have launched my fitness directory! any suggestions?

site is slow but loads faster in FF than IE

submitted my health site, thanks

 

This takes about as long to load as your other site. That one had a design that could justify the load times, this one does not. Don't forget that when you are working on a site the images are saved in your cache and the page will load much faster than it will for a new visitor.

The image with the shadow looks freaky. The girl with four boobs and the fellow with two belly-buttons look freakish. I would definitely dump the shadow part.

As to what Event_King said about competition, if everyone believed as you do, we would all be driving a Ford.

 

It won't matter how far you turn that tap - the water won't crash out any faster. Telling me that I don't know what I'm on about won't help you either

 

You are making a big assumption in that I do not understand what you are on about. I fully understand how difficult it is to compete against a household name. My point is that even the biggest companies can often be taken over by a smaller one. The Internet as well as the real world are littered with well-funded companies that still failed. Many of us lived and worked through the dot com boom and bust of the 90s, so trust me, there are many here that are well-aware that things can change in a heartbeat.

To say that someone going after being second in the marketplace is wasting their time, Hertz Rental cars developed a highly successful marketing campaign around being second. It worked quite well for them. You don't have to be number one or the "best" to make money or in the case of Hertz, tons of money. Any directory owner here would be more than happy to be second after Yahoo! Directory in terms of listing sales.

Directories are all about marketing. While it's true that most fitness places in the UK will almost have to be on the directory you mention, that does not mean that it will be the ONLY place they will advertise.

Every forum develops a personality. If the OP can create a forum with a slightly different personality than the one of the other site he might be able to develop a site that competes quite well against the one your mention.

Telling an entrepreneur that he can't succeed simply because there is a big fish already in the pond is ridiculous. You also made the assumption that the OP was not aware of his competition. Hopefully, he has studied what the other site is doing and working at ways to offer something different and hopefully better.

There are so many ways that you could have approached this and been helpful rather than aggressive and arrogant. I can only hope your newness to the forums is showing and that in the future you will provide suggestions rather than insults.

 

You are trying to compare and make General directory owners appear to be on the same level as Hertz, which is a totally different business anyway. Directories are in no way the same league as a company like Hertz - what a rediculous thing to say.

Yeah right, who told you that - as I would really like to meet them lol. BTW, I used to work for a 140 million turnover company that went bust, so I know all about this.

there are many here that are well-aware that things can change in a heartbeat.

Yet many here and on the web still choose to set up failing business models such as General directories. Nobody uses General Directories anymore, infact even Yell is losing thousands in ad revenues each year for the past 3 years!!!!

This is fact, not my guesswork - pure, 100% fact, and if you don't believe me, then I challenge you to get 2 copies of the yellowpages, place them face down, slide them next to each other, and see which one has less pages, one with fewer pages has less advertising renewals. Also the other way you can tell that the all-purpose directory industry is declining is the telesales campaigns are stepped up - this means directory operators like Thompson Local are getting desperate for sales, and no sales means businesses aren't renewing advertising.

You also made the assumption that the OP was not aware of his competition. Hopefully, he has studied what the other site is doing and working at ways to offer something different and hopefully better.

And the assumption is likely true, as I doubt very much he could compete with these guys, and I'm going to tell you why he is so up against it. Okay, I use the same marketing company as this UK Sports directory, so I know what they paid out in agency fees, so I have insider knowledge and the guy who set up the new fitness site doesn't, so I have a big advantage over him.

Also, these 2 investment companies have massive cash investments with UK Sports directory, they chose to, they can crush every single sports directory competitor until theres nothing left,I'm telling you they can do this. This UK Sport directory has 100'000 listings already (in under 12 months), and has so much press coverage - you would be shocked at exactly how much. And this brand new fitness site owned by a member here, is as he said IS a start-up, and not even at level terms with the one I'm talking about - and you still think that this member can really beat them. The member here hasn't even begun running his site properly yet, there is so much lacking with just his experience, never mind stuff like generating cashflow, and getting his filled.

