Name of your website?Call Brighton - Local business directory
Your name?
Chris Spragg
Your Location (city, etc)
Brighton - East Sussex
When did you start your website and why?
We started the Call Brighton project in April 2007 to provide a local business directory for the community of Brighton and Hove.
Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc
We noticed that the city of brighton needed a easy to use directory listing all local business. We set about building the site to allow local business to list their company details free of charge.
What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?
At the beginning it was difficult to get local businesses to register and add their lisings. This was due to the directory being empty and seemed non important to visitors to add a listing. After the first 10 listings become more frequent.
What has been the easist part of operating your website?
A few months on and the site is fully automated and almost runs its self. We only need to check and approve listings and answer a few emails.
What was your biggest mistake?
As yet I don't think we made any mistakes. But maybe submitting to Google to early could become a problem.
Who maintains your website and why?
We maintain the site ourselves to cut down on costs. As owners the site relies on the two of us to fund the hosting and marketing.
Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?
The site is not connected to out main business but we are listed on the site and hopfully we will benefit in the future.
What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?
The internet is growing rapidly and it has become standard practice for any business to have a website. All main retailers now have websites and are trusted by those who would not normally shop online. I think the future is set to see internet shopping will become an ever incresing method to shop.
What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
SEO is a must for those businesses who depend on website sales. I think if any online business wants to maximise profits SEO needs to be taken seriously
What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?
We own a finacial website that produces a good income from traffic all generated from all 3 main search engines.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
It's early days yet to say for callbrighton.com but email marketing seems to be getting local companies to signup. To get the general public to visit the site is dependent on loacl news paper ads, car window stickers and flyer drops in hotels, coffee shops and bars.
What method has been least successful for promoting your website?
Awaiting stats on this.
What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?
The internet needs more top level search engines and all should cross reference each other.
What is your website address?
Call Brighton - Local business directory
