madeintheUK.co.uk help and advice please...

I was wondering how people find your site to get listed in the first place?
Do you search for them and invite them to list their site?
Do you advertise? Online and offline?

You could go to other directories to find businesses already listed, contact them and invite them to get listed on yours too.

Instead of giving them the marketing material for free perhaps you could start a membership site where they pay a small fee monthly for resources.

Good luck with your site. You've made good start.

Sandy

Thanks Sandy,

Great feedback, funny enough I do have a membership portal created and could charge a minimal fee for access tot he content, however I need to contantly grow this content to give good monthly value...unless I sell the membership as a yearly offering for a rather cheap fee.

Currently I am relying on facebook networking, and organic traffic, but I do have a load of fliers that I want to give out at craft exhibitions that I will be doing soon, and then I will increase the advertising as things progress.

I probably should start scouting other directories and contacting them to list with us.

Thanks for the advice.

Mike

You definitely need to increase the number of listings, otherwise it looks like a weak site.

I think your best bet is to seek out businesses that make products in the UK. Call or email them and let them know that you are starting a directory for UK made products only. Tell them it is free to add their name to the list. AND, let them know that you provide free marketing materials for them. Added value.

I don't think a membership to the marketing material is a good strategy. Here's why... you would need to provide top notch articles on a variety of topics, otherwise why would the company invest in a subscription? You would need to write on all forms of marketing, which you may or may not have the time to do. Plus, most subscription sites only keep customers for 3 months. Then they leave/ don't renew.

I'd also say the worst part of the site is that you are basically sending people off to other sites. You're just a gateway. Being that... it might be best to try to monetize the customers that visit the site (not the merchants.) You could require people to sign up for your email list before they can access the site for free and its vendors. Tease the number of vendors on the homepage and types of products people can expect once supplying the email address.

Then you have a list that you can continue to market to. And, possibly partner up with the UK companies and see if they have an affiliate program or can offer a discount code that provides you with a monetary kickback.

How about advertising in local newspapers, business listings and so on... Get your site noticed in the local business sections. You'll start to see more activity that way.

Regards,

Lee

Excellent Feedback, perhaps I will need to some how get this out to the media and get people on board!