Directory Submission vs Value

[BizStartup24]

Good Morning,
New business startup question so was looking for guidance from you all.

My business is brand new, i'm just having some finishing touches done to the website and then will want to start the promotion.

Website Content written by a Copywriter
Website uses Yoast SEO
Website URL's on all pages will be requested to be indexed with google via Search Console

We are using AHREF and SEMRUSH as part of a strategy for SEO and will enhance the SEO to fall in line with what our industry and competitors are doing.

Here comes the million pound question

Our website will have zero domain authority, we will want to start the process of back linking the site, now we do not plan to have any old cr ap as will do little and give no value to the site and in some cases can damage the sites DA so will be looking to build back linking organic though gust blogging, blogs, news and relevant posts - however we would like the business to be see in directories.

our plan was to engage with freelancers from Fiverr to list our business in directories - same information such as name, email, website, address, keywords and bio's.

is this a good option to help build a network and single point of contact and is Fiverr the way forward to doing this?

Hope you can help.

 

[fisicx]

A complete waste of time and money.

You don’t need any DA. All you need is a website that is informative, interesting and authoritative. If it adds value and ticks all of Google’s boxes you will be indexed and ranked. How well it ranks depends on the size and strength of the competition and how good your website.

Content creation as you describe may also be a waste of money and yoast is mostly pointless.

What are you selling? Do you even need SEO? It may be there are better ways to market your business.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Without knowing more about your business, it is difficult to make comments about the effectiveness of any marketing!

 

[Mark T Jones]

I wish you well in getting your business up and running

However, to reflect the above, in common with 95% of small businesses you are approaching marketing in an @rse-about-face way.

In other words, you are fixating on the medium before addressing the critical questions

Who - exactly - is the target customer?

What need / desire are you meeting?

How are you different from the others? (What is your USP?)

Figure those out and life/business becomes a whole lot easier!

 

[BizStartup24]

Morning All,

Thank you for the time given thus far.

Just to elaborate more and give a little more context - I am by no means sold only on DA.

The business is luxury travel, the competition in this field is high. and the sole means of promotion is going to be that of google ad's - the target audience is not in the areas of TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, or instagram.

Are marketing efforts are

Brand Visibility - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (x)
Lead Generation - LinkedIn, Google Ads, Print, WealthX

other than word of mouth this is not a Networking type of of business

The USP for us is that we have a new approach to market and yes everyone says that but the traditional old school way of doing has been there for years and years and there is now more direction for change - problem is the current structure cannot change as far to much invested.

Our aim in the first 12 months is to backlink more, create new creative written communication and educate people that there is another way to achieve what they are wanting.

C

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

The business is luxury travel, the competition in this field is high. and the sole means of promotion is going to be that of google ad's

And that will be your error.

What research did you do to understand the buying process of luxury travel and HNY?

 

[BizStartup24]

25 years working in that industry - having flown as pilot in charge for celebrities & HNW individuals.

Working for the biggest in the industry, networking does not work, social media shows awareness of brand but has never generated business for them and they are number 1.

research is an external provider, looking at buyer insights, where individuals go to acquire these services - 10+ years of marketing campaign data from the industry on what is successful and what is not.

main source of enquiries are from the personal assistants, management companies, artist managers - vary rare are they the main client / decision maker.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

25 years working in that industry - having flown as pilot in charge for celebrities & HNW individuals.

Great experience, but very different from selling travel!

main source of enquiries are from the personal assistants, management companies, artist managers

So networking with these people doesn't work - schmoozing will be a big thing, I would have thought.

 

[BizStartup24]

As the Type Rating Examiner / Instructing Captain - part of my role was manage a territory, from crew, operations and fleet so very hands on including the marketing so have a fair understanding on what was working and not.

Schmoozing 100% effective, however its getting them first to schmooze - we can't just rock up to a 4N online and get contact - you will find yourself more likely advertising in the Financial Times, getting a call or a website request to then nurture this contact to then schmooze.

Although Telemarketing can and cannot be good depending on the business, this is actually good for our type of work - not to sell but to qualify, fact find and use to be more targeted.

Marketing for us is very targeted.

Our understanding is that we need the indexing to work for us along with DA, resulting in organic search traffic boosted by the paid traffic - we are in a competitive Keyword driven market.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

we can't just rock up to a 4N online and get contact

Very true, but you could go to VA/PA networking. You could sponsor an award, or at least get seats at awards ceremonies.

Marketing for us is very targeted.

Exactly!

Our understanding is that we need the indexing to work for us along with DA, resulting in organic search traffic boosted by the paid traffic - we are in a competitive Keyword driven market.

Whilst SEO and advertising can work together, they are different things. A targeted adwords campaign is reliant on your targeting!

 

[BizStartup24]

We already have Personal Assistant data, we have access to a paid service to access this data along with WealthX and a load of other resources - so the telemarketing approach to qualify (no selling to them via phone) is a good way we source leads and updated data sets from what we hold.

We have SEMRUSH to check what Adwords, CPC, Keywords and the competition we need to be able to compete with our competitors.

