Have you discovered FreeIndex?

[Ashley_Price]

Like many people, I guess, I had listed my site on www.freeindex.co.uk and added a description, etc., then left it at that.

However, last week as I had a bit of time on my hands I went back to the site and delved more deeply into it, and it's now going to be one of the major ways we'll be advertising BananaOffice on the internet.

In short, you can advertise your business for free in just a couple of minutes, but the best thing about FreeIndex is that it ranks businesses in each sector by the positive reviews they have received from their customers.

So there are 320 businesses listed in the "virtual assistants" category, but because we have (just) 5 reviews BananaOffice is at number 2 in the rankings.

Another brilliant thing about FreeIndex is they let you have a piece of code that you can put on your website which will show the latest reviews you have received on the FreeIndex site, therefore acting as a constantly updating testimonial list. (This is the next thing I'll be doing.) Of course you'll need to make sure you have positive reviews.

If you haven't yet added your business can I ask you a big favour? Would you do so using the following link: http://www.freeindex.co.uk/signup.htm?ref=R97366

Each new business that signs up through this link gives BananaOffice a month's super-highlighted listing, so there are no 3rd party ads on my page and in the we have a box around our listing.

No, I don't work for FreeIndex nor have any connection with them - except that my site is listed on there.

 

[JustOneUK]

Isn't that the site that insists on LINK EXCHANGES in order for you to get a decent listing?

 

[Ashley_Price]

Isn't that the site that insists on LINK EXCHANGES in order for you to get a decent listing?

Nope - you haven't read my post fully.

You get a decent listing by getting good reviews from your customers.

Type in Virtual Assistants into the FreeIndex search box and (ignoring the two or three Google sponsored links) BananaOffice is second. But go to our website and try to find the FreeIndex "Link Exchange"...

Can't find it? Nope, because it's not there.

FreeIndex is a legitimate site.

 

[JustOneUK]

So you can get a featured listing on there WITHOUT linking back to them?

 

[Ashley_Price]

Yes, again you've not read what I've posted.

The following is direct from the site:

"Why is it free? There really isn't a catch! In the same way You Tube and Hotmail are free, we provide a free service by discreetly placing 3rd party advertising across the site. Simple as that. You won't be charged now or in the future and we don't compromise on the quality of service we offer."

 

[Greg_Smith]

JustOneUk is right. You must put a link on your home page or your listing may disappear.

 

[Ashley_Price]

JustOneUk is right. You must put a link on your home page or your listing may disappear.

Can you show me where that is stated on the site?

 

[QVA - Emma]

So you can get a featured listing on there WITHOUT linking back to them?

I think you are thinking of the "uk Business directory" they won't add you until they have confirmed a link on your site.

Freeindex is great - highly recommended and brings in a few referrals a month.

 

[Ashley_Price]

I've been on FreeIndex for around three or four years. Never put a link on my site.

 

[JustOneUK]

I think their new wording is..

How can I improve my presence on FreeIndex?

yadda yadda yadda....

You can also recommend us to other businesses you know to get a highlighted listing position.

which is basically adding a link to them from your homepage.

I think they are more aware of the word LINK EXCHANGE now, so have recently reworded. But it is what it is. No link exchange and you get a basic listing.

 

[QVA - Emma]

I think their new wording is..



which is basically adding a link to them from your homepage.

I think they are more aware of the word LINK EXCHANGE now, so have recently reworded. But it is what it is. No link exchange and you get a basic listing.

Or don't pay £250 and get a basic listing...

The point I think Banana office trying to make is the more reviews (positive ones) the higher up their search you become - enhanced listing or not.

You don't have to put a link on your site at all if you don't wish to - and you only get a highlighted listing for a month if a visitor signs up after using your link. So it isn't an automatic highlighted listing (there is probably quite a low conversion for this).

 

[SLF]

just to confirm, no link back is required. It used to but they stopped it. Now you get an enhanced listing (in bold) if someone signs up via your affiliate-type of link.

