This article explores when its right to upgrade your business directory listing.
If you’ve listed your company on Noticed.uk (or similar platforms) for free, you might wonder what a Premium upgrade would really do. Free listings are a great start – they give you a basic mobile-friendly profile and a chance to get enquiries at no cost.
But as your business grows, sticking with a free plan may limit your reach. In this article, we’ll break down the free vs. paid business directory listing debate and help you decide when to upgrade your business listing to a Premium plan.
Signs You’re Outgrowing a Free Listing
Even the best free listing can only take you so far. Here are some telltale signs that your business may have outgrown the free tier and could benefit from a Premium upgrade:
You’ve Hit a Visibility Plateau:
Perhaps your profile had an initial burst of views or calls, but now it’s flatlining. Free listings can blend in with dozens of others. If you’re not seeing growth in leads anymore, it might be because your visibility has peaked in the free section.
Premium listings typically get “prominent placement” and appear at the top of categories or search results, ensuring more eyes on your business. This boost in exposure can translate into significantly more traffic and leads over time .
You Want More Inbound Leads:
A free listing is a passive marketing tool; you’re basically waiting for customers to find you. If you’re eager to scale up and get more enquiries or bookings, a premium listing can proactively drive those results.
Paid directory entries often deliver extra features (like call-to-action buttons or quote requests) that funnel more customers your way.
In one analysis, businesses found that 67% of their directory leads came from paid listings even though those made up a small part of their budget. In short, when you need a higher volume of inbound calls and emails, free might not cut it.
Competitors Are Outranking You:
Search your service on Noticed.uk – does your competition show up above you with flashy profiles? If competitors (especially those with Premium badges) are listed first, they’re likely getting the calls before customers scroll down to your free listing.
Premium plans guarantee “a higher position on our directory… promoting your business to potential clients before other companies”.
Upgrading can leapfrog your listing above non-paying competitors, so you get seen (and contacted) first. In a very competitive category, not upgrading could mean losing business to those who do.
What Premium Offers
Upgrading to a Premium listing on Noticed.uk unlocks powerful features that go beyond what free listings provide. Here’s what you get with Premium that can elevate your business profile:
Higher Listing Placement:
Your business will appear above free listings in your service category and local area searches. With prime placement, you enjoy greater visibility and click-throughs.
Directories typically give premium profiles priority placement, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates. In practical terms, your company is front-and-center when customers search – an instant advantage over any free-only competitors.
WhatsApp Messaging & Direct Contact:
Premium listings make it easier for potential customers to reach you. In addition to the usual phone and email, Noticed.uk Premium profiles include a WhatsApp chat button or direct messaging from your profile.
This enhanced contact option lets interested clients message you instantly – a convenience today’s customers love.
Premium directories often support multiple contact methods (“direct messaging, click-to-call, etc.”), which increases engagement by removing friction. The sooner a customer can ask a question or request a quote via WhatsApp, the sooner you can close the deal.
More Photos and Content Showcase:
Free listings can be minimal, but Premium lets you show off your business in detail. You’ll have more room for photos – think project galleries, before-and-after images, team snapshots – as well as richer descriptions of your services.
Premium plans typically support “more images, videos, or rich media content” and longer descriptions to tell your story.
This means your Noticed.uk profile can truly reflect your expertise: multiple service categories, credentials, a detailed “About Us”, customer reviews, and more. A fuller profile builds trust and gives customers reasons to choose you.
Lead Generation Features:
One major perk of Premium is access to Noticed.uk’s lead gen tools. Premium businesses are eligible for features like quote requests – for example, if a user on Noticed.uk requests quotes from local providers in your category, your company will be included (free listings might be left out of this rotation).
You may also get a “Premium Provider” badge that boosts credibility. By appearing in these premium-only channels, you gain extra exposure that directly translates to more leads.
Essentially, the directory starts working for you – actively pushing interested customers your way, rather than you hoping they find you.
Cost vs. Benefit
Upgrading is an investment – so let’s talk cost vs. benefit. A Premium plan on Noticed.uk is a small cost per month. For a small business, every pound spent needs to pull its weight. The good news is that the math often works out strongly in your favour.
