Original Post at BrilliantDirectories.com

Brilliant Directories Webinar Insights

Key discussions include setting up claim listings, managing membership levels, and utilizing advertising features effectively. The webinar also addresses technical questions about integrating pop-up boxes and optimizing search functionalities. The session aims to provide practical solutions and insights to enhance user experience and site performance.

Overview of Brilliant Directories Webinar

We are starting our first webinar Wednesdays here at Brilliant Directories.

The "Webinar Wednesdays" at Brilliant Directories is an open forum designed for users, customers, and those interested in the platform to engage directly with the team. This session provides an opportunity to ask questions about the software, see examples of its functionality, and receive assistance with any issues on their sites. The webinar is scheduled to last 45 minutes, during which time participants can also look forward to previews of upcoming features.

Engaging with the Brilliant Directories Community

Engaging with the Brilliant Directories community is a valuable opportunity for members to connect and share insights.

"If you're not a part of our LinkedIn group, we recommend joining."

Importance of Joining the LinkedIn Group

The LinkedIn group is a recommended platform for members to engage with others, ask questions, and share strategies related to marketing and membership directories. Joining this group can enhance your understanding and provide support from fellow directory owners.

Benefits of Community Engagement

Participating in the community allows you to receive answers and advice from experienced members, including directory owners and the Brilliant Directories team. This interaction can help improve your site and strategy.

Introduction to the Digital Strategist, David Rocklin

David Rocklin, the digital strategist at Brilliant Directories, is one of the key figures who contributes to the community by providing strategic insights and support.

Open Forum Discussion Guidelines

The open forum discussion is designed to address questions from both new potential users and existing customers about how Brilliant Directories operates and its capabilities. The primary aim is to resolve any "how-to" issues on the spot, such as adding a banner ad or similar tasks.

The goal here is to answer questions from new potential users and existing customers.

Ground Rules

• Question Focus: While all questions are welcome, the focus will be on those that can be answered within two to three minutes. This ensures that more participants can have their inquiries addressed.
• Complex Inquiries: For questions that require more detailed responses, participants are encouraged to email support@brilliantdirectories.com. The support team is available to assist with more complex issues.

Website Audit Reviews with Pat

Website audit reviews are a valuable service offered by Pat, where he dedicates time to thoroughly examine your site. These reviews focus on evaluating the features you are using, analyzing your lead capture strategies, and assessing your methods for member sign-ups. Pat provides tailored recommendations based on your specific niche and business model, sharing insights on what works well for others in similar fields.

"Pat has started reserving some of his time for website audit reviews."

The primary goal of these audits is to ensure that your website is fully optimized before going live. This includes checking the category structure, verifying that forms are functioning correctly, and confirming that membership levels are appropriately set up.

Feedback from users who have participated in these reviews has been overwhelmingly positive. Many are eager to share testimonials about the significant impact these sessions have had on their websites.

The audits are particularly beneficial for those with great ideas for membership or directory websites but who struggle with implementation. Pat assists in transitioning from the design and setup phase to the marketing phase, enabling you to focus on managing your community effectively.

Claim Listings and Membership Levels

Setting up claim listings and managing membership levels effectively is crucial for maintaining a well-organized directory. Here are the key points discussed:

• Setting Up Claim Listings:

  • Importing business data as claim listings allows members to claim their business profiles on the site.
  • It's important to ensure that these listings are set up correctly to be searchable and accessible to the right users.

• Managing Membership Levels:

  • When importing members, it's advisable to use a dummy membership level initially. This acts as a buffer to ensure data integrity before moving members to their actual membership levels.
  • Moving members between membership levels can be done easily if the initial setup is correct.

• Avoiding Spam and Ensuring Site Security:

  • Offering a free membership level for claim listings can lead to spam, as it allows anyone to claim multiple listings with fake email addresses.
  • To prevent this, it's recommended not to have a free membership level for claim listings.

"If you're utilizing claim listing on your site, I actually don't recommend having a free membership level."