 

[maxine]

It works well for our plumbing and plastering business. There have only been a few reviews on there as I prefer for people to complete a customer satisfaction survey via another means but some customers have posted on there off their own back

What I like is that it can work well for trades as free index don't pretend to "vet" tradespeople or act as mediators (not that we have anything to hide but wouldnt subscribe to a trade directory like that for variety of reasons) plus it has improved our ranking.

I think there is a free-index person as a member on here

 

[ginantonic]

Free Index themselves are here on UKBF - there's been quite a few posts about them - all good. Just check some of them out. I've been with them for ages, they're excellent, I would thoroughly recommend them. And no, you don't need to link, it is entirely free, with loads of cool gadgets in with it.

 

[Ashley_Price]

I think their new wording is... which is basically adding a link to them from your homepage.

No it isn't.

You are given a link by FreeIndex to email to other people. Again, from their site: "To refer a business, simply send the referral signup link above to other genuine businesses..." (My emphasis)

Nowhere does it say about putting it on your website. In fact they probably don't want you to put it on your site because otherwise how could you be sure that "genuine businesses" are clicking through and signing up?

 

[freeindex]

FreeIndex is completely free, no catch as Ashley has said. All of the features on the site are available to anyone and there are NO LINKS REQUIRED.

We provide a range of website widgets that allow you to show the reviews you have on FreeIndex on your own website, but they are in no way related to giving you any additional features on FreeIndex and are there for your use to promote yourselves (and of course at the same time us).

I hope this makes it clear. If you have any questions, please contact us through the site.

 

[marky9378]

I find that people has to sign up on freeindex to vote for you as the more votes and feedback you get the higher your rankings.

Not all people will sign up they would rather send an email to give there feedback not sign up to other websites to leave it

 

[faststaff]

Freeindex currently accounts for around 10% of our new business. In the past however this has been much higher. One account which came directly from Freeindex spent an average of £1000 per week until they were "nationalised" recently.

We are listed under both Courier Services and Leaflet Distribution, and have attained a decent level through customer interaction. Some customers don't want to leave a testimonial, but some do. We always ask, and leave it down to them.

See our profile here - http://www.freeindex.co.uk/profile(fast-staff-uk-ltd)_6761.htm by the way you can change it regularly. This one was submitted on Thursday, and had a few minor changes.

I'd recommend it to anyone. If you're not on there, use Ashley's link above to try it out.

Rich

 

[Ashley_Price]

I'd recommend it to anyone. If you're not on there, use Ashley's link above to try it out.

Rich

That's very kind. That link again is: http://www.freeindex.co.uk/signup.htm?ref=R97366

 

[Ashley_Price]

I find that people has to sign up on freeindex to vote for you as the more votes and feedback you get the higher your rankings.

Not all people will sign up they would rather send an email to give there feedback not sign up to other websites to leave it

I think the main reason for the need to sign up is to battle against people abusing the system. If sign up wasn't required, then you could have the owner of a firm getting all their mates to post fake positive reviews. On the other side, you could have a rival firm posting fake negative reviews about their competitors.

A similar thing is that is rife with Google Adwords, firms will click on their competitors' ads lots of times in the hope of running up expensive bills through the campaign.

I personally don't have a problem with signing up - if a client doesn't want to then I'm also fine with that.

 

[alpaydin]

yes I have discovered this index and add my company, hope it will work
thanks

 

[Ashley_Price]

yes I have discovered this index and add my company, hope it will work
thanks

It does work - but it's like anything, the more you put into it the more you will get out. So make sure you keep your listing up to date, ask your satisfied customers to upload a review, etc.

 

[TimmoB]

We use FreeIndex, i found it very easy to setup, we are now top of our category, canvas printing, and the one above, Arts and crafts.

