directory listings - who is in them

E

Envious Eric

New member
Do they work for you? 


 Which ones are you in? 


How much business do you get from them? 


Do they cost you anything?


What type of business do you mainly get from them?


 


 


Thanks for the input!


 


 


 
 
Are you looking for direct business from listings or listings redirecting to a landing page such as your website or facebook? Directories are a dying trend if you ask me. Places like YP are struggling and looking for new outlets. You might have better luck with social media outlets and using them as your "directory" listing.


 


Just my opinion.
 
I'm listed on yp.com, google+ and yelp (their free listings).  Even though they don't really directly get me any business, when someone googles my service area and detailing, those listings come up to the top as well as my site, so they are seeing those listings with reviews as well as my site.  I've asked people how they found me and they said found your site on google, then saw your reviews so I called. 
 
what about a yelp like service without the reviews (those are made up and fake a lot of the time)...worth it?


 


I just have a hard time with yelp because they want 350 a month minimum.  Sure its just one job potentially, but there is no guarantee.  And its happened to me a couple times where people write fake reviews and I have to go to yelp and tell them about it, but in that time, how much business could I have potentially lost by people seeing it?


 


Anyone on Angies's list?  Does that work for detailing business?
 
I've only heard horror stories about them. Especially when you are paying so much, you shouldn't have to always be concerned about b.s. reviews. Angies list could be useful though.
 
Truth is, fake postings or not, Yelp does help (I did not mean to rhyme). You do not have to pay the monthly fee to be on Yelp. The fee is to be at the top of page.


 


The best thing to do for B.S. reviews is to approprietly & professionally respond the review and flag the review. Yelp can be a huge asset or a major problem. If you manage your profile it will result in $$$.


 


Eric, it is Eric right? Why do you ask? Are you looking to increase business through these outlets?


 


Because my busniess is new to California I will give you expereinces from my brother's detail business in the S.F. Bay Area.


 


He has had great success through Yelp. He has also had moderate success with companies like Living Social.. Being listed in the search engines had also had moderate success. By far the most successful have been word-of-mouth and Yelp.


 


Suprisingly he has retained over 50% of customers from the discount vendors.


 


Has has just signed a deal with AAA. The deal is a discounted deal like the deals offered with companies like Living Social but the split is much better for the service provider.


 


Hope this helps.


 


We both just signed up with a company that manages social media and SEO. PM me if you want more info on that. My brother has already seen results. As for me I signed the contract on Wednesday. I should be up and running with them in a week or so.
 
Believe it or not Angie's list brought me A LOT of business, from good paying customers.


They have like.. It's kind of like Groupon in a sense about their business marketing


 


Storefront (Take 35%)


BigDeal (Take 40%)


 


I only did 1 Big deal offer which lasted 1 week & have a storefront offer running currently,


most of the time though customers need more than whats offered & I can usually upsell them on 


services they really need/benefit from.
 
I don't know if I would start listing in a bunch of them...sure business is good, but it can always be better. 



I don't really do interiors, so yelp clients really aren't my source for quality as I do paint correction and coating applications primarily.  Yelp is typically (not all the time) the 100-150 jobs, and while its better than zero, I cant book those and walk away from paint corrections and coatings at a much higher price point (because its worth it)


 


what other avenues for business are there? ls there a directory that promotes itself rather than just has people listed?


 


Im currently doing:


WOM


business card pass outs


sales


SEO


facebook (does anyone really book through facebook?)


instagram


tuner shops

 
 
Toyota, you need to join every directory listing service as possible.


I have started a topic called "2014 Link Juice", and it lists some of the


directory listings that I am on.  I have paid for NONE of them.


 


Okay, that is a lie.  I paid 10 bucks to be featured on MechanicsAdvisor for one month.


 


But, the rest ..... I would not pay for.


 


 


While you might not benefit immediately from a directory listing,


the most important thing is that your main website is listed on many of these sites.


This creates backlinks.  The backlinks then make your webpage show up higher


in google search results.  This is called Organic searches, where people are looking


for detail company in your area, and you pop up.  This is the most cost effective way


of advertising, because you are targeting only the customers who are looking for you.


 


If you do paid advertising, such as paid per click, then you might get to pay for


a bunch of clicks by people who are not interested in your service.  In a large city,


this can get very expensive.  I would suggest just finding a list of directories which


are ordered by page rank.  If you do the highest ranks first, you have optimized your


time.


 


As for yelp..... it is free.  Just sign up and get your business up there.


Most of the directories are free.  If one isn't free, then you should move on to another.


Angie's list is one that isn't free that can give good results.


 


There are many of these sites where you can take reviews, and the most reviews that you can get the best.  These sites have algorithms that test for fake reviews, so you need not worry about that.  Just get as many true reviews as possible, and this will help elevate your page.
 
Are there any that actually promote people to use them...like a site that you can list your business and that site encourages people to use it in a targeted audience?  Like Yellow pages...its so broad with millions of listings...what about one where there is just auto related and gets published in auto magazines and what not????
 
one that is just auto related is MechanicsAdvisor


I got in with them for cheap for the first month, but I am unsure


if I am going to keep going with them


 


I also would look at MerchantCircle, because it promotes businesses


by pictures, and that is a big boon to detailers.


 


As for ones that get listed in magazines, I have no clue.


I would imagine that magazine and dealer listing would be extra cost
 
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