Some years ago I helped our local Chamber of Commerce migrate their web site to a content management system. One of the features was a directory of local businesses, which has since become a basic service from most Chambers and tourism promotion sites.
It turns out that keeping all that information updated and accurate requires a lot of time and effort - and it costs money, whether paid staff or outsourced. We had our share of frustrated members because we just couldn't keep up.
It's better to let business owners and organizations manage their own content, for free.
But a simple directory can't help plan special events, share and collaborate on documents and web pages, or dynamically generate links to your business - easy tools you can use to help people find you.
That's what Connect is for, and here's how to get started...
Check to see if you already have an account.
Use the search bar at the top right of any page, and look for your first or last name. If you're already registered but forgot your password, you can get a new one right away. If not, registration is quick and easy.
Also search for the business or organization you'd like to add. Partial searches are easiest, for example bear or hudson.
If your business or organization already has a profile, it's likely that you already own it, and can change any content.
You can create and own as many profiles as you want.
You may have more than one business, or belong to several organizations. You can create profiles for all of them, and even link them to each other.
To add a business or organization, sign in and use the buttons on the left side of the home page:
Update your contact information.
Navigate to any profile you own. When signed in, you'll see a link to Update contact information in your profile header:
The form only requires two fields - a profile name and description. Including your address and zip creates a Google map for your profile. Adding (and using) appropriate keywords helps search engines find you.
Ready to Rock
In just a few minutes you've gone as far as most directories allow. With Connect, you've just opened the box.
Next post I'll share some tips on promoting your events. It's easier than you might imagine, and you get front page coverage.
