Online directories are one of the hottest new ways to generate money online, however before you get to it, take some time to plan your attack. A small amount of strategic planning now will rescue you headaches, time and cash in a while.
To launch a new online directory from day 1, you’ll have to deal with five things:
- Content and Features: Prefer your ‘topic’, help make your data needs and define any capabilities you’ll have.
- Software: Get the right directory software.
- Hosting: Receive a domain name, arrange for hosting and install the directory script.
- Populate: add listings to your directory.
- Promote: raise awareness for your directory and commence making money.
We’ll look at each of these areas after that, starting with Content and Features. Don’t skip this – you need to know the answers to these questions before you can select an appropriate directory script (i.e. the directory software which will run your site.)
- First things first: what characteristic content of your directory likely going to be? Each of the businesses inside a certain city? Inside a particular industry? Articles? Software?
- Now examine your competitors. List the features you desire and dislike about their sites.
- Next, decide the way to categorize your listings of course if possible, estimate what percentage of listings you’ll have.
- Consider ‘extra’ features: Would you like to allow users to share ratings or reviews? Do you want to simply accept payments on your own site? Run and manage banner ads?
Now that you’ve defined your requirements, you’re ready to settle on the script (software) that will help make your directory run. This can be a tough decision – there are plenty of scripts available and it’s likely that many of them need to accomplish the job. Price isn’t a reliable guide to quality or usability, so how do you pick which a person to buy?
There’s a great deal to take into account, including a few ‘surprise’ factors you possibly will not have considered. And that’s what we’ll be covering next in “Choosing the Right Directory Script”.
Pop Quiz: Which extremely popular webhosting company can’t run certain directory scripts? Which free directory software comes with significant ‘hidden’ costs? To know, click on this link: DirectoryScriptReviews.com.