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If your building a local city mobile directory....

by ballanrk
11 replies
I'm building a city directory that is a mobile optimized website directory and the homepage is a responsive Wordpress theme. I know the downfalls of using Wordpress on mobile but I also know the benefits. It really depends on what your trying to achieve.

On the homepage I have business categories linking to another wordpress page with those specific businesses. I haven't really thought through how I will be selecting most of the businesses like restaurants, car washes, bars, tanning salons, etc for inclusion in the directory except that I won't be letting every business in. My city is large enough for section inclusion like 1 maybe 2 of same category per area for certain categories.

I'm big on giving quality to the businesses so driving traffic will hopefully come from placing advertisement for my directory in as many businesses as I can in exchange for a mobile optimized website. I know, I know, a website for free? I can knock out a mobile website thanks to Warrior Will's WSO in about 15 minutes. I have the mobile website for each business on a sub domain of mycitymobiledotcom.(Example)

Of course SEO, Social and maybe direct mail will be done in addition to business placement. I do have two large Universities in which I can hopefully market to the students on campus. Additionally, I thought about contacting Real Estate agents and working out a similar deal for a website in exchange for putting my directory in their move-in packets. I'm not giving away the house or maintaining the info for free just the basics are on the sites. Chance to charge for upgrades, possibly.

How do I plan on making money if I'm giving away the websites?
I will be charging the money categories like attorney, dentist, chiropractor, landscaper, plumber, towing company, etc for being the only business listed on the mobile directory. I figure in doing the simple math at 50 businesses(maybe more) x $100 per month is 5K. That doesn't include additional revenue like featured advertising on the directory, gaining SEO clients, lead generation, SMS and more. So, if I can generate 5k-8k per month that leaves extra for a VA or whatever to take care of some of the work.

RINSE AND REPEAT FOR ANOTHER CITY MAYBE TWO. Then you can see how a nice income can be achieved. I don't think we have even come close in realizing the way smartphones will be used in even the next two years so I'm trying to create anything and everything I can with mobile in mind.

I have several ideas on gaining traffic and can use more but does anyone have suggestions on monetizing my directory pages in addition to selling featured advertisements to the listed businesses? ADSENSE √ FEATURED ADS √

Are there any suggestions for what should be on the homepage besides just the business categories? Maybe Groupon, Trip Advisor, Info about the city or something else. I'm kind of at a loss on what to add. I'm trying to capture everyone from teenagers to retirees so I want cool ideas for the 30 and under crowd to find the site useful but also connect with the older crowd.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
ballanrk
#building #city #directory #local #mobile
  • Profile picture of the author Jerry McGough
    Good morning,
    I went down a similar path a couple of years ago.
    I set up a local portal with a primo software (eDirectory.com) and hit the streets.

    I really hate giving you a downside, but it should be beneficial in your planning.

    Businesses were completely disinterested.
    The economy was already bad back then and additional advertising was not something that appealed to them.
    Unless a portal was already flooded with traffic and ads by their competitors, it just wasn't appealing as something that would yield positive measurable results.
    Also, local traffic wouldn't exactly put the site on their front burner just to look at ads.

    If you do such a site, I think there must be more to it in order for it to be appealing to both businesses and visitors.

    I'm presently working on setting up a similar type site but the primary emphasis is on displaying local business COUPONS.

    I'm setting up one from CouponPAQ.com

    Coupons are huge.... they're perfect for this economy and a great gatebuster.
    Businesses can have measurable positive results....
    I'll et them list two for free.... then sell them on email list management, SMS, mobile sites etc. for big time recurring income.

    Example: Business gets a page with two coupons that they can change 24 hours a day., biz description...reviews...link to website, mailing signup, Google map, social site links, link to video.....FOR FREE......aka BAIT

    OR for a fee.....list ten coupons......they get front page listing ....their own domain name (most small local business names followed by the word coupons is available) that will take "their" customers directly to "their" coupon page. They get mini flyers, the size of a dollar bill telling their customers about their coupon page "Be Sure To check Out Our Online Coupons At www.JerrysPizzaCoupons.com"....these are handed out with change.
    They can also fill in the back side of the ad and hand it over to be added to the mailing/messaging list.

    Free coupon listings should be a great warm calling card that leaves doors wide open when you start off by making them money.

    Anyhow, if anyone is interested, I'll post more on what I'm doing when I have more time.

    Hope the above helps.....

    Good luck
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    • Profile picture of the author toto83
      @ballanrk thanks for starting the thread

      Originally Posted by Jerry McGough View Post

      Good morning,
      I went down a similar path a couple of years ago.
      I set up a local portal with a primo software (eDirectory.com) and hit the streets.

