Hey Guys, This interview is done by Directory-Owners.Com Well this interview is with Temi Odurinde owner of Haabaa.com Q. Are you able to give us a short insight into your background? I started my Information Technology career as a Novell 3.x administrator, Novell was the dominant software on LANs in those days, over time, Windows NT eclipsed Novell, I moved with the industry, trained and became MCSE, when the Internet started growing, I upgraded my MCSE to become an MCSE+1, since then I have worked more with the Internet side of things and less with LANs until, I got out of networking altogether. I also have a joint honours degree in Psychology and Computing. Q. What is your internet experience? My Internet experience is vast, it started when I work on LANs, I had to installed TCP/IP protocol stacks on Windows 3.11 and Widows 95 to get then to connect to the Internet on 14Kbs dial up modems. Q. How did the idea of Haabaa.com come to you? I relocated from London to the West Midlands about five years or so ago, prior to moving I worked for ICL/Fujitsu (or whatever they call themselves these days) In the part of the West Midlands I moved to, huge LANs that require my experience are thin on the ground, so I started Velnet Web Hosting and Haabaa.com. Q. What was your biggest challenge getting the Haabaa.com to where it is now? Haabaa is not half way where I want it to be yet, my biggest challenge to getting it where I want it to be is the correct software to get the directory to work exactly how I want it to work, there are lots of features I would like to add to make it a better directory. I commissioned a new software recently but what the company I awarded the coding to delivered was not to my satisfaction. If I can get the software to power Haabaa EXACTLY how I want it to work, then I would have over come the biggest challenge to making Haabaa a truly unique web directory, at present, it runs on a script that powers hundreds of other directories, that I am not proud of. Q. What promotion methods do you use for Haabaa.com? A mixture of promotion methods really, it ranges from submission to other directories to promotion in forums, paid adverts on some websites and of course links to Haabaa from users who like it or find it useful. Q. Who do you think is your direct rival in the directory sector? I cannot think of specifics, but I think any web directory that accepts submission, be it paid or free is a potential rival, hence Haabaa needs to work hard to ensure its one of the top directories on the shopping list of webmasters when they are Identifying directories to use to promote their sites. Q. In your view what is the biggest challenge for directory owners in this day-an-age? In my opinion, there are two major challenges to web directory owners; first is to put clear blue waters between their directory and a link farm, there is a very thin line between the two. Secondly, they need to justify the existence of their web directory, it is very easy to start a web directory but what is the point of a web directory if it is only repeating what hundreds if not thousands of other web directories are already doing. Q. What are the main points that make Haabaa.com stand out from all the rest? To be very frank on this question I do not think Haabaa standout significantly from other directories, Haabaa Version 2 which I am working on at present will do that, current Haabaa.com I try to set the inclusion fee very high so that it will keep away poor quality websites I think this policy is working but we still come across poor quality website that are able to afford the inclusion fee but we reject such sites. Q. Have you got any future plan to expand Haabaa.com features? Yes, there are plans in place to expand Haabaa features and distinguish it from other directories. I am currently in the market for the right programming company at the right price to implement the plans. Q. With many website owners now placing high level's of attention to SEO, do you think that directories will have to evolve to keep up with the changes on the internet? Yes, directories need to evolve to keep up with the changes, not only because of SEO considerations but to give value for customers money as well. Most people submit websites to directories not expecting any significant traffic from the directory but just for SEO benefits, I think directory owners should evolve their directory to deliver traffic as well as SEO benefits to customers. Q. With so many directories, what do you see for the future of the directory industry? I think over time, the directory industry will peak, and the difference between the 'premiership' directories and 'division two' will be more pronounced. The premiership directories will prosper greatly and the division two directories are unlikely to. Q. Do you own any other sites or scripts? Yes, I do own other sites and scripts including a shopping cart script called Boss Cart, which is undergoing a major upgrade at present. Q. In your view what are the benefits (or disadvantages) of running a directory? I think the benefits of running a directory if you have other websites is that you can give yourself free inclusion, the main disadvantage as far as I am concerned is the non stop battle with spammers Q. What do you think are the main key points to a successful directory? A successful directory needs to have a unique and fresh approach to the industry, there is a new directory called Deeply Linked, created by OWG, I think it’s a fresh approach to web directory. Successful and fresh directories should not do the same thing that thousands and thousands of other directories are already doing. Q. With so many directories, what do you see for the future of the industry? I really do not think there is a bright future for the web directory industry in its current form with most directories powered by the same script, creating the same categories, the industry needs to innovate and diversify to be a significant force in the internet marketing mix. Q. In the history of Haabaa.com directory which days stand out most? The days that will stand out in Haabaa.com history are yet to come, it will be the day that Haabaa V2 goes online, then I will truly accept that I have achieved some of my dreams for Haabaa. Q Are you able to run a very successful directory and still have a personal life? Initially when Haabaa used to accept lots of free inclusions no, there was hardly any time left for other things. Now that there is not guaranteed inclusion time for free submissions there is time for personal life and other projects too. Q. How do you relax at the end of the day? I love watching comedy DVDs and keeping up with premiership football. More: http://www.directory-owners.com/showthread.php?t=646
interesting. he seems to be extremely focused on diversity for directories, and i can agree with most of what he was saying. same cats, same templates, same links, all these directories these days are mockups, for the most part anyway. good interview and some honest answers finally given. especially this one hehe: :evilgrin:
Another gr8 interview podman. Thanks for giving us knowledge through these types of interviews. Temi is right for his below given comment.
That guy should be more creative instead of do habbaa.com, habba.co.uk, velnet.com, velnet.co.uk yada yada, everytimes he submits to my site i don't know how to do it sucks, ;D Nice interview podman
thank all, Glad you liek the interview. The forum at Directory-Owners.com is a lot faster now as we have moved to a VPS -Dan