Your Directory ROI

Everybody seems to have one nowadays so I was wondering...

1) You have one because you jumped the bandwagon just because of the hype.
2) You have one to add to your site's user experience.
3) You have one mainly to increase pagecount (for Co-op etc.).
4) You have one to make you bucks!

What I'm interested in most is how much does it make you a month?

So please vote in the private poll your earnings directly from your directory. And tell me whether you're in it for any (or combo of) 1-4 mentioned above. Multiple votes allowed for those with multiple directories. Don't vote if you don't own one please.

A rough break down of how the earnings are made up like inlcusion fee vs. AdSense vs. other would be appreciated too.

Please also note which script you use...

Thanks!

 

This is interesting, was wondering whether to start yet another f$^!*@g directory.

 

Two and three for me. However, it is not in the coop yet.

I can't tell it's performace yet, it's not been a month yet. It's not supposed to do much really.

 

Just looking at starting a few, looking at many different options, from scripts that members here wrote to commercial software for portals.

 

I think patience is the key when building a directory. I have set-up a new directory 6 weeks ago. It has got a PR3 in this update but I don't have huge expectations from it for some time. I will just promote it and let it grow and perhaps in a few months, think about the monetary aspect.

I do have Google ads on the site but I have a feeling that the major revenue (in the future) will have to be generated by other advertising, paid listings etc.

P.S: I didn't build it for the co-op as I am not a member any more. But, I simply built it to see if I could write the scripts by myself or not. The entire directory is automated and listings are authenticated and added instantaneously. The back-end is automated as well and I can delete/ban sites and do heaps more if I want to.

 

Thanks guys! There's quite a difference in results I see. Keep them coming!

 

Mine was for #3 and to experiment with. It quickly got a weight of about 25,000 in the Coop. Not bad for something that costs me $3 a month!

 

Yeah forgot an option for nagative figures...

I guess it depends on the goal of it whether you care what it makes.

 

Actually my adsense covers the $3 but I am still in the $0-25 range. I'm sure I could increase that quite a bit but its not really worth the time.

 

Couple months ago started directory http://www.dirspace.com/ I've put up adsense into the directory, revenue about $3,- a month..
Not much but I didn't want to put up big advertising blocks, I want the directory the look clean.

 

The poll asks for how much you take in “revenue” but forgets the how much you pay out aspect. Our payroll usually exceeds our monthly revenue considerably and will until we stop our development projects, and cut back on marketing expenses. At this point with one of the directories we take in on average $200 daily in paid submissions and on average $1,000 a month in advertising. The expenditures still exceed the average $7,000 per month and is expected to for the next year or so. Development projects are still nowhere near what we had planed in the business model.
Skaffe on the other had is a very profitable directory but it’s been around a lot longer and was fully developed from the start and doesn’t have any plans at this point for expansion and no development costs. Labor is of course a great crew of volunteer editors who do a really nice job.
Profit and loss and the time it takes to achieve a profit is going to depend on your business model and time.

 

Yeah, Tsection isn't making any real money. We've had a few paid links, which is really nice, but not many.

Adsense is good, but not many people trying to add their websites are really going to click on ads. They just want to add their site, hope it gets listed and leave....

Hopefully in time - (a) more people will opt for a paid listing (unlikely, but I hope so!) and (b) traffic will dramatically increase so that there are more general users who will click on ads, or (c) I can sell the directory as a going concern to someone else

 

Only by knowing the potential return I can decide on what to invest. That's why I didn't ask. I know what my own time costs and how much the good scripts are.

How can you justify running such a significant deficit? Doesn't sound healthy to me.

 

having a directory for coop weight seems like an idea, i guess ill have to reconsider whether to build one or not

 

I’m not new to operating directories and have a lot of related development projects going at this time. It’s a big deficit now but will more then cover the deficit in the long run. One of the main reasons only 1 out of every 10 small businesses succeed today is the fact that they expect to make a profit in the first year of operation and do not have the resources to carry themselves through the deficits they will incur during that time. A directory is a business and should not expect any to be any different. Ask any of the long standing directories and they will tell you the same thing. You’re going to get what you put into them.

 

I don't agree with that you will incur losses. If you plan it carefully you can start an internet business and make profit (albeit small) from day one. And that's not an illusion, I've seen (and am still seeing) it work like that (and turn over ~$1m in the first year with good margins).

I'd turn it around and say 9 out of 10 don't make it because they are hoping to replace their income in 12 months, instead of aiming higher.

 

Why: Option 2 and sometime in the hazy future when there is a blue moon in the sky, pigs fly and MJ skips home to Neverland because it was all just a bad dream option 4.

How much: nada

Using: Hotlinks Sql

 

Our directory produces a bit of revenue, mostly when it's pages are featured on page 1 of G Y or M (duh).

The biggest benefit of our directory is the Coop weight though.

Because the directory was built from our bookmarks all the content is original(ish - it was pulled from whatever site is listed)...

Works well though...

http://www.topbusiness.co.uk If you're interested.

 

Anyone of you using Gossamer Links SQL?

 

My directory makes me a bit of money from advertisers. Is it worth the BS and spam submissions? Not really. Its totally different from my other projects, and I'm currently expanding it to have a lot more features, but still...man its a lot of work, for very little reward.