I have a client who wants to do a web directory. He's not trying to rack up a bunch of ad click dollars - he's actually sells products to a category of professionals and wants to provide a high-quality directory option for them.
Seems like there are a lot of directories out there full of categories that have no listings. These sites seem to exist just to generate ad revenue and are basically useless as directories. I'm sure most of you immediately run away as fast as I do when you mistakenly land on such a site when trying to find, say, a plumber. They're full of ads and really have no useful content to the consumer. They're just more internet noise. This is not the kind of site he wants.
The question is, is there a directory maker/provider out there who actually cares about delivering a quality product? Someone who is has built a system that, yes, is SEOptimized and yes, is set up to sell listings and ads and such, but is also designed with the end user in mind?
My client is currently looking at eDirectory (http://www.edirectory.com). They have a couple of sites that aren't crap holes but most of them are just a poorly designed visual mess, not at all user-oriented.
I will probably end up designing his site, so I can head off a lot of problems right out of the gate, but I would love to find a decent system provider to partner with, and not have to steer a bunch of SEO-hyperfocused design-challenged - um - people by hitting them repeatedly over the head with a 2x4 until they do what needs to be done.
I'm NOT looking for someone here to code it, unless you happen to be part of an existing solution provider who does this already. I don't want to reinvent the wheel - I just want to find the best wheelmaker - or at least a good one. Someone more focused on craft and usability than making easy money.
Am I dreaming?
