Last week we talked about a few of the features of our most popular theme, Directory, that we believe make it the best WordPress directory theme on the market. The most important of which is our commitment to continual improvement and adding new functionality via plugins. We receive a lot of questions about both the technical and practical aspects of launching a successful website using our Directory theme. This post will be the first in a series that center around that exact topic. One of the things we mentioned last week was the importance of planning. Our Directory theme has a lot of functionality built into it. So much in fact, that if you try to build a site without having a clear direction of where you’re going, you might find yourself off course rather quickly. To help you with the planning process we’re going to cover two important questions you need to answer before getting started. Let’s take a closer look: What Market Will Your Directory Website Serve? You were probably hoping we’d start this process with how to pick a great domain name or the best ways to monetize your site. Those hold some importance, obviously, but without a market to serve, you’ve got no audience. A common question we see is “why can’t I get business owners to sign up and pay for a directory listing?” The answer is simple. You need an audience. And even then it might not be enough. Because you also need an audience that is relevant and has the potential to attract new business. Attracting an audience is something that’s going to take time, energy and a lot of focus. The time and energy you probably already knew about, but what about the focus? This is where deciding what market you’ll serve becomes important. Let’s consider two ways you could approach this question: First is to focus on a local market. Ideally, one that’s in your immediate area. For example, I live in a town where there are about 15,000 residents and many times that number in annual tourists. So, while a local business directory might be a mediocre idea, a site that focuses on the local tourist market might be a little more appropriate. You can always branch off into other areas, but the more specific your audience is to begin with, the easier the next step will be. Alternatively, you could decide to focus... Read more »
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