What we need is to ensure that the site is working for us, content, and the ability to attract organic as well as paid this is why I was asking about directories - the bio would have keywords, contact details and wold provide back links all help towards the indexing and the DA - this is why I was looking at outsourcing this.

 

[fisicx]

The business is luxury travel, the competition in this field is high. and the sole means of promotion is going to be that of google ad's - the target audience is not in the areas of TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, or instagram.

Forget SEO. It's not even worth trying to rank to anything useful. If your target client isn't using SM they are unlikely to be on Google or directories searching for flights.

If you want to attract clients you need to be advertising on the sites and places they visit. I went to an event recently where one of the auction prizes was a two week stay in some exotic location with a private jet for 10 people. The sponsors name was plastered all over the place (along with all the others). I also know a company that provides concierge services, they get loads of gifts and other benefits from companies such as yours hoping to pick up business.

Spending money on content creation and hoping SEMRush will give you the edge is a waste of time.

Forget getting listed on directories or anything similar. None of them will achieve anything. It's not even on the Google SEO radar. Spend £100K on promotion in lifestyle magazines and you might pick up the odd client.

 

[Shopclicks]

The business is luxury travel

What is your idea of luxury travel? Why does anyone need your service? Can you give an example and why anyone should choose you?

 

[BizStartup24]

What is your idea of luxury travel? Why does anyone need your service? Can you give an example and why anyone should choose you?

Business Aviation - Charters, Operations, Fractional Ownership, Jet Cards etc etc

 

[fisicx]

Business Aviation - Charters, Operations, Fractional Ownership, Jet Cards etc etc

And why would those people use your service in reference to all the other providers?

If you upgrade your membership you can get a website review. This will allow the many experienced members to comment on how well you are selling the service. Judging by your opening post it has the feel of something done on the cheap.

 

[Shopclicks]

Business Aviation - Charters, Operations, Fractional Ownership, Jet Cards etc etc

You left out the part about 'why anyone should choose you?'. I suspect that would be because you don't know. There's a lot of naivety coming through in your responses.

When you've had a think about what you're offering and why it's a better proposition than what's already available. Then plan out how you're going to market it.

The key to this idea will be relationship building. Talking to providers, helping them understand your concept and usp, discussing how working with you is mutually beneficial, talking about your fee structure, asking them what's missing from current relationships and understanding where you fit into this industry.

Talking about your website is putting the cart before the horse. A business model is a lot more than a website.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Business Aviation - Charters, Operations, Fractional Ownership, Jet Cards etc etc

That may be some people definition. For other it might be first/business class flying and luxury hotels & villas.

 

[BizStartup24]

You left out the part about 'why anyone should choose you?'. I suspect that would be because you don't know. There's a lot of naivety coming through in your responses.

When you've had a think about what you're offering and why it's a better proposition than what's already available. Then plan out how you're going to market it.

The key to this idea will be relationship building. Talking to providers, helping them understand your concept and usp, discussing how working with you is mutually beneficial, talking about your fee structure, asking them what's missing from current relationships and understanding where you fit into this industry.

Talking about your website is putting the cart before the horse. A business model is a lot more than a website.

Let's not make assumptions. It's easy to assume, but it doesn't always lead us to the right answers. So, instead of making guesses about what someone knows or understands from a couple of posts, let's open the floor to specific questions. Trust me, asking gets you the answers you need! Our aim here is simple: to shed some light on the value of DA (Domain Authority) and directories—are they really worth it?

Now, let's delve into the essence of what we do.

Service 1: Flight Operations Support

Imagine a multi-service platform specialising in flight operations support. We're all about assisting private and commercial aircraft operators with flight plans, tracking, and extra services like fuel, handling, and immigration services. Our unique selling point? We operate on a pay-as-you-go model, tailoring services precisely to what's needed and without contract.

For instance, consider an aircraft ferrying scenario. They might not require certain bundled services like CANPASS or eAPIS, often included in service packages by other providers. Moreover, our EuroControl-compliant flight plans are uploaded to certain systems for free—a service that usually incurs extra charges elsewhere.

By adopting a low-overhead approach—based near Stansted Airport, away from premium office rates—we empower individuals, operators, or small fleets to optimise costs without binding contracts. It's all about flexibility and catering to unique needs.

Service 2: Private Jet Charter

When it comes to private jet charters, many individuals resort to brokers due to convenience. However, there's a catch—the broker's fee. More often than not, this crucial cost remains undisclosed, leaving clients in the dark about the actual flight expense.

As someone deeply entrenched in the industry with my own Citation 2 jet, an AOC, and years of flying experience for private clients and various operators, I understand the ins and outs of what clients seek in a charter and the aircraft industry just not about websites, SEO and i'm trying to learn about this.

Our solution? A transparent fixed-fee structure. We offer wholesale jet prices plus a set broker fee. This clarity ensures that clients know exactly what they're paying for without any hidden charges.

Consider a flight priced at £35,000 by a broker—what they don't mention is the £7,000 broker fee. With us, the same service comes with a fixed fee of £2,000, saving clients an average of £5,000 per flight. Moreover, by utilising empty legs, we further reduce costs for outgoing passengers and minimise carbon footprints as a potential empty flight for a position back to base is sold and used which then is offset on a carbon project..

