Branding a Directory
There are a few things which are important to do when creating a directory. To
maximize the long term success of your directory you want to ensure:
- Search engines can index your inner pages. If you only have one page show up in
search results then you are missing out on most of your potential traffic.
- Search engines can index the links going to external sites. Few people use
directories compared to search engines. A large portion of the link price is going
to be based on how search engines evaluate the links.
- Your directory should be focused enough to be of high quality.
- Your directory should have an original brand, feel, or idea.
- Your directory should not have a cheap feel to it. ie: it should feel like a
directory and not an ad haven...
This is vitally important. With so few people searching through directories today
a large portion of the traffic comes directly from people finding the directory pages
within search results.
This is some of the traffic which justifies the fees of a listing cost. This is
some of the traffic which is buying more listings. This is some of the traffic which
clicks ads to make the directory revenue.
Since few people use directories to surf the web a new type of implied value has
been placed within their links.
When Galaxy and Yahoo! came out there were no great search sites on the market.
That is a large part of what led to Yahoo's success. In the decade since the
inception of Yahoo!, search has evolved from non existent to one of the world's most
powerful industries. That is why Yahoo! spent nearly $2 billion buying search
products in less than a year.
These search engines need to be able to see, read, and evaluate these links. These
links are fundamental in telling search engines what our sites are about. Without
indexable links directories must create a ton more direct traffic to justify
inclusion fees.
It takes a ton of effort to create a comprehensive directory of the web. This is
why Yahoo! charges hundreds of dollars per year. This is why having over 50,000
editors is still not enough for DMOZ.
If a directory is to be done correctly, it needs to be done a better way. That way
might mean that you create a business model which is functional and economic (as John
Scott of BlueFind hopes to
do), or it may mean that you need to keep the directory focused enough to be able to
be the best directory for that particular web segment.
- Yahoo! - great name, one
of the first directories...branding
- DMOZ - the completely free
directory...world's largest directory...open source...branding
- Gimpsy - the verb based
directory...branding
- Business.com - the
business directory...easy to remember, focused...branding
- WoW Directory - the
most categories of any directory on the web...branding
- Biz Directory - the directory offering a free
script which is powering many other directories...smart...not necessarily
branding, but this is the type of idea which can help offset a lack of brand
development.
There are many people out there using an absolutely free directory script to power
sites which have no branding distinction or even any real angle to them. They simply
create pages which look much like other pages. These sites may make some revenue off
of AdSense or similar programs, but they are a generic
service.
Many people see the idea of paid submissions and want to immediately lick their
chops. I told one guy I would help promote his directory in exchange for free
submissions and he told me to go screw myself. I know that I am a damn good SEO and I
could announce his site to hundreds (or more like thousands) of people, thus adding
value to his directory.
He was adding up the value of my listings at $25 each incorrectly. You see, any
idiot can buy a directory script. Any idiot can get a few paid submissions, but most
people are not focused enough in their ideas, and most do not know enough about
branding to actually make their listings worth $25 - $50.
Of course you can help boost your PageRank by renting links, but again, most
people who know nothing about building a quality product, branding, or SEO also know
nothing about link rentals.
The real problem of his business model (or the business model of any general
directory that wants to charge for all listings) is that they make it hard for some
sites to get listed. Some of the best sites on the web are a labor of love. Some of
these people lose money every day giving away their knowledge - this is why people
flock to the internet. To read the views of these people.
These sites are the sites which add value to a general directory. They are why
people would want to use your directory. They are why people would want to link to
your directory.
If you require a payment for listing any and all sites (link or cash) you can
guarantee that your directory will be missing out on some of the best stuff on the
web. Short term these directories can make money, but they fail to build value.
If you fail to give people a reason to want to surf your directory, and you fail
to give them a reason to want to link to your directory then they won't.
If you have a topic that interests you and there are no good directories for it on
the web, it is a good idea to become the first. I am trying to create a directory of
these good types of directories. Feel free to submit your quality directory for free
inclusion into the
Directory Archives.
- by Aaron Wall, owner
of Search Marketing Info
Link to this Article: <a href="">Branding a Directory</a>
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