When is an Advertising Agency Directory More Than a Directory?

A number of years ago during my attendance at the InfoCommerce Conference in Philadelphia, I was talking with some big-time publishers. We were engaged in SEO-options conversations and they asked about our service. When I explained the size and scope of our registered agency database, they volunteered that the contacts and data were prime fodder for SEO search.

I wasn’t convinced, since access to and the identity of agencies in that database was clearly confidential and proprietary stuff. We aren’t an advertising agency directory but an advertising agency search service and our mission is the coupling of great clients and agencies; not to allow the unfamiliar free browsing access to those registered agencies.

When I returned home I met with our Webmaster to explore ways to provide database content but not breach the confidentiality of our advertising agency directory or the agencies themselves. We hit upon an ingenious way to do that and built website links for just that purpose (we thought). What we did accomplish was putting all the agency data (short of that which identified them) outside the firewall. It turned out a visitor could drill down to their heart’s content, but as an SEO solution, it came up short.

Now we’ve taken another crack at it. It’s a simple 3-tier proposition, starting with a 50-city alpha recap; then individual cites (Atlanta Advertising Agencies; Charlotte Advertising Agencies; Nashville Advertising Agencies by example) and ending with individual agencies. Many agencies are outside major city-centers so they don’t show up, but this new version gives searchers plenty to satisfy their curiosity. Try it!