Why there needs to be a directory alternative to WordPress.org
A new way to showcase your products
I’ve always wanted to create a directory of WordPress products, themes, plugins, tools and such. A useful resource, something I’d go to first rather than Googling themes/plugins.
We’ve all been there, Googling away
You end up on list posts such as Best themes for XYZ, and 25 top plugins for ABC. A majority of these types of blog posts haven’t been updated for ages, and half the products, either don’t exist anymore or better yet, were shockingly awful in the first place.
Bloggers need to make money
It’s all about generating traffic and revenue, and I get that, it’s the blog’s primary focus. I know many bloggers charge for additions to their top themes/plugin posts, and again, I get the need to make money.
/insert amusing gif here.
Through conversations with various product owners (I’m not going to name names here!), adding products to list posts costs a hell of a lot of money, and product owners are paying for exposure.
Totally understandable; the more eyes they can get on their product, the more people are aware of them.
It’s difficult for product owners with limited budgets, those starting out, marketing a product is hard, it’s either months of producing content to get traction through SEO, or it’s thousands of dollars in ads, or sponsored blog posts.
It’s hard, again through conversations with product owners, it can be disheartening.
Why the unofficial WordPress directory? What’s the point?
As I’ve mentioned, a WordPress directory has been at the back of my mind for quite some time, yet I’ve lacked the skills or savvy to make one.
Of late, I’ve been playing with JetEngine, and through some trial and error, managed to create one that I think could be of use to people, looking for new products.
Being truthful
I wanted to create a space for WordPress product owners to showcase their offerings. Free from the usual trappings. Such as, install count. Man that metric looks pretty, but gauging one product over another, purely by instals?
Well, that’s just crazy. Especially when you think of certain product owners gaming the system, installations is one measure. But, and I’ll be honest here, it’s not the be all and end all.
For every product that has millions of instals, a vast percentage of time, this is down to marketing, especially if it’s a Freemium product. It’s a misleading metric, and one that hurts consumers, so, I ain’t doing that on LayerWP.
It’s all down to you, you tell people the truth, no ulterior motives, no stupid metrics, just pure truth.
Is your WordPress directory free?
Yes and no.
Yes, it’s free for those who solely offer free plugins and themes, I see no point in charging people for this or harming their altruistic endeavors.
No, for those who offer freemium/premium products/services, there will be a charge.
I’m not being an ass about this, but I have to keep the lights on here, and pay for the time tinkering with listings and processing them.
Who much is this going to set me back?
In terms of cost, it’s a one off payment of $50.00.
That’s it, no more, no less. No subscription, no renewals, a one off payment.
I had thought of offering subscriptions, but I didn’t want to go down that route, to deal with the headache of renewals. While it ultimately will lead to more revenue, I tried to look at it from a product owner’s perspective.
$50.00 is an easier pill to swallow, and does not take a massive chunk out of marketing budgets.
$50.00 a year, well that can impact it. I completely understand that asking for a subscription is a little too much for many.
So that’s why I’m not doing it, I’ll stick with a one off charge.
Better for me, and ultimately for you.
How will you make money from the directory, further down the line?
Well, I’ll be honest, I’m going to use affiliate links where possible. Let’s say you’re a product owner who has an affiliate system. I’d ask to become an affiliate, and I’d use the links you give to point to your product.
This way if any sales are made, I can make money moving forwards, this helps me keep the listing charge to a one off, and doesn’t impact you with renewals for a listing etc.
Don’t have an affiliate system?
Well, that’s fine, I’m not going to prohibit you from listing in the WordPress directory, because you don’t have one!
What do I get for the money?
Freemium/premium product owners, you’ll get a listing, in a category of your choosing. A featured image, and text about your product, along with links to buy/view more information and such.
If you’d like more information on what exactly you’ll get, take a look here.
Can I offer coupons/discounts?
Yes, if you’d like to offer something, I have no issue with that at all. I would ask you that the offer is unique to my site, so for example, if it’s a voucher code, use something like LWPX9808 (or something like that).
You need to see if you get results, and using a unique code should help identify where sales come from.
This is important, content for your listing
Obviously I do not want duplicate descriptions, cutting and pasting from existing content, this defeats the purpose.
A listing on the unofficial WordPress directory, is a chance for you to grab another slice in the SERPs.
Make your listing interesting, make it standout, but above all else, don’t try to ram it down people’s throats in a sales oriented way.
By this I mean, be human about it, discuss your product, how it can help, what it can do, but please, please, please be human.
Be friendly, try something different, play around with it, you’ve probably tried all the other avenues, a listing on WordPress.org (if applicable) or other blogs, this is your chance to stray from the normal.
Maybe target a different set of keywords, provide more insight based around a product and how it can help a specific niche.
Just keep it on point, and please, for the sake of all things holy, don’t make it read like an advert!
Listing length, how much content can I add?
To be honest, that’s down to you, I’d ask that you make your listing a minimum of 300 words. Max, go to town, fill your boots, go as long as you like, the more information you can provide, the better.
What types products/services can be submitted?
- WordPress themes
- WordPress plugins
- Courses
- Web Hosting
- Tools for development
- E-Books, for learning
I want to offer a complete range of products, something for everyone. Whether they’re looking for a new site design in a WordPress theme.
New functionality in a plugin, learn something through courses or E-Books, need a tool for content or SEO, or if they’re looking for new Web Hosting.
It makes sense to offer a range, some may just look for one specific thing, and I cannot account for everyone’s tastes, so opening up the range means more opportunities, for you, me and more importantly, visitors.
What are you going to do to publicize entries?
This is a great question, and here are some answers. I’ll be sharing them on Twitter to over 2K followers (it’s my preferred social media channel).
I’m going to start a blog post series, along the lines of this week’s latest additions to the directory, again sharing them on Twitter and my email newsletter (177 subscribers at present).
Not only that, but I’m going to refactor blog posts, and include the latest directory entries at the base of all posts, and category pages for maximum visibility. Anything else I can think of to help push products, I’ll do it.
Will it be a success?
Good question, if I could promise you the moon and the stars for your money, I’d be lying.
Heck, you might only get a couple of sales out of it, then again you could get more, I honestly don’t know how well it will do, and that’s kind of exciting to me.
Dare I say it, a challenge as well, I want this to succeed, so I’ll put every effort I can into making it a success, every effort.
To be frank?
I didn’t think my Million Dollar WordPress page would work, guess what? It does, with 25 sales so far, doesn’t sound like a lot? Well, it’s not bad for something I did on a whim, and it still gets sales as we speak.
Ready to submit you product to the unofficial WordPress directory?
Take a look at the Unofficial WordPress directory, have a play around, and if it’s right for you, you can submit your product to the directory here.
I for one, am really looking forward to having you on board!
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