7 Tips for Starting a Business Directory Website

If you're like most people, starting a new business venture can often be confusing and even overwhelming. Not knowing where to start can leave you feeling “stuck" or result in unnecessary and costly mistakes. Here are 7 tips for launching a successful business directory and coupon website in your area with Ideal Directories.

1. Choose a good domain

Choosing a good domain name for your business directory and coupon website is important for both branding and for SEO (search engine optimization). The domain name is typically the same or similar to your actual business/website name and should include the name of the city or area you will be operating in.

Need help coming up with a good business name? Use our suggestions or check out this cool tool from Squadhelp that utilizes AI technology to generate a list of catchy business names for sale.

2. Upload a logo

You’re going to want to upload a professional logo for your website. A website without a logo (or an ugly logo) lacks credibility and can make businesses second guess their decision about advertising with you. A nice logo will help your site look professional and build trust when approaching potential advertisers. After all, you only have one shot to make a good first impression!

3. Connect your stripe account

Stripe is the payment processor we use for allowing businesses to sign up and pay for a listing on your website. Our integration with Stripe will allow you to easily take on new paying customers and setup recurring payments without being bogged down with invoices and billing each month. Once setup, every time someone buys a listing on your website, the money will automatically (and securely) get deposited into you bank account.

4. Set your plans and pricing

Your pricing will depend on many factors including your location (big cities tend to get higher prices), the features you include with each plan, your income goals and even how good of a salesperson you are (can you sell ice to an Eskimo?). But ultimately your pricing should reflect the value that you offer to your advertisers. If you are just starting out and don’t have a lot of traffic to your website, it makes sense to keep your prices low and more affordable. As you continue to grow, and traffic to your site increases, so should your prices. Keep in mind: you can always change and update your pricing anytime.

5. Add sample listings

This is one of the most important things to do, yet it’s often overlooked. Adding sample listings of businesses in your area will provide your site with valuable content that can help improve SEO and help you start generating traffic. Adding sample listings will also make local businesses think that other merchants are already paying you to be featured on your site. When they see their competitors advertising on your site, they will want to also.

6. Promote your site

When it comes to marketing your business directory & coupon website, we wrote the book on it (literally). We compiled a list of 100 Ways to Market Your Online Directory and put together an easy-to-read eBook that’s available to you when you sign up with Ideal Directories. From SEO tactics and social media marketing, to local networking and Google advertising, we offer a wide range of suggestions, both free and paid.

7. Be proactive with sales

The amount of time and effort you invest in selling listings will ultimately determine how much money you will make, so it’s always best to be proactive with sales. At Ideal Directories, we offer many resources including sales strategies and tips, sales scripts and even marketing materials like flyers and brochures.

If you’re not comfortable selling yourself, we recommend hiring a local sales rep to sell listings for you. Many sales reps will work on commission only so they only get paid if they close a sale.

7 Tips for Starting a Business Directory Website

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