You can view our profile here:

http://www.freeindex.co.uk/profile(the-digital-room)_83005.htm

We ask the clients who send feedback via email to review us using our link.
We have now added the review gadget to our site so that clients can see the latest reviews.
Seems to work well, we ask all clients at the checkout why they choose us, a lot of them say that it's because of the positive reviews.

The way that FreeIndex make their money is through advertising, like most directories, so on your profile you will get google adsense advertisments.

You can remove the ads from your profile page by recommending FreeIndex to your contacts, for each contact that signs up, you get a month free of ads. However, Just recommend 1 contact at a time as they do not roll over.

My overall opinion is that on the whole it's worthwhile.

Timmo.

 

[lesliedocherty]

A guy i used for 3d Virtual tour, sent me a review email today, filled it in, but think i'll delve a bit deeper since its getting such positive reviews

 

[Rags]

I signed up through your link Bananaman - thanks for the tip!

 

[Timmo88]

I agree with Ashley, freeindex is a really good site, the more reviews you have the higher ranked you are, you can add plenty of content to it and it is 100% free and no link backs required. If your not signed up, join now.

 

[Ashley_Price]

A BIG thank you to all those who have signed up through my link!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

 

[Ashley_Price]

Of course you don't have to sign up through the referrer links, you can sign up by just using http://www.freeindex.co.uk/signup.htm

 

[Ashley_Price]

I didn't realise the level of feeling regarding FreeIndex threads.

I have asked for the original referrer link in my first post to be removed and for this thread to be locked.

(Just trying to do the decent thing as I don't want to upset UKBF members.)

 

[Rags]

Maybe just put the link in your sig and get the best of both worlds...

 

[Ashley_Price]

Maybe just put the link in your sig and get the best of both worlds...

Thanks, Rags, but I prefer to constantly advertise my business (and special offers).

 

[Ashley_Price]

I like the fact with FreeIndex you can have the live feed on your own website of the latest reviews.

See our Testimonial page!

 

[Brookester]

Seems like a great service for plumbers etc, however i run an online marketing company. i can't really see my propsecive clients going on there and searching for an online marketing company! Singed up anyway though. No harm done!

 

[Bathead]

I think Freeindex works well for both ranking keyword+geographical and for getting hits if you build the reviews up. I can't fault it and think it's one of the best directories out there.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Seems like a great service for plumbers etc, however i run an online marketing company. i can't really see my propsecive clients going on there and searching for an online marketing company! Singed up anyway though. No harm done!

I don't agree. We're only halfway through March and my FreeIndex page has been viewed 81 times!

Okay, a lot of those may have been myself checking as new reviews have been added - but even if I've checked the page half that number that still means there's been nearly 40 other people checking it.

Remember your ranking has a lot to do with how often you'll get viewed. There's a whole range of businesses on FreeIndex.

I originally found out about the site from a friend who runs Perfetto Proofreading - she swears by FreeIndex getting a quite a lot of work from the site.

 

[sm1]

Good to hear Ashley - I have to say Freeindex does seem to be the only directory that I like, as it's clutter free and straight to the point. It allows business owners to add enough information to a profile, but it's not over the top.

I hope it brings in lots of quality business for you!

Cheers

 

[smellyskelly]

Hi,

Have used your link and submited our Business, Thanks.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Thanks, Smellys, most kind.

 

[TimmoB]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but i was under the impression that if a company uses your link to subscribe to Free Index, you then get a month of no advertisements in your profile.

However I believe that it does not roll over if you get two referrals to the next month.

Therefore is it not best to recommend 1 business per month.

I know that FreeIndex are a member of the forums, perhaps you could confirm this?

Thanks

Timmo.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Hi Timmo

Each time someone registers with FreeIndex using the link I provided then I get a month "super highlighted" listing. This basically means a box goes round my listing in the "virtual assistant" category. It also means, as you rightly say, there's no adverts on my BananaOffice page.

The referrals are cumulative. So the fact that seven people have registered through the link I have provided (not all from UKBF) then my listing is super highlighted until October.

I am not quite sure what you mean about not recommending 1 business a month.