Hello guys, i have heard alot about branding directories and making them appear unique with unique categories n all.. but i as a directory submitter find that quite annoying. I always prefer a standard layout of categories so i can bulk submit directories using my Autofill feature It always helps and i can submit to 50 directories in an hour easily. Isnt that easy ? Then why cause so much trouble to webmasters and making their directory unique with custom categories and stuff ? Also, i snatched some generic domain names such as : Link-Directory.ws Link-Exchange.info Reciprocal-Links.ws DO u really think these domain names can help me score in the directory business ?
The perspectives of submitters are quite the opposite of directory owners in general. If you are to sell links on your directory, I think you would want to attract submitters otherwise they may not even take time to submit to yours even if it's free. There are plenty of directories out there. I always wanted mine to be something unique, not always to satisfy what people want as that part could be very difficult. But I would think uniqueness is one of the most important things when you build a new directory. Instead of making yours "one of them", try to make something unique, not just the look but the offer you provide so that people can think yours is more special, valuable even. I think that's very important key to do any business.
Agree with coolsitez. You are creating directory for visitors not for the submission services. If I came to your site and it looks exactly like or very similar to some other site I have visited or submitted before - sorry I am gone... I will not be spending my time trying to figure out if saw your site before or another lookalike. Unique look and branding is a #1 step for new directory in my opinion.
No. There are thousands of average directories out there. If you want to stand out and give folks a reason to submit to your then you should try and be a little better and/or unique.
If having a custom theme and custom categories keeps people from mass submitting, then that's all the more reason to make it unique, as if the SEO and aesthetic reasons weren't enough. Thanks for adding another reason for me to go crazy when I make my new directory unique. I want my submitters to have original listings and to take their time submitting their site. I would rather have less paid submissions and make my submitters take more of their time, than to have lots of quick submissions.
It's all about perspective. There are 3 parties involved here. For the directory submitter, it'll make things alot easier to finish the job and make money. For the directory owner, it would serve no purpose because what's the point of having a directory that is same as all the others...and plus it'll mostlikely be penalized for duplicate content. For the customer, it would be like throwing money away because the benefits of SEO would be minimal, if any. So, in the end, the only one that benefits from a non-unique directory, is the directory submitter.
Nope, you definitely cannot make your directory look alike if you want to succeed in this niche. Marketing your directory as a brand and unique in itself will go a long way into making your directory a success.
If you wanna get someone to design a great skin for your directory. Do not go past Syed Balkhi (smub @ DP). He rocks!! Col
Certainly is. You will have to speak to him about prices. He has a huge list of designs he has made for customers here. Col
You missed the most important party involved, the average visitor. Why do all directory owners forget about them? They are our goal for our directories, or at least they should be.
I agree with coolsitez view on this matter. There are several ways to make your web directory unique, remember that category structure and design isin't always the way to make a web directory unique. Meti
Look at it this way. Try imagining things. If you walk on the street and see a hundreds of your face and mostly bumping into them how would you feel.
If I saw 100 clones of me, it would put them to good use. I would sleep in, and have them go to work for me.