AskAlix

anybody knows what they're worth

[le_gber]

I've been getting sales call from them for the past 2 months and they want me to sign up for their sponsorised listing.

Anybody knows or have experience with them?

Leo

[makemetop]

Yes, I know them. Yes, I have experience of them and -

No, I wouldn't waste any more money with them.

[Bobby_Davro]

My little chart puts Ask Alix at number 46 (out of 162) among the UK specific search engines; so not a great deal of traffic. More than none, but less than the best.

[le_gber]

Cheers gal/guys

It's just that when I contacted the business link they told me about it, at the local library people working there also told me about it so I thought it might be a upcoming one, but when I submitted for free I was first and ahead of some people paying ( :) :) ) for some keywords the only thing is that I didn't have a link to my site from their. I mean for I think £100+/y I'd rather go for msn or yahoo!

Or may be it's a directory which target a certain market? Governmental institution and library ;)

Leo

[ritch_b]

Askalix isn't a search engine as such - it's a business directory model the same as 192, ThomWeb, Scoot & Yell, although Askalix is the largest of the above.

Basic listings are free, but the 'enhanced' ones come in at a few hundred quid & again have the same features as the other guys, i.e. inclusion of URL, email link, ability to change your description, etc. Paid listings also rank higher than freebies.

The service is also syndicated out to a number of other sites - 192 Directory, Business Link, FreeServe, D&B, etc.

Other than that, you pays yer money & makes yer choice.

R.

[tosspot17]

Oooh, Bobby_Davro, can i see your little chart? ;)

[Bobby_Davro]

er... OK, but leave 10p by the door on your way out.

If Ask Alix provides content for other engines like 192 (I wondered where they got their content), then they are definitely worth having a listing with. I am not certain of the value in a paid-for listing though.

[ritch_b]

Just to clear up from my last message - Askalix feed the 192 Directory site, but not 192.com.

Given 192.com's partiality for SIC codes, I'd reckon their data came originally from Dun & Bradstreet, but wouldn't swear to that effect.

I'd take the free listing option - should you continue to receive calls though, just politely (and firmly!) say you're not interested in a paid listing, but would like to keep the free one.

R.

[MarkHarwood]

I'm amazed that you can just modify the details of businesses on that site without authentication.

- "Alteration is time and IP Address stamped should there be a problem"

[le_gber]

thanks for the views ritch_b, I'll guess I'll stay with the free listing then :)

LEo

[ritch_b]

I'm amazed that you can just modify the details of businesses on that site without authentication.

Potentially true, but...

...when you check your listing after applying the changes, you'll notice nothing's different! Changes to the free listings are followed up manually, so you'll probably receive a phone call shortly to confirm! :)

R.

[Bobby_Davro]

Even 192 Directory isn't too bad - comes in at 41 on the chart at the moment. Not worth £100 IMHO, but I think that they could justify up to £50 pa perhaps, for a good listing, given that it appears on two or three different sites.

[ritch_b]

...far more traffic than Overture...

I reserve my right to the fifth amendment...

R.

[GodLikeLotus]

I will try and keep this within the guidelines of ww. I submitted my details to Ask Alix for a free listing, then received a phone call from them. This is where the fun began. I had a bit of a heated discussion with their rep and told her not to phone again. In my book this should be the end, however not with this company. She phoned back 5 mins later to try again but to no avail. Then I received an email from the rep which talked about their "SES (search engine submission) Advanced, the undisputed leader in search engine optimisation methodologies that GUARANTEES top ranking in the search engines. I carry on reading this as I am finding it most amusing by now. They claim to use "unique gateway technology" sound familiar? Web Position Gold springs to mind, and I have heard many bad things about this stuff, most importantly Google says its a no no. They also say that their technology is "undetectable by search engines" what, all search engines, I must have missed something, I was unaware that they are all the same and work in the same way. Watch out Google, these guys know how to beat your system somehow.

[ckarg]

I was attracted by their offer of a free listing. The sign-up page allows you to specify a url. But the free listing includes only a phone number. A day after submitting, I get a call with a friendly offer to add a url to our listing for 250 pounds. We're no longer listed.

[ritch_b]

Again, same deal as Scoot, Yell & other business directories - basic listing is free & enhanced ones will cost.

It's simply another form of exposure for which you can say that you're not interested in a paid listing, but would like to keep the free one. As the data is syndicated to other sites, the value of a free listing is (potentially) increased.

R.