New Directory

How to promote it

[humaneditor]

Hello,

We are going to launch a new directory.

>It is human edited.
>Static [.html] pages
>We are compiling sites that offer good content, usability, etc.
> No banner ad / annoying pop-ups.

Can you suggest inexpensive ways to promote it?
Thanks.

[treeline]

Join a mailing list for this topic. Listen for a few days to get the attitude of the group. Then announce your new project, invite them to add their sites.

Add relevant sites. Send them an email letting them know you've done so. Inquire politely about a reciprocal link.

Send a note or press release to any magazines or newsletters covering the subject. They may run something.

Many small publications will do a review of your new site if you buy just a small ad. Ask.

Be sure you have a good selection of links in every category before publicizing. No sense bookmarking or revisiting an empty site.

Call or send a personalized note to the best sites run by individuals in your category. Tell them why you like their site, and would like to be listed on it.

[eduardomaio]

Or make a directory that offers something diferent and useful to the visitors...

For example, i've made a directory with thumbnails and only good and portuguese websites. People really like it and search it a lot.

[edited by: rogerd at 8:09 pm (utc) on Dec. 28, 2004]
[edit reason] No specifics/URLs, please... [/edit]

[Shawn Steele]

Personally, I think it will be hard in this day and age to promote an authority site without any money. But I guess a good start would be to submit the site to as many free directories as possible. Then post in forums. Get a name for yourself, make good friends, etc. :)

[rfung]

But I guess a good start would be to submit the site to as many free directories as possible.

Lol. I visualize this image of whole directories being fed by each other, in a MLM fashion :)

(added) and come to think of it, in some industries (namely adult) they do!...I heard about it anyway :)

[Powdork]

When my car gets really dirty (all winter long) I write my directory's name in the dirt on the back window. Then you can't be static in traffic. You must pass as many cars as possible.

[larryhatch]

Hello humaneditor: Can you tell me/us what sort of content you are looking for?
If its anything related to my site, I would love to submit it.
Please sticky if that's the only way.
I like the idea of human edited directories. Thanks - Larry

[ncw164x]

>>I like the idea of human edited directories

I thought all directories are edited by a human otherwise if it was a spider that checked site submissions it would be called a search engine and not a directory?

[StephenR]

I also run a human edited directed squarely aimed at affiliate marketers. All the advice has been good thus far promoting directories. For each new directory I launch I join as many related forums as possible to reach the widest audience of users who may be interested in utilizing my services. I also find it beneficial to strike up strategic partnerships with site owners who have a lot of traffic by providing them an exclusive forum or the like at my site. If you're very happy with a site or service and wish to obtain a link from it you can also engage the site owner in posting your testimonial at his/her site which they will usually agree to. The rewards of this can be very beneficial.

[edited by: rogerd at 10:43 am (utc) on Feb. 17, 2005]
[edit reason] No URLs please... [/edit]

[willybfriendly]

Having a niche directory, I did the following

1. Seeded it with a few hand picked sites
2. Promoted it on exactly two boards
3. Concentrated on getting good SERPs for local type searches (e.g. Colorado widgets) which is pretty easy. (Hint - get it listed in other local directories and do basic on page optimization)
4. Made submissions easy
5. Sat back and waited.

This niche directory now includes almost 10% of the US businesses in the niche. It only improves in the SERPs, it gives some pocket change out of Adsense, and it provides a significant amount of traffic to my main site(s) :) Took about a year for it to get its feet under it, but now it is growing by the week - to the point that I will probably be expanding to other related niches and charging a small inclusion fee to new submissions.

WBF