Optimizing Ad Placements

Optimizing ad placements on your website can significantly enhance user experience and ad effectiveness. Here are some key points discussed in the webinar:

• Managing Ad Placements:

  • A common issue is the floating AdWords at the bottom of the site. Moving these ads to a more fixed position, such as the bottom of the left column, can create a more cohesive look.

• Customizing Ad Settings:

  • Adjusting the ad settings to fit within specific areas of the page, like under the map or after reviews, can prevent ads from floating around and becoming obtrusive.
  • Using responsive ads can help maintain a consistent appearance, as they adjust to fit within designated spaces.

• Tips for Effective Ad Management:

  • Utilize the "Use Image Banner" option to ensure ads fit well within the layout.
  • Consider the placement of ads on profile pages to ensure they are visible but not intrusive.
  • Aligning ads properly within the page layout can enhance the overall aesthetic and user experience.

"How do you move the AdWords floating at the bottom of the site up into the bottom of the left column?"

Handling Duplicate Content Concerns

Will I be penalized from Google for copying and pasting info from the website to mine?

Understanding Duplicate Content Issues

Duplicate content refers to blocks of content that appear across multiple locations on the internet. Google frowns upon duplicate content because it can confuse search engines and lead to poor user experiences.

Strategies to Avoid Penalties from Google

• Unique Content Creation: Ensure that each page on your website has unique and valuable content. Avoid copying entire articles or large sections of text from other sites.
• Public Domain Information: Basic business information like names and phone numbers are less likely to be penalized, but they may not help your page rank well.
• Engage Businesses: Encourage businesses to claim their listings and add unique content such as events, coupons, and detailed descriptions.

Importance of Unique Content for SEO

Unique content is crucial for SEO as it helps your pages get indexed and ranked by search engines. While starting out, focus on building relationships with businesses to enhance their profiles with unique content over time.

Integrating Pop-Up Boxes

Integrating pop-up boxes into your Brilliant Directories site can enhance user engagement by collecting email addresses or offering downloads. Here's a step-by-step guide to creating and customizing pop-ups:

• Understanding Pop-Up Boxes: These are often used to prompt users to join newsletters or receive special offers. They appear after a user has been on a site for a certain amount of time.

• Creating Pop-Ups with Bootstrap: Since Brilliant Directories is built on Bootstrap, you can utilize Bootstrap's modal feature to create timed pop-ups. These are referred to as "modals."

• Step-by-Step Implementation:

  1. Search for Bootstrap Timed Modal: Look for code examples online to understand how to implement a timed modal.
  2. Copy and Customize Code: Use the code to create a new widget in your Brilliant Directories site.
  3. Insert Code into Footer: Place the widget code in the footer so it loads on every page.
  4. Adjust Timing: Set the delay time for the pop-up to appear, typically in milliseconds.

• Customization Options: You can customize the content of the pop-up to include any message or offer you wish to present to your visitors.

How do I add shadow boxes from Thrive or ActiveCampaign to BD site?

Enhancing Search Functionality

Enhancing the search functionality of a directory website is crucial for improving user experience and ensuring that users can find the information they need. Here are the key points discussed in the webinar:

• Improving Search Capabilities: Users have reported issues with the search function not returning results for keywords found in the "about" section of listings. This indicates a need for more comprehensive search capabilities.

• Utilizing Deep Keyword Search: There is an advanced setting known as "deep keyword search" that allows the system to search for keywords throughout a member's entire profile, not just their name. This feature can significantly enhance search results.

• Addressing User Concerns: If users are experiencing issues with search results, it is recommended to contact support to ensure that the deep keyword search feature is enabled and functioning correctly.

"When they go into search words that are in their listing, like in the about area, it's not coming up."

Conclusion and Next Steps

As we wrap up this week's webinar, we reflect on the engaging discussions and insightful questions that were raised. From exploring how to display cities instead of states on location pages to understanding the customization options available through the Brilliant Directories marketplace, participants were actively involved in enhancing their directory experiences.

We covered some really great topics and questions.

Looking ahead, we encourage everyone to join us for next week's Webinar Wednesday. It's a great opportunity to bring your questions and ideas, ensuring that we continue to support each other in optimizing our directory platforms.

Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to the success of this session. We look forward to seeing you next week!