option 3: a KobStore storefront or service page
KobStore gives your business a public page for products or services, with your scope, working area, price basis, photos, policies and contact details together. It works as a middle ground between a short directory profile and a custom website. You can share the link from your Google profile, directory listings, WhatsApp, social bios and flyers.
Free to start. The Foundation tier has 10 listings with 2 images each. Free listings expire after 30 days unless renewed.
One-time upgrades. Catalyst is KSh 500 (60 listings, no expiry, Verified badge). Dominion is KSh 1,000 and Legacy is KSh 2,000.
KobStore does not charge a percentage commission on seller sales or service fees. Payment arrangements depend on the listing type; check current pricing for applicable plan and add-on charges.
Found in Browse. Your listings can also appear in KobStore Browse, where people look for sellers and service providers by category.
A KobStore page helps present your offer and contact details. Sellers respond to enquiries and arrange payment, delivery, or appointments directly with customers. Check the pricing page for current terms.
Option 4: a custom website
A website gives the most control: separate pages, a portfolio, FAQs, forms and booking tools. But you handle the domain, hosting, security, backups and updates, and it won't bring visitors on its own. Estimate the ongoing work, not just the setup. See business directory vs website.
Option 5: social media and WhatsApp
These show your personality, recent work and customer feedback, and WhatsApp handles questions and quotes. They are harder to use as a reference, because customers have to scroll to find the current price or service area. Pin a link to your full offer, and put your service area and booking terms in your profile.
Option 6: a marketplace listing
A marketplace can reach people browsing a shared category, if it allows your service and the format explains it well. Read the terms on commission, payment, cancellations, disputes and customer contact first. If the marketplace page is short, link to a fuller page where its rules allow.
Match the option to your customer's task
What to put on your page
List the questions customers ask before they enquire, then answer them. A home-repair customer might need the area you serve, how you charge a call-out, and what photos to send. A tutor might need subject, level, lesson format and times. A consultant might need accepted project types and how fees are quoted. Then ask someone to find your service, check coverage, understand the price basis and contact you, without your help. Fix wherever they hesitate.
Compare cost, ownership and upkeep
For every option, record setup cost, recurring fees, advertising, domain and hosting, and the hours you spend writing and updating. A low-cost listing that needs constant manual updates is not cheap. Also check who controls the asset. Can you edit it? Can you export your text, photos and enquiries? What happens when a subscription ends? Save a dated note of the current terms, and test any feature you depend on yourself.
Keep every listing consistent
Choose a source of truth for your phone, hours, service area, prices and description. Review every public profile monthly and after any change. Remove services you no longer offer. Make sure the person answering the phone knows what your profiles promise.
Try a four-week test
Pick one service and one target area.
Prepare a factual profile: outcome, scope, price basis, availability and how to contact you.
Use the same details on your directory, Google profile and KobStore page.
Track profile views, qualified enquiries, replies, completed work and hours spent.
Ask each new client how they found you.
Keep the channel that brings suitable clients at an effort you can sustain.
If people arrive but don't book, check your response time, pricing clarity and proof. If few people arrive, the problem may be distribution, not the page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to leave my directory listing?
No. Keep it for discovery and add a fuller page for detail.
Is a KobStore page a directory?
It is a hosted storefront you can share like a link. Your listings can also appear in KobStore Browse.
Does KobStore charge a sales commission? KobStore does not charge a percentage commission on seller sales or service fees. Payment arrangements depend on the listing type; check current pricing for applicable plan and add-on charges.
How does a KobStore page support customer enquiries? It provides a public page that customers can review and that sellers can share through relevant channels. Keep the page accurate so customers can assess the offer.
Can I sell services, not just products?
Yes. See advertise services online in Kenya.
Ready to give customers more than a phone number? Create a free KobStore storefront and link it from your directory profile.