This investor has ingredients needed to win, and win big:

1. Technology resources and expertise
2. Marketing Expertise

Both these investment companies make millions every year and it's nothing to them to chuck £100k at this directory and blow everyone else out of the water, although they probably don't need to as they aren't worried about a start-up, - their being there before dealing with the other hundred fitness sites out there... so they likely know the market inside out and have this Sports directory sewn up completely technology-wise, so much so that they can't be beaten easily by just anyone who throws up a copy directory.

Now, I didn't say that - I said he was competing with a well established directory, and this is a bad move because he has no edge, and doubt he has the resources to beat 2 huge companies who are experts in this industry.

It's fine to take on massive companies if - IF one has a huge technology advantage or a brilliant idea, but just another fitness site isn't anything amazingly new, infact it's a rip off of someone elses idea isn't it. And I could show you right now, 5 sports directories that he will be competing with for traffic, never mind the top UK investment funded one.

I know the 'score' not just about directories, but about what forums are about, their purpose and what members do. You underestimate me and you do yourself no favours by insulting me and making silly judgements about me.

 

I submitted to the Muscle category. Thanks for your consideration.

 

Seriously what a naive and silly comment!
Please tell me what you theory is in business....hmmm let me see, um if it is being done by others then I can't also join in the party for my piece of cake?
Also, how many webmasters do you know that only submit to one directory in their niche? Do some research yourself buddy, it is a big world out there.

Also why do you assume that I am looking to dominate this niche? I have no such plans. Unlike your wonderfully huge UK SPORT dir that you are so astonished by, I am not looking to get a 100,000links in a super short time. I am looking to set up a quality resource in this field. listing sites I endorse to an extent and creating a solid article/blog content base.

Your comparison of my efforts and this massive dir with not one but 2 capitol investors, is the same as me comparing, a regional newspaper with the New York Times. Should all the worlds regional news papers and publishers quit now?

 

Your not going to. My Girlfriend has a plan that will make what you have pale into insignificance, but that isn't going to detract from the fact that we wish you the best of luck.

 

Please tell me what you theory is in business....hmmm let me see, um if it is being done by others then I can't also join in the party for my piece of cake?

Hang on, I was talking about a fitness directory - ah I see what you've done, you have a fitness category. Eh, but you operate a Club resource, hang on you have other unrelated categories too.

Some friendly advice:


Art and Culture, that's got nothing to do with the Club scene, so little infact the category does you more harm than good. Your site slows to a crawl, so the domain name you have chosen is fitting indeed - you want to get that sorted mate, or your site speed problem will just turn users away. I can see you have tried to incorporate the word culture and somehow incorporate that into your club resource, but you've confused me and I'm an industry professional, so it means you will confuse others too.

You have adsense planted everywhere, which stinks of 'webmaster' adsense site, in that the only reason this was created is to make a bit of cash. It also tells me that you have no interest or much passion in the club scene or entertainment industry or you perhaps would have a better functioning site?

I'm trying to help you here, and have to be honest - it stinks of desperation, even if you didn't mean for it to - it does..... The slow images messed with my PC that I had to wait about 3 minutes while the images loaded and nearly had to reboot to get rid of your site, and that will piss off a lot of searchers.

Your use of adsense, doesn't make for an enticing 'club' informational experience and is also off-putting, which is a shame as I have an interest in the club scene and would have liked to have viewed more of your site, unfortunately it's design forced me to click X.

This made me chuckle a bit: "The Nets premiere Party & Entertainment Directory"

-- sorry, but statements like that won't make anyone click on your adsense ads. They will be after information, but they will currently struggle to get to that, while you have that speed/image problem and will click away before they notice the adsense ads. Sorry, if it's not what you want to hear, but it needs saying.

Seriously though, you want to get that image problem sorted, or nobody will ever get to see the wonders of your Premiere site.

I could quickly put your adsense site out of business if I chose to. The reason I don't choose to is your site is no threat to me, or any of the hundreds of properly detailed and well run Club resources out there. There are some outstanding club and nightlife sites out there that can bury you in a very short time, and apart from the adsense route, I think you are wasting your time with this - unless you do this properly and with some passion.

