At the birth of a new business directory website, there is a great idea and determination to create something big. But how to proceed so that your website starts making some earnings as soon as possible?
Selection of Directory Website Template
First you should choose a directory WordPress Theme for your website. By choosing the WordPress Theme you’ll save a lot of money compared to the custom made website. And you’ll also save a lot of time. All the important features are already included in the templates. Or they are easily available as the extension plugins.
You will get the features allowing you to promote items, set up advertising packages and pricing strategy. Best directory themes from professional developers are tailored to this type of online business. There is no need to code anything extra.
Business Finder+ WordPress Theme
Rules you should follow:
- Avoid the free directory themes. Rather buy a directory template from a reliable WordPress developer
- Multilingual theme is a must. You never know when your business grows so much that it will expand to foreign markets
- Pick the theme that gives you the widest advertising options
- Think of a business strategy well. Adjust the registration options accordingly
- Comfortable payment method for the advertising services (via online payment gateway)
- Ensure regular content updating on the website, adding new listings
Advertising in Directory Themes
There are several ways how to monetize directory website. It is up to you what form of item promotion you’ll choose in your directory listing.
- Paid registration
The fastest way to start advertising is the differentiation of the available options. Adding new listings don’t need to be only for free.
Offer different types of registration. Usually you can manage it by offering so called Packages. This varies depending on the template and its developer. The Packages model is provided for example in directory themes from Ait Themes.
You can have more than one Package in offer. Set up exactly how many branches, shops, cafes or events the user can add. Also some more features user gains by purchasing the package. More about how to use Packages.
- Featured listings
This is an another method for getting extra money. It is possibility to tag their items as Featured. Featured items are graphically differentiated. And more noticeable. It is the special position comparing to other items when on the standard webpage view.
But the best advantage of Featured items is visible primarily in the search results. Either according to the category or keyword. As the Featured items are displayed in the top positions.
The owner of the listing gains the competitive advantage worth to pay for.
Featured Item
- Special offers
Special offers are great for advertising – because customers (website visitors) like limited offers. Any event, festival, summer menu, really anything you imagine can be set as a special offer. Like the Featured listings.
Special offers also can be visually distinguished in the directory templates. Which makes it easy for the users – to immediately see that it is not a “regular” offer.
In addition, business owners are aware that such feature can be helpful for directory advertising. Thus you should give them Special offers for a certain fee. This is a supplementary form of advertising.
Not all directory WordPress themes come with this feature.
The way how special offers are displayed and various setup options differ from specific directory themes. Some developers have special offers integrated directly into their template. Some have these as an add-on element. This separate custom Post type comes as appropriate directory plugin.
Special Offer
- Banners
This is another way how to make money via directory WordPress themes. It is separate space for advertisement in the form of banners. This can be insertion of own banners via wp-admin. Or monetise directory website with Google AdSense.
Banner
- Sponsored Post
Now blog posts area is essentials on any kind of website. If you want to fully dedicate your time to your WordPress website, you should have a blog on your website too. It should be related to the topic listings specialise on. Blog is great for building a community and company image.
At the same time, it is an indispensable tool from the SEO point of view too. If you already have a blog, why not to use it in your own advertising offer?
Allowing listing owners and other partners to add a sponsored post is beneficial for you. Not only in terms of the revenue from its publication. This way, you gain more unique content for your website free of charge. Because it is created by someone else. Continuously increasing content with the right keywords helps to improve the position.
Directory website in the organic search results and can increase website traffic.
- Giveaways
Giveaways from listing owners you can use for making some income too. Set the rules how often and under what conditions they can publish contests.
For example – for a free registration or a basic Package, you can enable giveaways only for a certain fee. But for higher Packages, giveaways can be available to listing owners free of charge. It’s entirely up to you what pricing strategy you decide for.
- Promotion via Newsletter
Another way to charge for supplementary services is to offer the advertising via regular newsletter. Sending email campaign is an important marketing communication tool. It is long term process to build quality audience but it is worth it.
Advertisers will definitely be interested in such a form of advertising.
- Affiliate program
Directory templates count with already mentioned space for ad banners and sliders. Besides to providing this space to the item owners, you can use it for yourself too. Place banners with affiliate links.
Choose affiliate program for products or services which are close to your topic.
At the start of business, affiliates can provide small but very much needed income. As the business directory portal grows, you can get a decent passive income from the affiliate.
So where to start?
Making money via directory WordPress themes requires lots of determination and hardworking. Thus choose a quality template from a professional developer at the very beginning. Set the pricing strategy correctly – your online directory business will speed up much faster.
Making earnings shortly after launching depends on quality content and the advertising options. Give customers more options, play around with Packages to achieve more paying advertisers.
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