Am Thinking of Starting a Directory -- Advice Please

Hi,

I am thinking of starting a directory, but given that there is a new directory taking birth every moment, I have some hesitation. If you run a directory, could you please give me advice:

* My reason for starting the directory: I think it will be fun
* Time resource that I can allocate to it: A lot of time, but not regularly, something like one person-day a week, even if it is a full day.

I think I will be able to sustain interest in the directory only if:
* I felt that there was some genuine benefit accruing to people who list their site on my directory AND
* I could make a little bit of money from it.

Any advice that you can offer will be well appreciated - should I do it? What software should I use? Should I go niche? Should I have paid/free, or paid only, or reciprocal? Do people really benefit from getting themselves listed in non-DMOZ directories? Since I am starting afresh, is there something novel / innovative that I should attempt? Should I do a cluster of directories each in a different niche? Any advice is welcome.

Thanks
Ajeet

 

All I can tell, owning a directory is highly educational for me. As a directory submission service provider, it allows me for a different perspective on directory submissions. As a webmaster, it brings inspiration.

 

I just got into the directory business and it's been fairly simple so far. Please get a good original site if you do and not another Biz directory one.

 

Apologies for my ignorance, but could you elaborate? Thanks.

 

The internet is full of very average general directories.

I would advise you to find a niche which hasn't been filled already - somewhere you can make a difference, rather than adding your voice to the crowd. You will get a lot more interest and a lot more personal satisfaction.

 

Absolutely brilliant point. You might actually make more money as well. I have a hip hop store as one of my sites and was forced to pay for a couple of hip hop directories. I can avoid paying on all the general directories that require payment but a themed website on hip hop well...I pay. So does my competition. Plus add on a forum and keep it user friendly and you can definately cash in.

I just did this one to give you an example;

http://www.rockabilly-directory.com

Of course needed a hip hop one;

http://www.bling-hip-hop-directory.com

Will add blogs/forums eventually. Webmasters of rockabilly sites are going to be hard pressed not to link to the rockabilly one even pay once there's some PR on it.

 

Oh God not another one.

 

You are indeed too cool I get your sentiment/drift. I am sure that your reaction is representative of many others who have chosen not to respond

 

And that is precisely why you have to find something DIFFERENT - something that elicits more than bored yawns from the people you tell about your directory. If you can't find anything, then maybe creating a directory should not lie in your future.

 

I believe you have to go niche since there are so many general directories and as you say, another gets born every second.

Niche is good. Non-reciprocal but great if someone drops you a link. Paid option eventually but I would think along the lines of free to begin with unless you come up with a really special idea to base the directory on, in which case it should be paid from the beginning. Or you can offer the usual; paid=included right away, free=included in about 6 - 9 months (ish).

 

Absolutely Mc F,

I am in the middle of building a rugby directory. The directory will compliment my rugby forum. People are posting loads of great links on my forum, but they are getting lost in the flood, I was adding them to my favourites and thought 'this is dumb' so decided to build the directory. I have originally seeded it from the ODP (DMOZ), but totally changed the categories, and where the sites sit, as ODp is too fragmented on the subject, and there was a lot of duplication. I will of course refer back to the ODP as it is right, but the directory will be nothing like a dmoz clone. I will not also be updating using the RDf.

The response I got from the members was fantastic, and they have been adding sites to it like crazy, in the last few days, I have approved about 400 sites (not bad considering we imported 3000 from ODp.

I don't give a rats fart about reciprocal links though, as we have picked up a shed-load already from forums and blogs, as people tell other people about it. Eventually it will be THE rugby directory. within a month we will have every one of the 239 member clubs of the Welsh rugby Union. I have contacted other unions asking them for a list of member clubs, and will do the same the world over.

Why am I doing it when there is no money in it? Because I love rugby, I love the subject, it has made me very happy, and does so every Saturday from the first one in September though the end of April (and beyond now we have satellite broadcasting world games )

I know I have gone on, but it really is important, ask not what you should do, ask why you are doing it.

Oh & I also have a general directory for Wales (my country) which does really well and gets mountains of traffic for the sites that didn't pay to go in there, and probably don't even know they are there lol.

Edited to spell check oops lol

 

Nice story, Old Welsh Guy, nice story...


It brings up the same old one, that you should make a website only because you love the subject, not to make money (particularly in the short term).

The world of internet would be so much better and virtually spamfree...

 

infact ajeet i am also planning to have new and unique directory....coz i am fed up of using biz directory and phplink directory script.
making a niche directory is not bad idea.
its better to make your own unique directory with new concept....otherwise you will be nowhere like other people.

 

If you plan to make it big in directory market then think twice. Launching and maintaining a professional quality directory is hard work. Ask me , i know. Directory market is getting saturated with 100s of new directories getting added every month. Submitters are spoilt for choice. Saying that, i must add that good directories are very few. So people still look for good directories. The trick is to get noticed, get visibility. Not many people have deep pockets to go for big advertising campaings like some big directory owners are doing. To implement and sustain a new concept you need courage and the $$$ strength. It may work like crazy, or fall flat on its face. My advice - If you bulid it for fulfilling a passion , keep it small. You will save yourself a lot of time and money. If you are doing it for money, then find a niche. Experiment on a small scale then reach out to bigger audience. If you prefer to go the traditional () way of creating a general directory , be prepared to devote extra effort,time and patience needed to make it a decent one. (Also be prepared for the big yawns you will generate when you announce Another New Web Directory ! )