20 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
20 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

And The Point Of Directory Sites Are?????

by kaputchnik
15 replies
I have been looking into setting up niche directory sites in my local area but to be honest after some research i am beginning to wonder if it is worth it.

EG: Lets say i am going to create a directory site for plumbers.

As a consumer searching for a plumber in my town using google/yahoo etc i am greeted with Adwords at the top followed by yell and then the google 7 box listings. In fact this is true for virtually all service based industries in my area

So what is the point in another directory site?

Firstly it is going to be hard to rank, difficult to beat the 7 box and when i am looking for say a plumber i never use sites like yell etc when there are listings right in front of me on google.

A directory site is just another added step/steps to get to the info you require right???

Anyone wish to chime in on the positives!!!

Cheers
#directory #point #sites
  • Profile picture of the author AussieT
    You can beat out the google plus listings and many people are blind to the paid adwords listings.

    Directory sites are also a great foot-in-the-door is you are offering other offline services to local businesses.

    Besides of you make it a tightly targeted directory that focuses on only one niche then many will feel that they HAVE to be in it - just in case - provided you make the price reasonable. How many people are adv in the yellowpages (online and offline) just because their competitors are in it
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7937840].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MarkJez
      Originally Posted by AussieT View Post

      many will feel that they HAVE to be in it - just in case - provided you make the price reasonable. How many people are adv in the yellowpages (online and offline) just because their competitors are in it
      Great point - from my experience of running a directory site - small biz owners tend not to be particularly interested in online directory advertising - UNTIL they realise that their competitors are in the same directory and are picking up business as a result! Their MINDSET then does a 180 degree change and it is much easier to get them on board.

      The biggest hurdle of all is actually getting the first listings in the directory - and probably the best way to do this is to offer free listings for the first few plumbers (e.g. free for the first year).

      Once these free spots have all been taken - paid-for listings (and premium listings) are much easier to land - due to the pschological fear of loss.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7938230].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author lollobrigida
    If you built it, you control it.
    You decide who gets a valuable backlink, you decide who gets a
    featured entry, you decide who can publish coupons, etc.
    I'd say it's a piece of web real estate that you can use to support
    all the other stuff you offer locally.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7938227].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Trafficsniper
      Very True. Nice Post! It's very important that you know what you're doing.

      -JASON BUZI
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7940026].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Daniel LaRusso
      I think this is the one very important thing about directory sites that most people who build them overlook. A directory site is so much more than just a place for more backlinks.

      If you can provide unique value to both the business owner who will be in the directory AND to the consumers who look at the directory, then you have a powerful tool.

      You have to be able to, without using buzzwords and bullcrap, tell anyone WHY your directory is a good return for them.


      Originally Posted by lollobrigida View Post

      If you built it, you control it.
      You decide who gets a valuable backlink, you decide who gets a
      featured entry, you decide who can publish coupons, etc.
      I'd say it's a piece of web real estate that you can use to support
      all the other stuff you offer locally.
      Signature

      It is unwise to trust all you read on the internet.
      - Benjamin Franklin

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8461479].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Khemosabi
        Originally Posted by Daniel LaRusso View Post

        I think this is the one very important thing about directory sites that most people who build them overlook. A directory site is so much more than just a place for more backlinks.

        If you can provide unique value to both the business owner who will be in the directory AND to the consumers who look at the directory, then you have a powerful tool.

        You have to be able to, without using buzzwords and bullcrap, tell anyone WHY your directory is a good return for them.

        ^^This, exactly!
        Directory sites should have content in them, that is what will get them ranked! Content isn't just about photos and backlinks. People want to know and trust what they're clicking on! Establishing trust is key these days!

        ~ Theresa
        Signature


        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8461538].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Eddie Spangler
    1.Virtual Real Estate- not everyone goes to just the first site and picks a provider. Showing up again and again while people are searching cannot hurt.

    2.You can set it up like a review site that can get attention in the serps.
    If I saw something like this when looking for a roofer it would get my attention.

    Best City Roofers-
    What you must know before calling a roofer

    Then you have the listings and maybe 3 top sponsors along with legit reviews from others.
    Also have a few articles on how to choose a roofer and such.

    A directory doesnt HAVE to be just a bunch of biz listings.
    Think Bigger!
    Signature
    Promise Big.
    Deliver Bigger.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7938256].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Arzak
    If you can't rank them then don't bother. Most of them end up failing.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7940592].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jeremycoates
    Originally Posted by kaputchnik View Post

    I have been looking into setting up niche directory sites in my local area but to be honest after some research i am beginning to wonder if it is worth it.

