Going local

[Percept]

I've been thinking some more about a website topic and came with the idea to start a business directory for the local village here. The village counts arround 18.000 inhabitants and is devided in 4 sub-villages.

The website would contain local business news ( submitted by the users and by ourselfs ) and the directory where the businessowners will be able to submit a link (with additional info) to their own website. Now the question is would it be profitable to ask a fee to let them submit to our directory ?
The fee would be on a year by year basis and wouldn't be more then 25$.

1) Do you think business owners will be prepared to pay ?
If so, do you think 25$ a year is to much ?


sidenote: I've seen companies pay as much as 500$ for a "whole page" on a bizz directory. Not to mention the directory looked like it was made by a 5-year old.

[MarkB]

If it was a directory that your village knew about (ie, had local support and use) then $25 would be a steal!

[incka]

Yes, if most of the villages online population visted it you will have loads of companies wanting to pay $25...

[MarkB]

Even if it didn't get a lot of visitors, if it was *known* in the village (tie it in with the local paper, maybe?) then you'd do well.

You could a general one for your area, with subsites for each village or something. Think 'community' and commerce will (surely?) follow!

[Shawn]

Here is a web development company that is doing that sort of thing locally: insummerville.com

I really dislike this company and they are really not going far with that site, but yet they still have quite a bit of companies on there.

[Percept]

Why do you dislike this company Shawn, any bad experiences ?

[kdb003]

it looks to me like he designed it

the webpage that is

edit: i guess not, but it certainly looks similar to your sites if you ignore the content

[Shawn]

I didn't design it and I won't go into details with the company.