What business category would you like to be listed under?One problem with the current Biznik membership directory is that there's no way to browse members by category (for example, you can't browse all the Seattle attorneys). We're about to fix that, and if you've got an opinion about what category you'd like to appear under, please share it with me now. It's kind of important, because we're going to add routes that look like http://biznik.com/members/seattle/pr-consultants. So if, for example, you'd rather appear as "publicist" instead of "pr consultant" let me know now. It's possible that we can dynamically create both, actually. But I want to track members into selecting a smaller, shared set, so that there isn't too much fragmentation around categories.
Dan - I can't really tell if you are addressing Barry's issues.
Are you saying he is wrong is his assessment of what would probably happen to his rankings in a list of catagories (and the implied effects)?
Or are you saying he is likely correct but that this is a price calculated to be worth it in the long run for the most people?
Or something else?
Just a few categories that I could fit into...and I'd probably only choose three related hats:
Coaching, Life Coaching, Business Coaching, Personal development expert, Trainer/facilitator, Writer/editor, Copywriter, Creative Marketing Consultant
Let me try this way of describing what we're doing:
In the bad old days, it used to be that running a marathon was a race with only one winner. The fastest guy won, and that was that. Everybody else was an also-ran.
Then someone got the brilliant idea of creating multiple categories, with a winner in each category. For example, if you're female, you could win by being the fastest female. Further, if you are a female aged 20-25, in a wheelchair, from Spokane, you could win in your bracket and in your geographic region.
You could argue, I suppose, that adding all these additional ways to win makes running a marathon more competitive. But I would argue that it makes it more community spirited.
This is precisely what we're proposing to do with Biznik: create many ways to win, instead of what we have now, which is just one (by city).
Those of you who are already winning might feel threatened by these changes. But you shouldn't. Winners are still going to be winners. There will just be even more ways to win. And that's a good thing for all of us.
As always, thank you, Dan for working as hard as you do to help promote our businesses. For our 'category' - with each of us in our company 'specializing' in different areas, it's challenging to narrow it down, but, in order of importance (w/limiting the categories in mind), I would go w/ Professional Organizer, Organizer, Personal Assistant, Speaker, Administrative Assistant, Office Overload. Again, thanks for helping create new business opportunities for all of us.
Ok, I give. Here are few categories that I would like to appear under:
Wellness Chiropractors, Wellness Chiropractic Doctors in the Everett Area, Health Care Providers Specializing in Health, Proficiency Rated Activator Methods Chiropractic Doctors, Wellness Specialists, Natural Health Care Providers, Chiropractors, Chiropractic Doctors, Doctors, Doctors of Chiropractic, Health Care Professionals, Spinal Health Care Specialists, Spinal Health Specialists, Spinal Specialists, Spinal Specialists Focusing on Fitness, Allied Health Care Providers, Chiropractors Who Are Left Handed, Simple Health Care Solutions, Sustainable Health Care Options, Simple and Sustainable Health Care, Chiropractic Doctors Offering Nutritional Advice, Chiropractic Doctors on Preferred Provider Lists for Most Major Insurance Companies Chiropractors Who Accept Credit Cards as well as cash and checks, Chiropractors Whose Last Name Starts with "D",
Thanks Dan, for all the work you do and for making it easier and easier for folks to find us.
DD
Sorry Barry, I'm not trying to put down SEO experts. My concern is that we're adding layers that will put us in direct competition with others that do what we do on the site. Right now you already get these lists if type in the category that you want. What will these new categories do that's not being done right now? Art T.
See my comment above, Arthur.
Dan - I was thinking that perhaps there would be a way to use the Meta Tags people already use as a way of finding other professionals.
For example the "home stager" professional - In the real estate industry, I flip to the rolodex section or the company's website ("Vendors We Love") that lists "Stagers". To me, anything other than that is fancy talk for the same end result. There IS a difference between a Stager (who brings in furniture for a vacant house), A Designer (much wider range of opportunities and licensing), and someoneone that reorganizes the space of say a living room using the client's own furniture to make the LR look pretty to prospects and on film.
Sooooo, I guess if you want to be called a Super Duper Something-or-other Expert-Fancy Title, fine, but in your meta-tags, write all the possibilities so I can find you in simple language on the web or in a roster, even if you have multiple ways of finding you. Me? I Happen to do I.T. as well as Real Estate Marketing. Imagine MY problems!
Have a wonderful day! Reet
One thing that would be a good feature in combination with this is the -ala craiglist "flag for review" on the keywords and categories someone is shooting for.
Right now there isn't too much abuse (but there is some) of categories and keywords. I think it will pick up a bunch when categories are more prominent.
If you are going to actually categorize members, I think it had best make sense to have clean categories and maintain a certain level of consistency.
Example: I do online marketing- so I think it is okay for me to be under social media, seo, online marketing, search engine, etc.
I also have a lot of experience in real estate and recruiting marketing, so those may work too.
But setting my profile to show up under "bakery" or "graphic designer" should probably get me flagged for review.
I totally agree with you Barry on this point: categories have to be meaningful for this to work.
In the marathon analogy that I used above, the whole thing falls apart if you want to enter yourself in the male category, in female category, in the spokane category if you're from Seattle.
Same is true here. We will limit the number of categories you can have for this reason. I can understand that everyone wants to come up in every search, but it doesn't work that way on Google, or Google would be useless.
So as much as we all hate being categorized, it's absolutely essential and it's going to make this community much, much easier to browse through and find what we're looking for (and more importantly, for non-members who are using the site to find someone with a specific skill to actually find and hire that person quickly).
I am a bag and accessory designer with studios in Seattle and Spokane.
I expect there are two ways a client might search for me: healer or therapist.
The trouble I find with "therapist" is that massage therapists and physical therapists often come up under that term. But usually when people say "therapist," in my experience, they mean "psychotherapist." I don't think anyone searches that way, though. So that's a conundrum.
Any SEO-wonks who are interested in schooling me about this, feel free to message me privately. :)
Also, how broad or narrow should/will the categories be? As big as "health and wellness" or as narrow as "psychotherapist," "massage therapist," "chiropractor," "life coach," etc?
(I've officially typed "therapist" so much that now the word looks weird to me.)
I'd like to be listed under the "coach" category, please. It's great that these changes are underway. I just tried looking for an accountant and was surprised to see my own profile show up as the second person listed!
Personally, I'd like to see the option of being in several categories. That way, if we do more than one thing, we can be found. I'd like Business Training or Business Services, myself.
Dan, how are you imagining the interface where we would select from the categories? Some long list or???
If I HAD to choose I would say: Small Business development, education and support
However, I generally do not like the categories that I tend to get pigeon holed into.
I do understand the benefit of making categories, however the reactions are understandable considering that your membership are independent types who have chosen to work outside the box.
It's a way for people here to get more, not less business.
I was with a client, who was looking for a CPA. She started with Google....but it returned firms and she didn't want a firm.
For that reason, I suggested we try Biznik. She was turned off by the fact you couldn't find a CPA for the irrelevant people who were listed first. I wish I had tested the water.
I think people are losing business by not being willing to niche in this one instance. She's everyone's ideal client, and she's always in a hurry.
This forum is unmoderated, but please keep discussion courteous and not too far off topic.
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