« Raised Ink Printing of Business Cards Has New 4 Color Option | Home | Identity Thieves Target Baby Boomers »
What Makes A Good Online Business Directory?
By Stuart Russell | July 26, 2008
There are web directories for everything and anything. Web directories collect listings and links to any particular topic in one location, making life much easier for people like you and me, looking for information that’s hard to find - no matter what the topic might be.
So, logically, it follows that business directories direct you to any business you are looking for. They are not exclusively online businesses, but also offline ones, as long as they have a page you can be directed to. More than individuals, other businesses find these directories useful, for services and for products they need, but of course, they help consumers directly, too.
There are certain guidelines, standards and conventions that business directories are expected to follow, though there are no hard and fast rules. Reliable directories usually follow these guidelines.
Organisation - A well-organised online business directory is easy for anyone to use. It must be categorised accordingly, showing main and sub classifications. Simple and user-friendly navigation, with properly categorised links in each section, is also necessary. A summarised, clean layout is also a sign of a good online business directory.
Content Updates - Of course, organisation is not all - the content which is easy to find because the directory is well-organised must be up to date and worth finding. There are new businesses and their websites popping up on the net every day, so the directory must be constantly updated.
PageRank - Google and other search engines provide web pages with ranks. These ranks are based on how popular a page is. While it’s different from the search engine’s organic results, having a high PageRank boosts the site’s ability drive traffic through its links.
Correct Keywords - A good online business directory must concentrate on providing traffic to their listed businesses, so using the right keywords to direct various visitors is imperative. By providing keyword-based search facility, web business directories are able to help users find the right businesses without a hassle.
By using these key characteristics to determine if an online business directory is worth your time and effort, you can choose the highest quality directory, regardless of whether you want to post your own links or just find out about a specific company.
Topics: Business |