Changes

==Why not Centiare?==

==Why not Centiare?==

Recently, I invited an independent artist to create a Directory listing on Centiare.  His response:

Recently, I invited an independent artist to create a [[Centiare:Directory Space|Directory]] listing on Centiare.  His response:

<blockquote>Thanks for the interest, but I maintain my own website and would not be interested in your services.</blockquote>

  '''''Thanks for the interest, but I maintain my own website and would not be interested in your services.'''''

Here's what I said in reply:

Here is what I said in reply:

I completely understand your line of thinking from a "brand unity" perspective.  But, if I may be so bold, I believe it is misguided.  Centiare does not strive to "become" or "replace" your own website (even though in the case of [[Directory:Liz Cohen|Liz Cohen]], who didn't really have her own page anywhere yet, it did sort of become a de facto homepage).  We seek to be a complementary source of "one click away from your website" traffic.

:I completely understand your line of thinking from a "brand unity" perspective.  But, if I may be so bold, I believe it is misguided.  Centiare does not strive to "become" or "replace" your own website (even though in the case of [[Directory:Liz Cohen|Liz Cohen]], who didn't really have her own page anywhere yet, it did sort of become a de facto homepage).  We seek to be a complementary source of "one click away from your website" traffic.

   

   

In other words, just because you have your own website, would you refuse to be listed in the Yellow Pages?  Would you dispose of the idea of having a MySpace page?  If you had an ad campaign running on the radio, would you refuse to accept an offer elsewhere for free television advertising?

:In other words, just because you have your own website, would you refuse to be listed in the Yellow Pages?  Would you dispose of the idea of having a MySpace page?  If you had an ad campaign running on the radio, would you refuse to accept an offer elsewhere for free television advertising?

   

   

Since Centiare is free to use, the only thing you have to "lose" is some time and effort to get your page set up and looking at least as decent as a "stub" on Wikipedia.

:Since Centiare is free to use, the only thing you have to "lose" is some time and effort to get your page set up and looking at least as decent as a "stub" on Wikipedia.

   

   

If I can just give you one quick example...

:If I can just give you one quick example...

   

   

BIG Images is a large format printer who has effectively utilized Centiare.

:[[Directory:BIG Images|BIG Images]] is a large format printer who has effectively utilized Centiare. If someone is searching Google for: '''"large format printing" "San Luis Obispo"''', they will get over 1,000 results on Google.  The BIG Images homepage is # 1 in the results, and Centiare's directory listing is # 2 or # 3:

   

   

If someone is searching Google for: "large format printing" "San Luis Obispo", they will get over 1,000 results on Google.  The BIG Images homepage is #1 in the results, and Centiare's directory listing is #3:

:However, if someone is searching Google for: '''"San Luis Obispo" large format printers''', they will get over 100,000 results on Google.  The BIG Images web domain doesn't show up in the Top 20 results (it happens to be 21st), but the Centiare page shows up 4th!  Someone clicking on that link then has all the information they need to call or e-mail the print shop, or to click one more time to get to the [http://www.BIG-images.com BIG-images.com] page itself.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&rls=GGLG%2CGGLG%3A2006-13%2CGGLG%3Aen&q=%22large+format+printing%22+%22san+luis+obispo%22

::[http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&rls=GGLG%2CGGLG%3A2006-13%2CGGLG%3Aen&q=%22San+Luis+Obispo%22+large+format+printers See search results.]

   

   

However, if someone is searching Google for: "San Luis Obispo" large format printers, they will get over 100,000 results on Google.  The BIG Images web domain doesn't show up in the Top 20 results (it happens to be 21st), but the Centiare page shows up 4th!  Someone clicking on that link then has all the information they need to call or e-mail the print shop, or to click one more time to get to the BIG-images.com page itself.

:Why would anyone say, "Well, I have my own web page, and if it comes up 21st in some searches, I'll just have to live with that.  I don't want a link that comes up 4th, if it's not to my home page."?  

http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&rls=GGLG%2CGGLG%3A2006-13%2CGGLG%3Aen&q=%22San+Luis+Obispo%22+large+format+printers

   

   

Why would anyone say, "Well, I have my own web page, and if it comes up 21st in some searches, I'll just have to live with that.  I don't want a link that comes up 4th, if it's not to my home page."?

:Sorry to sound like a sales pitch, but (as I said), what I'm "selling" is free.

   

   

Okay, I realize I've just gone way over the line, practically spamming you with my sales pitch, but (as I said), what I'm "selling" is free.

:[[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Greg]]

  Greg