      I really hate giving you a downside, but it should be beneficial in your planning.

      Businesses were completely disinterested.
      The economy was already bad back then and additional advertising was not something that appealed to them.
      Unless a portal was already flooded with traffic and ads by their competitors, it just wasn't appealing as something that would yield positive measurable results.
      Also, local traffic wouldn't exactly put the site on their front burner just to look at ads.

      If you do such a site, I think there must be more to it in order for it to be appealing to both businesses and visitors.

      I'm presently working on setting up a similar type site but the primary emphasis is on displaying local business COUPONS.

      I'm setting up one from CouponPAQ.com

      Coupons are huge.... they're perfect for this economy and a great gatebuster.
      Businesses can have measurable positive results....
      I'll et them list two for free.... then sell them on email list management, SMS, mobile sites etc. for big time recurring income.

      Example: Business gets a page with two coupons that they can change 24 hours a day., biz description...reviews...link to website, mailing signup, Google map, social site links, link to video.....FOR FREE......aka BAIT

      OR for a fee.....list ten coupons......they get front page listing ....their own domain name (most small local business names followed by the word coupons is available) that will take "their" customers directly to "their" coupon page. They get mini flyers, the size of a dollar bill telling their customers about their coupon page "Be Sure To check Out Our Online Coupons At www.JerrysPizzaCoupons.com"....these are handed out with change.
      They can also fill in the back side of the ad and hand it over to be added to the mailing/messaging list.

      Free coupon listings should be a great warm calling card that leaves doors wide open when you start off by making them money.

      Anyhow, if anyone is interested, I'll post more on what I'm doing when I have more time.

      Hope the above helps.....

      Good luck
      Interesting twist to the mobile directory business model...Looking forward to a more elaborate post on what you are doing..

      Many thanks,

      Zina
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      Originally Posted by Jerry McGough View Post

      Good morning,
      I went down a similar path a couple of years ago.

      I set up a local portal with a primo software (eDirectory.com) and hit the streets.

      I really hate giving you a downside, but it should be beneficial in your planning.

      Businesses were completely disinterested.
      The economy was already bad back then and additional advertising was not something that appealed to them.
      Listen to yourself.\

      This is TEXTBOOK what every salesman that ever gives in to failure says with any product... TEXT BOOK.

      This is perfect, appropriate and typical....and its the perspective of someone who failed at the sales aspect.

      Frankly and objectively, thats what it is.

      So my advice is always this: Consider the source. What do you expect to hear from someone who it didnt work for...how to make it work?

      Honestly Jerry, read your words, they are absolutely text book sales people excuses.

      Somehow back at that time others were still selling services every day.
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  • Profile picture of the author ballanrk
    Thanks for the useful info. I failed to mention coupons should and was in my thought process and you have really gave me a lot of details to consider.
    Signature
    POP the Champagne cork I can PM now!

    Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it......

    -Henry David Thoreau
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  • Profile picture of the author Shmigola
    Hello,
    In beginning I want to place free listings from others directories (like YP). Because nobody wants to place his listing into empty directory. I have a follow question. How much legally is to use a businesses details (logo, pictures, etc.) without its owners permission?
    Thanks,
    Andrey Shmigol
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    • Profile picture of the author midasman09
      Banned
      Here's a Link to a Coupon Site I've been watching since they started a few yrs ago. As I recall, 3 college guys set this up and sold it in college towns in Ark (Check Norman, OK also)

      I forgot what they charge but...on the Fayettville site, looks like they have good response.

      Should give some of you an "idea" on how to set this up.

      Enjoy!

      Free mobile coupons for restaurants and more in Fayetteville, Arkansas - College Tokens

      Don Alm
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      • Profile picture of the author midasman09
        Banned
        Oooppps...sorry! I just took a look at the "expiration dates" on the Coupons and....ALL have expired except 1 at the top.

        So....maybe this starts out as a good idea THEN....when the sponsors don't get coupons redeemed....they don't renew.

        Don Alm
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  • Profile picture of the author dhanyapratap
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMac
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      For the local directory script or business directory script , we had lauched an edirectory clone script EZYDIR. you will have LISTING, CLASSFIEDS,DEALS, BLOGS,EVENTS additionally b2b market, job portal small modules included in it. More info mail info(at)gemitservices.com


      I think you should post some examples of what can be done with your directory. Show some sample directories.

      John
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      • Profile picture of the author dhanyapratap
        Banned
        [DELETED]
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMac
          What I mean by samples is a real business using your script.

          Restaurants, Hometown business directory, etc.

          Potention customers of yours need to see what this script can do.

          Edirectory.com has plenty of sample websites and themes so potential
          clients of theirs can see what a completed website can look like.

          John
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