The directories of the past (the online ones, not the heavy, yellow-paper based ones) were always difficult to navigate and find what you were after. Thanks to modern design that is no longer true.
These online directories or listing websites generated revenue through companies paying to be on the listing website. But what value did that actually bring to the company paying for the listing?
Provided the listing is on a reputable website, there was a reasonable amount of value in listing a company on there. The problem comes when the directory in question is not reputable and could be seen as a ‘spam’ website in Google’s eyes.
An old fashioned black-hat technique website optimiser’s used is to create hundreds if not thousands of ‘spam’ links from any website they could get their hands on, linking back to their website. Google used to simply look at the number of links had a website as a positive ranking factor in Google’s search results.
It didn’t take long for Google to cotton on to this tactic and start penalising websites for using this black-hat SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) technique.
Now, Google looks for quality links from relevant websites. If you are a jeweller or in the jewellery industry, you want to place your links on websites relating to jewellery. And that’s where the idea from Jewel Chaser came from.
The value of a directory website: #1 –
A quality directory website can gain you some SEO value, meaning your website is more likely to rank higher up in the search results. An industry relevant directory website boosts this value even further, as Google sees relevant links believes you are an authority in the industry.
The value of a directory website: #2 –
Building a website is a time consuming and expensive process, a process that a lot of jewellery companies are unable to go through. A quality directory website can act as a platform to showcase your company at a minimal cost.
Lastly, we come to our final point.
The value of a directory website: #3 –
A directory website can gain you visibility to people searching for companies like yours.
We mentioned earlier on that directories of the past were difficult to navigate. Our intention was to make a platform that is actually usable and anyone in, or searching for someone in the jewellery industry has a one-stop-shop to do exactly that. This helps those searching and just as importantly, it helps the jeweller to be found.