Online directory has novel plans

Date: 1/12/2007
Publication: Mybusiness
Page: 62

WHEN SEARCHING the web for a business, the online directory BDAu.com frequently pops up. The reason for that is it currently lists 1.7 million businesses found in 1900 categories.

A user for example can search for accommodation in Albury, bookstores in Balmain, windscreens in Wagga, or shoe shops in Sydney.

BDAu.com founder and Managing Director, Frank Maugeri, says: “The dual purpose of Business Directories Australia, BDAu.com, is to be an accurate and up-to-date directory that connects buyers and sellers, and to provide lots of extra useful marketing features for businesses at a low cost.

“We specialise in attracting potential customers who already know what they're looking for by having keywords rank highly on search engines and diverted to our clients. We open the door to businesses so when a customer finds us, they quickly find the business they need.”

With a background in sales and marketing at Yellow Pages followed by a stint as a futures trader managing blue chip funds, Maugeri is determined to change how businesses are listed.

For customer convenience and simplicity, he designed a scrollable window containing two panels: A-K and L-Z, each screen listing about 14 businesses but able to accommodate up to 1400 under alphabetical order.

“They are just some of our primary points of difference,” he explained. “By clicking on the ‘more’ link on the listing, up comes a new page with more business details and a Google map showing exact location.”

“I pride myself on including all, not just some businesses, and our extensive search criteria has identified most,” Maugeri said. “That is my mission: to provide accurate data to users without penalising anyone regardless of their size in the business world.”

Monthly hits on BDAu.com now number more than 100,000, generating 300,000 page views. “And it’s all purely organic,” Maugeri comments. “To date we’ve spent precisely nothing on radio or TV advertising and we’re not sponsored Google listings to promote BDAu.com.”

High rankings from Google searches have been a boon, and Maugeri points out that after email, 'searching' is the second most performed activity on the internet.

He’s now launching myFreeSpace.com on BDAu.com, which will provide SMEs with assistance. “It’s the first opportunity for ‘mum and dad’ businesses and other SMEs to command a bigger presence and for free; they can book a self-editing business profile web page at zero cost.

“People can showcase their business – list reasons why they are good, the best or different. There’s no word limits in the description and business operators are free to modify their page whenever they like, and add images such as goods, staff or their business logo. When someone does a business search images will be uploaded and businesses stand out prominently in an orange box. We want the power of referrals to work for them.”

In cases where they have no website, this can act like a mini business website.

“Businesses need a good marketing plan to get their name out there, or they fall by the wayside. Smaller businesses or those run from the family garage still need to attract customers to survive and prosper. Under myFreeSpace, we are making more small businesses more visible, whether they have a website or not.”

Several other novel features are being offered to capture attention – and customers. An option of including an SMS button which directs customer details to a business; a web audio or 30- second voice recording of a 50- word jingle; and the now trademarked clickcallingyou.com.au stateof- the-art digital feature connecting people (tapping in their phone numbers) directly to the business.

Also, to maximise exposure, businesses can elect to appear under any geographic area they are able to service – for example a Brisbane-based advertising agency pops up under a Lake Albert search.

Banner adverts complete the selfpromotion menu, along with the Bargain Board Tab that “allows consumers to check out the best bargains of offer from the convenience of their comfy armchair or office.” Advertising space is sold at competitive prices.

People could be forgiven for assuming an army of foot soldiers is equipping the BDAu.com site but Maugeri employs just 15: a few sub-contractor programmers, a part-time lawyer and some floor staff.

Expenditure to date was not revealed but no venture capital has been sought and the Queensland based business has earned a steady income over the past two years. Maugeri is optimistic turnover will double once myFreeSpace and associated services are in full flight.

For more information visit:
www.bdau.com/myfreespace

Frank Maugeri, Managing Director, BDAu.com