Marketing directories are websites that offer UK businesses with a resource of thousands of companies around the UK.
Many of these websites offer county, regional and city based search features whereby users can navigate to their area of the UK.
They can select the service they require, and then search the results that are presented.
Directories are ‘opt in’ and are reliant on companies either registering as a free listing, or as a paid member.
The paid option normally gives them a chance to have additional features such as a logo, a website link and reviews.
There are hundreds of different marketing directories on the internet. Ranging from smaller ones that are focused on specific areas of industry up to some of the larger ones (such as MCH) that is more generic.
Many of the directories are UK based; however there are a growing number that are based in the US or India that are cropping up.
PR for marketing directories is becoming important as they are becoming obsolete.
For those who like to do their research and review marketing companies prior to contacting, marketing directories do serve a useful purpose in offering up to date (in most cases) information on marketing companies.
As all directories are privately owned, many do not carry the same companies. Therefore selecting the most comprehensive one is difficult unless you use a few different ones in order to cross reference.
Despite the growing number of marketing directories on the internet, many are well established and have a good track record in the marketing world.
Marketing Creative Handbook (MCH) – Established in 1996
B2B Marketing – Established in 2003
Blue Boomerang (part of Haymarket Publishing)- Established in 1999
Creative Match – Established in 2001.
However many website directories are closing as their strength has reduced as Google has brought the internet together.
The world of marketing is broad and diverse, covering a wide range of services:
There are a growing number of creative websites that instead of offering visitors a wide diversity of the above services and sub services, they specialise in one marketing area:
Choosing a marketing company to help you find good marketing directories can be a challenge. The main reason that people want to use directories is to find what they are looking for quickly.
The internet is a growing ocean of information that is further complicated by companies trying to sell at you; therefore finding something specific is growing more and more difficult.
They can be used to quickly find an agency that is local and can provide a specific service.
This is the reason that websites such as Yell.com are still used, as they do have the reputation of ‘no frills’ and giving up to date information (for the most part).