JL Faverio: Good for local citations (local seo) but nothing more.
Michael Stricker: Good, well-organized and geo-specific directories can reinforce NAP citations, as JL pointed out, and may actually deliver targeted traffic with local motivation to see, try and buy. Factors that can strongly and positively influence local and map SEO. Many such directories maintain their own ratings and reviews — whether or not they are trusted by Google, they can influence users in the moment.
quick question -- Does creating creating profiles on sites like these provide worthy backlinks?: Citysearch
