Help me to know the needs of webmaster for a directory

Hello

I'm working on a directory and I would like to have your advises.

So to be clear, I want to make a directory with all the options that webmaster want.
If you have time to reply to the few question, and tell me what you think about it, it could be GREAT !

- Free ou Paid ? I prefer to offer free service.
- Description : disallow duplicated content - only unique content will be allow
- Size of description : Not really limited if the content worth it
- Information : URL of the website, and Email to contact the webmaster if needed
- Possibility for the visitor to comment the website (email sent to the webmaster)
- Possibility to be "Premium" is backlink is placed on the website

Do you think about other important things to add ?

Kind regards

 

The problem that I have seen with free submissions is that you will be spending a large amount of time reviewing garbage submissions. I don't run my directory for profit but I charge for submissions because spammers are not generally willing to pay and, if they did, I would at least have something for my time.

 

This is true, I spend a lot of time to delete spam...

What's a fair price for you ? 1$ ?

 

When it doesn't look to be a bad neighborhood, even if there aren't a lot of site listings, I don't generally balk at anything under $25. Above $25, I will want to look at the directory carefully before spending my money.

I don't believe, as some do, that a listing in a marginal directory is going to hurt me, but neither is it goign to do me much good, so I wouldn't want to pay much unless it's a very good quality directory, meaning that it is well maintained and has enough listings so as to be useful. Even then, there are some that I simply can't afford.

I've come across directories, not worth a dollar, that were nevertheless charging upwards of a hundred, so a high price does not necessarily mean quality.

If I were starting a new general directory today, I would set some high requirements but charge no more than $5 or $10 until the directory was established and has earned a good reputation. That would be enough to discourage the spammers but not so much that it would put a dent in anyone's budget.

In that way, I would be letting my submitters help me seed my categories with good quality listings. However, if I could afford enough staff to seed my categories for me, perhaps I could charge more earlier on.

One directory that I came across didn't charge anything for submissions, but required a site description of no less than a thousand characters of unique content, promising to delete anything that wasn't submitted to the most appropriate category, or which included titles or descriptions that were no up to the directory's standards. The directory was an adjunct to the company's data recovery business, and not intended to bring a profit, so that was a good way to get useful content.

Another offered two pricing options. If the submission was to an appropriate category, and included a title and description that met the directory's submission guidelines, one fee would apply. For a higher fee, someone could simply submit the URL and the directory operator would supply the title, description, and appropriate category. I kind of liked that idea.

 

You have to be practical, and place some value on your time, keeping in mind that, as your directory grows, so will the demands on your time. At first, you need listings so it might make sense to charge very little, allowing submitters to help populate your new directory. As your directory grows, you may need to re-examine both your submission guidelines and your fees.

For one thing, as your directory gains authority, it is worth more. At the same time, as your directory grows, it will become more demanding on your time, so you will need to place more value on your time. At that point, it makes sense to raise your rates.

 

You didn't specify which type of directory you were planning.

I think you are in for a rough time if you are launching a general directory this day and age. There's so much competition and so many garbage directories really tainting that industry. Also, in order to really market it properly, you have to treat each of the top-level categories as a mini-site. A lot of work and I've not really seen anyone master that aspect of things. Unless you can come up with some unique marketing approach, I would suggest you don't do it.

If I were thinking a launching a new directory, it would be in a particular niche. While they're easier to run (less spam and easier to spot the bad submission), they can be a little harder to market. Depending upon the niche, you might have to spend more time educating folks on why they would want to submit to a directory. However, I think the long-term prospects for a niche directory are better.

If you just plan on buying and selling page rank, general directories will earn far more returns for you. Of course, you run the risk of getting slammed by Google but from what I've seen lately, you're likely to make quite a tidy profit before they do. sigh.

 

I suggest basing the features on your directory on what the 'visitors' want, not the webmasters. Webmaster want one thing: quality traffic that converts. The best way to do that is to have a directory that visitors regularly come back to in order to find the website(s) they are looking for.

 

Exactly! If you can meet the needs of the directory user, whether any exist or not, I believe you will also meet the needs of webmasters and others who are looking for pages that do well in the SERPs. On the other hand, when the focus of the directory is on the needs of the webmasters or on the demands of Google, then I think you end up with what we see far too much of, which are businesses selling links masquerading as directories.

 

It strongly appears you have no idea what your doing. Building a directory that has any chance of being successful today takes a lot of time, effort, money and knowledge. Sticking a cheap empty script up and getting hordes of free submissions you couldn't possibly keep up with has been tried with continual failure.

 

There aren't too many 'directory users' left these days. I suggest you work on something more vibrant.

 

starting a directory site can spent a lot money. But they can make money later on, someone must research a lot before make this site.

 

Hello

Thank you all for your reply, I guess I'll skip this project and work on another one!