Running a web directory

Setting up a web directory

Setting up and running a web directory on Platinax has been an interesting learning experience so far.

The initial vision was of a directory of actual businesses, where anyone looking for b2b services in a specific business or geographic area, could locate a list of useful websites.

Similar models may be business.com or thomsondirectories.com.

The biggest mistake I made when setting up is not trying to offer immediate value - for either submitters or people using it as a reference.

This was realised in:

• I made it a paid-only directory
• The directory was mostly empty

I used the full $600 biz-directory script, which is also used at directories such as the Wow Directory, Uncover The Net, and Seven Seek.

Although one of the unique selling points of the script is the ability to cross-reference business vertical with geographic region, this has the negative effect of creating lots of empty categories when first created.

So immediately there’s little value on a new install for users - whether submitting or referencing.

The issue was compounded by making it a paid-only directory - which meant that there were few listings being requested, and the categories remained empty.

Offering a value directory

Paid vs Free Submission

The first attempt to address this issue was to offer free listings, and ensure that a few major points of directory submission were aware of it.

Listings suddenly rushed in.

I was impressed by the number of quality submissions - genuine small to medium businesses around a range of business verticals.

But there was the new problem of how to deal with quality control, with Made for AdSense and Scraper sites being submitted.

A well-stocked directory is desirable - but not of short-term sites with little user value.

The solution to that was to introduce a new policy - only websites listing a postal business address can be submitted for free.

So far this policy is proving a success - there are fewer submissions which are listed, but the ones that get through give every impression of being genuine and useful.

Categories

There still remains the problem of empty categories, though.

In a number of instances, it’s simply a case of allowing the directory to grow and mature.

In other cases, though, a serious culling of categories needs to take place.

Certainly one of the original intentions of the directory was for revenue generation, by allowing companies to list themselves in similar but separate categories.

Few people have taken up the directory on that benefit, though, which leaves lots of empty categories that are begging for removal.

The issue was compounded by the fact that previously Platinax was structured to focus on clear business verticals, and the directory reflected this in structure.

However, Platinax has since been rebuild away from this, making many of the specialist categories of the directory somewhat irrelevant - and inviting deletion.

Conclusion of running a web directory

Platinax is a directory with long-term goals, and attempts to be flexible in its approach.

Lately the core aims of the directory have moved away from income generation, and instead on complementing the user experience of the overall Platinax site.

Here’s the above in summary:

1. Developing a successful web directory takes time - so set long term goals and move to meet them, but be flexible.

2. Keep the user experience - submitter and surfer - as the focus for your directory.

3. Offer free submissions as an option to help build-up momentum, but work to quality, not quantity.

4. Running a web directory is a dynamic process, and the internet is a dynamic medium - change as the need arises to keep within your developing aims.

ADDED: How did you spend your “News Years Eve” and “New Years Day”? I spent mine clearing out my directory categories, as above.

I removed all secondary categories, and kept the directory focused on primary categories only - and in doing so, reduced the size of the directory from 40,000 pages to 10,000.

Sure, that’s still a lot of space to cover - but with long term aims for the directory, I intend to see entries on all of those pages, where possible.