I've been looking around lately at different models and came to a conclusion of what I feel is arguably the best one. Featured Links: ~40% more expensive then a regular link. Charged annually WITH the option of once you finish your annual lease you can renew OR just get listed permanent for free as a thank you for purchasing a featured. (The addon at the end should increase features) Regular listings: High Price ~40% cheaper then Featured but PERMANENT. If you have ~20 listings a page thats ~5 featured and 15 regular links. Some would say that's no good you have to go annually for regular links but why? Unless your using a Pay for Position setup if you run a big directory you're bound to have people on page2, 3 etc... Some may say it's no good as all they are looking for is PR; however the real benefit I'd say of any directory is the crawl rate(for new sites) or the increase in traffic for more matured ones. As many directory owners can attest I'm sure the details pages are like a spiders favourite meal. Personally my top directory gets almost ALL of its traffic from google under the oddest keyword terms you'd ever think of. What does that mean? All those oddball keyword searches go to my details page and then directly to the site that submitted. The more high quality random sites you have ... the more traffic you'll get from search engines so why would I want to remove someone from the database after a year if they don't pay again for a regular listing? Doesn't make sense to me. Any thoughts? P.S If your details pages are getting tones of traffic and the only people who ever really see them are people that come through searches... Would it be a good idea to throw 2 adsense bars below and ontop or on either side of the details on the details page? hmmmm
To simply for you: Regular Links: Permanent at a high price. Featured: Charged Annually at a rate of 40% more than the regular but when the year is over they can get added as regular links.
I think that you brought up some good points. I like the idea of only 5 featured listings with 15 regular links, although I think that 10 is a better number for regular links. Not sure about the adsense on the detail pages, it may be profitable for some but I'd rather let the site on the detail page get the traffic.
I like the idea of using adsense on the detail pages, because those are where a directory receives targeted search engine traffic, as opposed to ad-blind webmaster traffic.
I prefer to hopefully send the visitors to the listed sites as opposed to gaining a few pennies from AdSense. I think it provides more value to those who do list with you.
I couldn't agree with you more. adsense and the likes really have no place in a directory, unless the site was more than a directory.
As soon as I see Adsense in a directory, I click the "X". It shows me the directory is desperate for revenue and isn't focused on the real reasons for running a directory. Adsense = crap.