Consider a simple ROI scenario: If your average job is worth a few hundred pounds, converting just one extra job per month via your Premium listing would more than cover the monthly fee.
In fact, that one job would triple what you paid for the listing, easily paying for itself. Many service businesses get far more than one additional job from a premium boost – which means the rest is pure gain.
According to industry data, paid listings can generate roughly 2–3× more leads and phone calls than free listings on average. The table below illustrates the cost-benefit balance:
| Decision Factor | Favours Free Listing (Stay Free) | Favours Premium Upgrade |
| Current Visibility | Your business is already easily found; the free listing is still bringing in new leads steadily. | You feel almost invisible on the directory – Premium would put you at the top of results for your category . |
| Lead Volume | You’re getting sufficient enquiries from the free listing and can barely keep up (a good problem!). | You need more enquiries – Premium’s higher exposure could yield 2–3× more contacts and jobs . |
| Competition | Few competitors are listed, or none of them have premium upgrades. You’re already a top result. | Your category is crowded; rivals with Premium badges outrank you. Upgrading can push you above competitors and win back visibility. |
| Budget & ROI | Even a small monthly fee isn’t feasible right now; or the extra business from free listing alone meets your needs. | One new job pays for Premium. For example, a single job easily covers the monthly fee – a clear ROI win. If you have capacity for growth, the investment is minor next to the potential revenue. |
For most local trades (plumbers, electricians, etc.), the breakeven is very low – usually just one job! Such a tool would let you experiment with scenarios, but the takeaway is usually the same: Premium pays off with minimal uptick in business.
And as one case study showed, a small directory investment can yield big results (in one firm’s experience, 67% of their directory leads came from paid listings while consuming only 20% of their budget) . In other words, a targeted spend on a Premium listing can punch above its weight in bringing you customers.
Case Example: Yorkshire Drainage Specialists Ltd Services’ Upgrade Success
To see how this works in practice, let’s look at a hypothetical example. Yorkshire Drainage Specialists Ltd is a drainage contractor in Leeds with a free Noticed.uk listing.
They had a decent trickle of leads – say about 10 calls a month – but noticed competitors with Premium status were appearing above them and likely snapping up more jobs.
Yorkshire Drainage Specialists Ltd decided to upgrade to a Premium listing. The results were evident within two months: their call volume roughly tripled (from 10 to about 30 calls a month) in the 60 days after upgrading.
This meant an estimated 3× increase in inquiries virtually overnight, just by unlocking higher placement and new contact options.
The owner of Yorkshire Drainage Specialists Ltd reported that many new customers reached out via the convenient WhatsApp chat on their profile (a feature they didn’t have before upgrading) and through the directory’s quote request system.
With those additional 20 calls per month, Yorkshire Drainage Specialists Ltd converted enough new jobs to boost monthly revenue by several thousand pounds – far outweighing the Premium listing fee.
(Note: This 3× jump in call volume aligns with industry findings – paid directory listings often drive around 3 times more phone calls than free listings on average.)
The Premium upgrade not only paid for itself, but it also allowed Yorkshire Drainage Specialists Ltd to expand their team to handle the extra work.
Perhaps most importantly, Yorkshire Drainage Specialists Ltd Services is now the top-listed drainage contractor in their area on Noticed.uk, wearing a Premium badge that signals credibility.
New customers have commented that Yorkshire Drainage Specialists Ltd’s profile “looked more established and trustworthy,” reinforcing the brand’s reputation.
This example shows how a small investment in a premium listing can yield a big payoff in visibility and leads for a local business.
Conclusion – Ready to Upgrade for Growth?
At the end of the day, the decision comes down to your business’s goals. If you’re comfortable with your current exposure and leads, a free listing is a fantastic free marketing tool.
But if you’re hungry for more visibility, more leads, and an edge over competitors, the Premium plan is a smart bet. It offers tangible upgrades – from better placement to direct customer messaging – that can significantly accelerate your growth. The cost is modest compared to the value of even a single new customer.
Ready to boost your visibility and get ahead of the competition? Upgrade to a Premium Listing on Noticed.uk and let your business stand out. A few minutes of upgrading now could translate into many new clients in the coming weeks. Don’t let your business blend in when it can shine at the top – make the switch from free to Premium and experience the difference it makes in driving your success.