Following on from the yell.com thread...

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carolb

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May 8, 2006
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North Wales
  • #1
    would any of you advertise on a local directory website? I am in the process of setting one up for just the local area. It is loosley based on the Free weekly Newspaper we receive through our door. Even though these newspapers have a website they don't have any businesses advertised on it, and the other parts take so long to load you end up clicking away. The site will have a page of business cards just like your local small newspaper ads where plumbers, plasterers etc as well as the larger companies can advertise what they do for a small fee, with the option to have a full page ad/mini web page if they require or don't have their own site to link back to. There will be lots of other sections too of course,e.g. property for sale, motors, free classifieds but just wanted to get a general opinion

    Any thoughts/feedback would be gratefully received

    Thanks
     
    D

    Dan Matthews

  • #2
    I would be very careful about this. People wait for their local paper and read it cover to cover (even the 'cat stuck up tree' stories). You're competing against them, Yell.com, Google Local (well, sort of) and most importantly, word of mouth.

    Also, I think your web concept already exists, take a look at this story.

    Hope this helps (I hate it when people suggest I shouln't do something)!!
     
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    Philip Hoyle

    Philip Hoyle

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    • Apr 3, 2007
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  • #3
    Things are moving forward, leaving behind that "classified ads" type of thing. The type of person who reads the classifieds for a tradesmen may well not use a computer for the same thing or may not even have a computer. Replicating something that works outside the internet and putting the same thing on the internet rarely works - you need to do something better to attract a completely different target audience.

    For example, there are now websites which are "matching" those providing things with those wanting things, a bit like a dating agency for tradesmen etc. The one I know of is www.ahoythere.com, but there are others ("rate my tradesman" is one). The advantage of these types of sites is that they include a feedback system (like ebay) to build reputations.

    To be successful, you'll have to do something differently. By all means go ahead with your idea, but please don't throw a lot of money at it - it may well work for you, but just as easily could become a money pit.
     
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    directmarketingadvice

    directmarketingadvice

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    Aug 2, 2005
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  • #5
    There's loads of these directories already.

    I have to say I'm not a big fan.

    Some of them sell themselves as "people will see your ad/page" but the traffic/results usually end up being disappointing for the advertiser.

    The other selling point is the "we'll link to your site and you'll do really well in the search engines".

    Try telling that to a client of mine.

    He went with one of those directories and they did their linking so clumsily they sunk his site from page 1 on google to page 29.

    Good news for me, he's hired me to do a PPC campaign for him (to make up for some of his lost business), but bad news for him ... and a warning to anyone who's thinking about using those sorts of directories.

    Steve
     
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    carolb

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    May 8, 2006
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    North Wales
  • #6
    Interesting story on Rachel Elnaugh, Dan. Hadn't seen that one. Yes I know there are lots of others out there e.g. The best of, Community Times etc. I don't intend to compete or earn my millions :D just thought I'd try the idea out of sheer frustration really. A few times I have thrown away the local rag and then at the weekend needed a plumber etc. Apart from looking in yellow pages, which I wouldn't as I have had a bad experience from companies I have previously used from there, I became a bit stuck. Google, plumber -Rhyl and you end up getting all the one liner directories and nothing else, not much to go on, same for a lot of the other businesses in the area

    I'm still going to give it a go and I'll let you know how I get on :)
     
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    J

    JustOneUK

  • #7
    SteveGibson said:
    He went with one of those directories and they did their linking so clumsily they sunk his site from page 1 on google to page 29.
    Click to expand...

    No offence Steve, but that's impossible.


    Hi carolb, the scenario you are describing is exactly why I set up my site. It's a lot of work and there is a long learning curve. There are a lot of scripted directories out there that you could possibly customise, and then you would have to tackle marketing and the search engines.

    James.
     
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    A

    Arhiann

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    Apr 13, 2006
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  • #9
    Since you have limited control over inbound links I would be interested to see how that has happened. Not saying it can't but it doesn't make sense.

    The only potential problem that I could see is that Google differentiates between paid for and organic links, but I don't see how they can verify that.

    Edit: or are you saying that the paid for link diluted his anchor text and that made the difference.
     
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    carolb

    Free Member
    May 8, 2006
    121
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    North Wales
  • #10
    Hi James

    Thank you for that little ray of sunshine taking me out of the depths of despair :D

    I'm having a site built at the moment and it's looking good. I'm sure there is some mileage in the idea and local feedback I have received is positive. My accountant has already signed up for 12 months so it can't be that bad if I've got money out of an accountant (and he is good and reputable:) )

    I appreciate it will take a while to get off the ground and I'm sure I'll learn lots along the way as I have already have and I'm not afraid of hard work so we'll see how it goes but it's nice to have a little positivity as well as some constructive feedback
     
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    directmarketingadvice

    directmarketingadvice

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  • #11
    Edit: or are you saying that the paid for link diluted his anchor text and that made the difference.
    Click to expand...

    You're not a million miles away.

    (though you're wrong - lol)

    I'm not going to give away more information as it's a client, but it's pretty scary how a business owner who wasn't doing anything "wrong" can lose so much money thanks to "SEO people" who don't understand the pitfalls of link building.

    Steve
     
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    directmarketingadvice

    directmarketingadvice

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    Aug 2, 2005
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  • #15
    Like I said,... Impossible.
    Click to expand...

    Some Danish guy once said:

    "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

    If links could harm a site we would all do it to our competitors.
    Click to expand...

    As a logical structure, that's a bit like saying:

    "if cars could run over and kill people, every driver would run people over".

    Anyway, I didn't post about this to share SEO knowledge, but to warn people of what can happen if they pay to get links from a paid directory.

    If there are SEO's who think I'm making this up, I've no interest in persuading them otherwise.

    Similarly, if anyone wishes to dismiss this as fiction and pays to be in a directory, that's called being an adult and exercising freedom of choice.

    Steve
     
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    J

    JustOneUK

  • #16
    SteveGibson said:
    As a logical structure, that's a bit like saying:

    "if cars could run over and kill people, every driver would run people over".

    Anyway, I didn't post about this to share SEO knowledge, but to warn people of what can happen if they pay to get links from a paid directory.
    Click to expand...

    Eh? should I warn people not to cross the road in case your drivers are around? :| You lost me with your analogy.
    Even link farms cannot damage sites, otherwise we would all list our competitors in them. Don't go using an analogy about carparks on me now.

    If you think that you saw a site get harmed by some links, good for you. I am not sure why you would mention it if you are not prepared to at least have it verified in some way, with a second opinion, seeing as it's off topic to the thread.

    At least you should be able to name the site that gives out these horribly bad links? :D (even by PM)

    James.
     
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