Business Directory

[wfernley]

Hi everyone :)

I wanted to get some opinions on an Online Business Directory.

I'm trying a few ideas out for trying to drum up some more business and I thought of the idea of having a business directory that would target the city in which I live in. Anyone with a business could add their site to my directory, but in order for them to do so they must provide a link to my site on theirs.

I was curious if anyone has tried this before and if so did it work for them? I just added the directory about 2 weeks ago and I have got no hits - my site itself doesn't get many hits for some reason.

Has anyone done this before and if so did it work?

Thanks. :)

Wes

[pleeker]

Anyone with a business could add their site to my directory, but in order for them to do so they must provide a link to my site on theirs.

Playing devil's advocate .....

So rather than being a directory of businesses in your area, it would really just be a directory of 1) businesses with web sites that are 2) also willing to link to your directory from their site.

Sounds like you're setting yourself up for a very small, far-from-comprehensive directory.

Why would Joe User ever bother to use such a limited resource?

[Brett_Tabke]

It does work pretty good. You can use local outlets to promote the site (such as news paper and cheap radio).

There are many local directories out there like you mention.

[Jack_Frost]

To be successful I think you need to do more than just list companies...the yellow pages does that. Try creating a a directory that's about certain types of businesses and then write reviews on them or put some more exciting content in the site. Everybody in their brother is creating useless directories that re-publish the same info. Publish something cool.

One of my hobby sites is an industry directory. I review all of the manufacturers, have articles about styles, trends in the industry, etc... I don't spend have to spend too much time on it becuase once I got it ranked high, every one started sending me information to publish. After two and half months the site made $2,000 in adsense billings. I'm confident that with more link building work I can easily get the site up to $1500 a month AND provide a great industry resource that will continue to improve.

[walrus]

Jack, I think posting those earnings violate AdSense TOS,s .Just in case you might want to edit that part out.

[pleeker]

There are many local directories out there like you mention.

That's the problem. There are too many of them, and they setup these conditions for being included, and so none of them end up being worth a dime because each one ends up with a small piece of the actual listings "pie".

We have three such directories that cover (using the term very loosely) our little metropolis, and none of them are worth squat.

Better suggestion: offer everyone and anyone a free, basic listing with no conditions. Then offer extra benefits for those who want to link to you, or those who want to pay for a bold listing, or space to write a paragraph or two about their business, etc.

[sweet_ali]

In order to make this work, you may have to go seek out those links yourself, whether by email, telephone, letter or showing up at the door.

[wfernley]

Hey. Thanks for the replies :)

Well I thought this idea up because I had a links section before and I had a few people say that they will link to me if I link to them. I think I could use that idea of having anyone be able to add their listing and then if they link to you, their listing will be highlighted.

Thanks for the pros and cons of the idea.

Wes