In summary, our approach benefits all parties involved: we make money, operators earn, passengers save, and collectively, we contribute to a more sustainable aviation environment.

I hope this gives a bit more in a way of what we offer and why people will be using us - don't get me wrong, it would be east but tell me a startup that had an easy process of starting up.

C

 

[fisicx]

DA is not a ranking signal. So can be ignored.

Directory links are worthless. So don’t bother with them.

SEO is not the way to find new clients.

And it’s still not clear why a potential client would use your services over the ones they already know and trust. I suspect saving money isn’t a driver for change.

 

[Shopclicks]

Let's not make assumptions. It's easy to assume, but it doesn't always lead us to the right answers. So, instead of making guesses about what someone knows or understands from a couple of posts, let's open the floor to specific questions. Trust me, asking gets you the answers you need! Our aim here is simple: to shed some light on the value of DA (Domain Authority) and directories—are they really worth it?

I'm not making assumptions, I'm basing my replies on what is in front of me. To answer your specific question, DA is a metric that takes time, there is nothing you can do to speed it up. Your DA will improve as your natural backlink profile builds. You don't need domain authority to rank. DA is a measure, not a ranking factor. And most of the information provided by Semrush is inaccurate waffle.

Now, let's delve into the essence of what we do.

Reducing prices without reducing the level of service while eliminating contracts? This sounds like a race to the bottom. Sticking with the plane sector, do you think Ryanair provide the same level of service as BA? Cheap seats means cheap service standards and semi-hidden costs if you want anything outside of a seat. But it works because because the level of service is matched by the price.

Contracts are in place for a reason. A good contract can develop relationships, create dependency and build trust.

You may well know your industry backwards but if a lower price and a competitive service are what you're offering, that's not a USP or innovative or disruptive. Thinking your competitors are just greedy and you can do it better for less is not a good reason to turn your knowledge into a business.

In summary, our approach benefits all parties involved: we make money, operators earn, passengers save, and collectively, we contribute to a more sustainable aviation environment.

All of that means you need to provide the same or better service level as your competitors, while making less money. Does that make sense to you?

You need a USP. Something that sets your service level apart without compromising on price.

 

[Mark T Jones]

@BizStartup24 - happily for you, you don't have to prove anything to us on this forum - we are just dishing out opinions based on experience and our interpretation of where you are at

Thus far, your posts have focused almost entirely on you.

Your experience
Your efforts to date
Your access to resource etc

The reality of business is that its ALL about your customer - whether the customer is the end user or the conduit to that user.

Your knowledge, experience, skills or connections are meaningless if they don't resonate with the customer.

It may of course be that you have done extensive research but simply haven't mentioned it on here, which is good

Otherwise - research is exactly what you need to be doing right now - otherwise your marketing budget will be a bottomless pit.

 

[Ditata]

@BizStartup24 I'm in a similar position with launching a new business and trying to get a website to go from zero to being somewhat findable against some very established competition.

I've tried things like link placement and directory listing using TheHoth & Fiverr services for past businesses and you just end up with spammy links and you get inundated with spam emails offering you more spammy links on a daily basis.

Your strategy of building up quality links through guest posts and blogging is a good way forward. There are some great writers on Fiverr if you want to outsource this, I typically will send the same brief to a few writers, get the results back and then enter into a short term contract with them to produce works that I give direction on and they write on a weekly or fortnightly basis, after you first few articles you'll get a good flow and they'll know what's expected so its then ok to enter into a longer term agreement.

As a side note, I have family members that use services like yours and my advice would be find a way to get into private schools, through sponsorship, advertising or whatever it takes, just get in front of the parents. It doesn't need to be super high end private schools, it can be day schools with moderate fees. Once you get in with one parent that uses these services, the network affect will get you in to the others and so long as you provide the service they expect you should find some joy in getting things off the ground there.

 

[MarketingQuote]

From what you initially said, SEO/directorys/social media are all reactive forms of marketing, which is important.

Another thought is maybe focusing on pro-active forms of marketing (as you mentioned, you are a new fish in an already established pond).

It was advised sponsoring an event, but as a new brand, not sure how effective this would be.

If you know your target customers, maybe reaching out to them or sending a promotional gift to get your brand introduced would be a good option?

 

[UKSBD]

I've tried things like link placement and directory listing using TheHoth & Fiverr services for past businesses and you just end up with spammy links and you get inundated with spam emails offering you more spammy links on a daily basis.

I run a business directory and a lot of these directory sumission services are rubbish.

They don't care about the quality of the submission, add to wrong categories, get addresses wrong, descriptions are rubbish, submit to sites where they are opening themselves up to be spammed or pestered for upgrades, etc.

Most submission services or automated sumissions are easy to spot, so any directory with an approval system will probably delete them anyway.

 

[SundmanE]

Personally, as others have suggested, I would start with buidling a thoroughly researched customer avatar, and then start mapping out your customer value journey. And then see where your website and DA and whatever else fits in that? Or maybe you have already done that ?