Your only thing in your favour is the site name - The Club Crawler, but that has little to do with the entire Entertainment sector, and what the site suggests it's about! My thoughts are even if searchers find your site, it's currently not good enough to keep them on it for them to click your adsense ads anyway, so all the effort you expended is currently for nothing.

And your promoting it like it's the best thing since sliced bread. I think you know yourself your site has issues and your attack towards me tellls me many things, including your inability to take criticism - infact it was rude to say the least.

Either improve this site tenfold or jack it in if only to save yourself embarrasment of having to admit you actualy own this thing, never mind claiming it's useful or that it's a service.

I think we both know that's not your intention.

It's not mine mate I don't own it

Your not serious with that comment, you are having a laugh right

Listen, good luck with it anyway, okay.

 

I won't get tempted to comment on event_king, he thinks he knows it all but clearly doesn't.

To the OP, your site has a lot of problems including loading speed which as others have already said will turn off customers.

External Objects
External Object QTY
Total HTML: 3
Total HTML Images: 18
Total CSS Images: 2
Total Images: 20
Total Scripts: 7
Total CSS imports: 1
Total Frames: 0
Total Iframes: 2


Download Times*
Connection Rate Download Time
14.4K 249.86 seconds
28.8K 128.03 seconds
33.6K 110.63 seconds
56K 68.86 seconds
ISDN 128K 25.39 seconds
T1 1.44Mbps 7.87 seconds

I'd be happy to do a review on it.

 

JamieG,

Well, your adsense blocks ain't working and they won't make you rich or famous as entrepruneurs either. Your too easy to suss out:

"I'll stick up a website, and be rich inside of 2 weeks, because there's a lot of websites out there and they all rush to link with me, and every visitor will buy my crap for $20, and I'll be a millionaire in 2 weeks - Honest! It's my lovely website, it's mine, mine, mine and it MUST make me money or I'll cry for loss of face on a forum"

---- no you won't, as so far some of the sites I've seen aren't good enough. Heavy graphics that slow a site down to such an extent, OMG, users will click away so fast. 20 adblocks of adsense, horrible colour schemes, useless sales pitches that copy others services etc etc.

That guy can't even get basic programming to work or hire a decent designer to put it right, and you are saying I don't know what I'm talking about. Jeeze!

Maybe this Club website has what, maybe 15 to 20 pages.... So what, mine has 12'000 pages, 12 million pageviews, 600'000 hits last year alone, press already in a top national paper, many clients, highly targeted magazine editorials set up etc etc, -- okay, I admit , your websites are better than mine, your knowledge is superior to mine, so you should see your millions quite soon.

Or do you want to stop this playground stuff and learn something - it's your choice.

 

Yes, I see what you're saying, and obviously what you want others to believe, and most of all, you want me to believe it and do as you want, which I choose not to do.

But the reason why there are so many sites is simply one of unintelligent copying. Eg: Pure and simple duplication or rip-off of someone elses idea, because many don't have the creativity to think of ideas of their own and make it on their own - they have to steal others hard work, and that's not right.

This is why webmasters these days need to be more creative then ever, to make something truly useful, but NOT, I repeat not for the webmaster community as it's the wrong way to go if you want the press to cover it, and this what so many get wrong time after time after time.

Look at the Alex Tew thing, I mean it's the perfect example of one guy who used his brain and got some very rare success, but where is he now, what is he doing - his last idea got trashed because he simply lost it. He probably lapped up the hype that he was the best, knew it all and instead of coming up with a great, fresh exciting web idea, Pixellotto just turned out to be a way to rip-off further cash, and the word on the web according to all the forums, blogs and articles is that he got trashed for it.

Then ofcourse everybody copied him and well, few of them made any money at all - not surprising actually, but unoriginal ideas always fail. Just a shame many find out the hard way.