    EG: Lets say i am going to create a directory site for plumbers.

    As a consumer searching for a plumber in my town using google/yahoo etc i am greeted with Adwords at the top followed by yell and then the google 7 box listings. In fact this is true for virtually all service based industries in my area

    So what is the point in another directory site?

    Firstly it is going to be hard to rank, difficult to beat the 7 box and when i am looking for say a plumber i never use sites like yell etc when there are listings right in front of me on google.

    A directory site is just another added step/steps to get to the info you require right???

    Anyone wish to chime in on the positives!!!

    Cheers
    I always thought that directory sites are primarily used for backlinks, Which is why you want to post a business site in as many directories as possible, but like you said, the directory sites need to be high ranking ones... correct me if i'm wrong..
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7940601].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author bedragon
    And how do you rank a directory site that has lots of links photos info and you want to rank it ? thank sfor your answer
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8460692].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author swilliams09
    Let me tell yah. I'll believe it when I see it. My tv station partnered with a SEO/marketing company to do a custom branded directory service. They sold ad space on the site and sold solo commercials on air to small businesses. 6 months later they are ready to abandon it. Even with heavy advertising, people just GO TO GOOGLE TO SEARCH FOR BUSINESSES. If your directory listing isn't ranked at the top, nobody is going to visit it. People go to google to search for businesses, they aren't gonna go to mycitydirectory.com They don't remember it, they remember google. Sorry, it's true. Someone with a thriving directory please prove me wrong.
    Signature

    Learn how to make videos that sell. Special $1 Offer for Warriors Only.

    http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...ml?view=modern

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8470255].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Daniel LaRusso
      Search "jobless dad" on this forum. His site is lancasterpaguide.com

      The value is in how you build the directory, not the SEO

      Originally Posted by swilliams09 View Post

      Let me tell yah. I'll believe it when I see it. My tv station partnered with a SEO/marketing company to do a custom branded directory service. They sold ad space on the site and sold solo commercials on air to small businesses. 6 months later they are ready to abandon it. Even with heavy advertising, people just GO TO GOOGLE TO SEARCH FOR BUSINESSES. If your directory listing isn't ranked at the top, nobody is going to visit it. People go to google to search for businesses, they aren't gonna go to mycitydirectory.com They don't remember it, they remember google. Sorry, it's true. Someone with a thriving directory please prove me wrong.
      Signature

      It is unwise to trust all you read on the internet.
      - Benjamin Franklin

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8470269].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author CageyVet
    No matter if you are the biggest directory or a small local niche directory, there are two things you need to be successful.

    Value and Visibility

    Value to the end consumers and value to the businesses that place their listing with you.

    Visibility so that you have traffic from end consumers and visibility for businesses so they know you are out there.

    How you add value and gain visibility is completely up to your and your directory's business model.

    Simply putting up a directory from a free or purchased script is not enough any more. If you have value and visibility, there is no reason why you can not make money with an online directory business model or even a hybrid model combining a directory with something else.
    Signature
    I'm just an opinionated ******* Today!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8470359].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
    From a user point of view, (a non IM type user who is not aware of things we are aware of!) I search for a term, I then decide which of the options from Google to click on first, hoping the first one will give me the solution I seek. The first one is an ad, am I aware of that, not really, OK it looks different but the content of the ad doesn't interest me, so I scan down the page, through that weird map bit, aha heres one, I click on it and it opens up into....another listing, now I have another decision to make, that isn't what I wanted so I back out to the Google listing again.

    From a business owners point of view , I am already competing against the other 9+ slots on Google first page, plus the ads and local maps, now if and its a big IF the directory gets clicked on, I am still competing against the other relevant listings in that directory, so I have two chances to lose the potential client, then they click through to my listing but chances are theres no way for ME to collect their contact details there and then, I have to rely on them contacting me or clicking through to my actual website, so I have to rely on the user making three decisions at key moments in my favour, V having my own website on page 1 and they only have to make one decision in my favour, click through to my website, and I get their contact details (provided I have the right software running which I do cos I got Mike Bailey working with my business).

    From directory owners point of view..... wtf is all this looking at things from the clients point of view all about anyway, screw that, im getting XX businesses signing up for $xx , Im OK jack, .....end results? hahah wtf. I never said you'd get leads or clients from it anyhow, o by the way, have you heard about our upsell offer?
    Hey I am joking that last paragraph....well maybe
    Signature

    Mike

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8470909].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author zimbizee
    I think one of the problems with directory sites is the creator doesn't really care about the end user at all, they are just interested in how much MONEY can i make from the advertisers in the directory.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8474404].message }}

Trending Topics