How To Create An Online Business Directory

An online business directory for listing products and services is definitely a great business venture today thanks to the buzzing internet boom happening today. However if you are to design and code your own online listing website, then it would be a Herculean task. But there are alternatives for this. You can get your hands on a powerful business directory software that would help you generate a highly reliable and powerful online listing website with minimal effort. There are several such directory scripts available today and this poses yet another challenge.

“How to select the best software for your business directory? “

Well we have some tips to offer. There are a few things you should not miss while buying a business directory software. Ask yourself the following questions before selecting a directory software for your business:

1. Is it Open Source?

An open source business directory software would have the benefit of having unencrypted source code and hence it would be easy for you to make functional and design changes on the software to suit your requirements as well as incorporating your businesses identity onto the software.

2. Does it come with a Demo option to try before you buy?

Several such directory script developers may fool you by providing false promises on features that the software is incapable of. So a Live Demo should be provided so that you can test whether all of the claimed functionality is actually present in the real software.

3. Are they integrated with popular online payment gateways?

Businesses that are listed on your website may need to pay you based on the listing package they choose and hence there should be a secure payment system active on your website with integration to popular online payment gateways.

4. Does it offer multiple listing packages to listings on the website?

Your website should offer multiple listing options for businesses that wish to advertise or list themselves on your business directory. There should be basic packaged that may provide free but restricted listings and premium packages that allow more comprehensive product and service listings with advertisements, logos, images, etc.

5. Is it Search Engine friendly?

What use is there if your website does not show up when people search for directory websites online? You should therefore choose an open source business directory software that is search engine optimised with enough trapsset in its internal design and coding structure to lure search spiders of popular search engines such as Google and hence make your site crawl into the top rankings of search engine indexes.

6. Does it provide a comprehensive Admin Panel?

The business directory software you choose should have a powerful yet simple administrative dashboard from which you can control all of the website’s activity and you can get detailed reports regarding the events in your website as well as perform operations on the business directory software as well.

7. Does it offer a simple registration process for businesses?

New businesses that wish to be listed on your website should be offered an easy and transparent registration process that is not time consuming and can be completed with minimal effort.

If the above questions are asked and if any particular business directory software answers positively to all of them, then it is the software that you need and you can definitely give it a try. Hope the above tips were useful for you in selecting the best business directory software for your listing website.

Amelia Brooke is currently associated with iScripts.com committed to develop quality web software for young entrepreneurs and businessmen want to setup their own online business.