 

Yawn....we have heard it all before Event King, the sky is falling or has fell or whatever doomsday 'event' you are touting. Anyways why don't you post up some of your "unique" sites that you think you will make millions with?

You sound like a kid with a little eduction, maybe a grade 10 business course and now you know it all. I am starting to think you might just be trolling to attempt to get a rise out of us, so to that end, 'welcome to ignore'.

I like to have proper debates but you just seem to be using the exact same flawed arguement over-and-over, best of luck.

Back to topic, I will stress one last time that 'load time' is very important because you will lose 50% of your hard earned visitors before the site even loads up successfully and it is not easy to bring in qualified traffic in such a competitive niche.

 

Thanks for saving me the time in responding to this guy, he's come on with no idea what he's on about and worse I don't know what he's talking about either.

 

Submit your directory to all medical and health directories as a featured listing;
and yeah, don't forget to add to my directory!

 

jg123,

Post up some of my 'unique sites' - yeah, I'll do that...... But you'll have to wait until I'm ready to.

Oh sorry about the wait bit.....


The sky won't fall, your sites may get by on minimal profits, but you will never be rich from them. That's cool by me

Wow, 5,207 posts! Do you get a gold star? hehe

 

JamieG,

That's why your still on forums mate, it's because you can't understand, just happy to defend some self-appointed status. There's no secrets to be found in forums, no free ride, only the link swaps from other members, and if you haven't worked it out yet - they don't work that well either.

Keep plugging away guys.

 

I jsut noticed, your an entrepeneur! Wow! Kudos to you. FYI; I'm on forums because I just love to read the crap people like you post. Some questions.

1. Do you have a directory? If not why are you posting on this area of the forum?

2. Do you own a directory script? If not why are you posting on this area of the forum?

3. Are you just trolling?

Waiting eagerly for your answers.

 

yeah sure I'll answer your questions.

Your main contention is that I don't know what I'm on about or that I talk crap. If I didn't know what I was doing, then my search engine wouldn't get in the press at all - and this is where your case about me falls apart big time!

You are the only one that sounds like an idiot by saying things that you cannot prove otherwise about, so it would be better if you just kept quiet and maybe you might just learn something. If it means anything, I'm an ex webmasterworld member, and I've come here for the better atmosphere, but so far I haven't seen that - just conflict and big egos that won't listen to anyone except their group (just like wmw).

I'm also an entrepruneur and been now for nearly 6 years, running my 2nd search engine, (2 engines in one) and have a lot of experience on the web, with forums, directories, publishing, link development and now learning the search side of things. I hold diplomas in business admin, management and I.T, and studied Marketing to Advanced level 3, so am no amateur, and could probably help you guys out quite a bit.

So to answer your questions:

yes, I have both a directory and a search engine, also my own forum which is young, but enough posts to make me an expert on that area too. My former company was a CV writing service, so I have experience of setting up businesses. But Publishing is where my real expertise lies.

No, er, never liked them as they are very restrictive in what you can do with them, and their format makes them tough to upgrade if modifications have been added. Trouble with scripts is as a user you end up promoting the script owner for life via a link, of the script and I'm against giving that kind of help for zero profit. My engines are totally custom built and have technology that no directory script could ever match.

I wouldn't waste time with such lengthy posts if I were merely trolling, and as a forum owner myself, I don't like trolls, bullies or folks who don't listen or don't learn. Spent much time on webmasterworld (too much) and had enough of agreeing to keep peace, many left wmw, because wmw Mods don't like 'factual' posts, and certainly don't like anyone that knows more than them - too many techies for my liking, but anyway.....


Do I really want to help anyone here, I'll see how I feel. Much conflict on here, lots of GM's and SGM's and exploitive authoritatives, maybe the odd serial bully too. Certainly much ego that's for sure.

 

hahaha, someone PM'ed me a quote from Event Kong's post....sure buddy we all have a 'secret' successful business that we hide from everyone else and make tons of money from.

Also as a note to the OP I will submit a few sites once your loading issues have been resolved, your directory is nicer than 96% of the ones out there - keep up the good work!!