Hi guys,
I have very limited knowledge of web building, I am looking into starting a directory site in Australia, similar to Yellow Pages® only for a more niche industry. If someone could please give me an idea of what needs to be done to accomplish this. What platforms with what software? where to begin etc.? I will be needing to pay someone to do it, but I would like to know exactly whats involved before I start shopping for designer.
Yellow Pages are usually hard to maintain online especially if you don’t have a good offline marketing strategy to promote your branding for your website. If you’ll be starting it as a new domain name,it would usually take time to grow. So I suggest you better look for potential domains that have a good age and reputation online and buy it for your yellow page directory site. But of course, it has to be related to your niche.
you’ll need some server side code (PHP/ruby/…) to get the content from the database to the user.
The information will need to be stored in an Database (that needs to be filled)
And the content should be shown to the user in HTML(5) probably with some javascript.
any platform, any software that supports the serverside code you are using (PHP/ruby/…) and Apache (or similar software).
Start with selecting one of many available PHP Directory script.
After you decide which one you’re going to use, find template that will be most
suitable for your needs and then ask your developer to optimize it for you.
That will be your starting point.
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Thanks guys, you’ve been really helpful!
You’re welcome but… may I ask you why do you want to start #50,001 directory?
You’re definitely new to this field and have no idea what’s involved in running and maintain directory on daily bases and that to have half decent directory you will have to spend 2, 3 hours every day to go over dozens of spam submissions to find one that will be worthy to publish but getting nothing or very little in return on your investment time wise.
Just curious why people wanna start new directory these days.
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I have a background in directory sales and managment, there is a very big hole in the market for a credible and affordable directory for businesses. The web design is the only aspect I dont quite understand, the rest of the business is what I do best.
Actually I’m talking more about maintenance than management.
You can create the prettiest and the most attractive site there is but if it’s going to be bloated by spammie unedited entries, sign of lack of editorial integrity, that directory will be just another dead on arrival cesspool of spam infested site and all your business managerial skills won’t mean a thing.
Make sure you have knowledgeable in directory editing people around you who know how to edit so you have time on promoting and managing your directory.
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