Newly launched HotFrog UK is an interesting implementation of a business directory from Reed Business Information. Based on its Australian counterpart, a tag cloud forms a major part of the home page, highlighting the top 50 products/services. There is also an alphabetical index if you wish to browse all the categories. In addition you can browse an A-Z of companies or use the search box to carry out a key word search.
Limiting your search to a region or county is a two step process. You first search on a category and a location box appears on the results screen alongside the companies.
Business owners can add their company to the directory free of charge and can determine how they want their business classified. They can also include brand names in their entries.
There are another thirteen country 'versions' of HotFrog including India, Spain, Germany, France, Thailand and the US, all of which use the same interface. They are easily missed as the links are represented only by a series of flags at the bottom of the home pages.
Limiting your search to a region or county is a two step process. You first search on a category and a location box appears on the results screen alongside the companies.
Business owners can add their company to the directory free of charge and can determine how they want their business classified. They can also include brand names in their entries.
There are another thirteen country 'versions' of HotFrog including India, Spain, Germany, France, Thailand and the US, all of which use the same interface. They are easily missed as the links are represented only by a series of flags at the bottom of the home pages.
I ahve entered a number of companies into Hotfrg, they bring a good amount of business my way, does anyone no if a UK business i.e. fax marketing can be registered in all of the other countries?
ReplyDeleteI noticed recently that the UK version of HotFrog had a page for my *personal* website, claiming that I sell a variety of things. Given that I've only mentioned these items in passing in my blog and certainly don't sell them... I'd say HotFrog UK is more of a "piss poor web-scraping hack of an implementation" than interesting implmentation. That said, in the two years since you commented, they may well have succumbed to the urge to publish drivel in return for google ads revenue.
ReplyDeleteHi Robert,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment and alerting me to the changes. Just revisited Hotfrog after 3 months and it has changed dramatically and totally gone downhill. Not worth visiting or using at all now.
Off my list of directories now.
Regards
Karen
Hey Karen, was thinking of using Hotfrog - can you give reasons why you think it's gone downhill as they've just launched a priority listing service, and I've had good results from HF to date.
ReplyDeleteMicky W
Hi Micky,
ReplyDeleteThere are many reasons why I am now so disappointed with Hotfrog. I am not sure if they are aiming for the consumer or B2B market, but in either case I am not impressed.
I had problems initially with the search boxes on the home page - What and Where. What happened to searching on company name? I later discovered that if you are looking for a particular company you type the name in the What box. The Where option has been downgraded to major towns and cities. A search for businesses in Caversham or by postcode (for example RG4) came up with businesses dotted around the country. Restaurants in Caversham is a search that even Google Maps can get right to a certain degree.
Then, I thought, I was searching in the wrong way. Perhaps I ought to use the options on the left side of the screen. So I searched on eating and drinking places, Berkshire, Reading. At least some of the results were located in Berkshire!
Whichever method I used to search, all my results were littered with "sponsored" links that had nothing to do with my search terms. At least, using the 'eating and drinking places, Berkshire, Reading' options, rather than free text search boxes, came up with businesses in Berkshire. But if I wanted to draw up a list of restaurants, whether for a night out or as contacts for business purposes, I would not be interested in Algarve holiday villas, catering companies, insurance brokers, packaging companies, couriers, electricians, gift fairs all of which were NOT ads or sponsored links.
If you have had good results from it, then stick with it. It may be the sectors that I search on (restaurants is just one) and the geographic locations in which I am interested do not fit the search options that Hotfrog offers.
Regards
Karen
Yes, I would agree with those adverse comments. They have just emailed us to say that they have listed two of our sites. And although it saysYou can view, change and edit your listing by clicking here. Hotfrog listings are completely free, all it costs is the time to check and confirm your listing details.you cannot, unless you sign up and get a password.
ReplyDeleteThe two sites they have listed are both non-commercial and frankly we could do without them being listed here, it will just generate irrelevant enquiries.
Thanks for the feedback, Roger. I registered and updated/corrected my listing but only because I was receiving enquiries via HotFrog that were nothing to do with my core business.
ReplyDeleteBusiness directories have become an effective way for the public to express opinions, make comments and select the appropriate business to deal with. On the same hand, business directories offer the business a great opportunity to advertise and get enormous internet exposure. For businesses that increase their exposure and generate interest through listings in business directories has become the smart thing to do. The powerful marketing tool of business directories will be enjoyed by the innovative public for a long time to come.
ReplyDeleteBusinesses that use internet business directories enable them to receive instantaneous feedback. Enhancing the relationship with a customer can increase business success. Customers always look for the opportunity to give feedback to the business and the internet business directory has made it a great quality control avenue. Scary? Not for the business that is willing to adapt and market their business with this technology.
For marketing and promotion, the internet business directory has become an important part of business strategy.