Online directory 192.com has launched online business directory, BizBuzz.com, to challenge Yell and Thomson.
The business directory will be free with the aim of signalling the end of paid-for advertising models. BizBuzz.com is aimed primarily at SMEs and will allow companies to upload detailed descriptions, keywords and logos.
Business details uploaded to BizBuzz.com will appear in search results on 192.com, this is designed to connect SMEs with the 8 million unique users a month. Research from the business directory revealed, of 500 SMEs surveyed, 70 per cent were not willing to pay to advertise in online directories.
Speaking about the new service, Alastair Crawford, founder of BizBuzz.com said, “Since traditional directories elicit payment for SME listings, they have to prioritise paid listings over free, with the result that the consumer doesn’t always get the best fit for their need and the merchant doesn’t get presented the best customer opportunity.”
