Posts Tagged ‘Verzeichnisdienst’
GoYellow.de displays user ratings
13 May. 2008 | Author: The internet online directory GoYellow.de provides users with much information, in addition to the customary contact details. As of the end of April 2008, many search results now offer user- posted ratings (under the link “Bewertungen” en=Ratings).
GoYellow.de has however not reinvented itself as a Web2.0 portal. The displayed feedback/ratings are not generated by other GoYellow users, but rather by users of various partner portals of the online-directory. As is to be gathered in a press announcement by the GoYellow Media AG, the displayed ratings are gleaned from the driver portal autoplenum.de, the service auction portal blauarbeit.de, gastronomy portal restaurant-kritik.de, and the local ratings community GoLocal.de (which is another service belonging to GoYellow Media AG).
Whomever wishes to air their opinion regarding artisans, restaurants, doctors or other service providers, and/or rate these, is only able to do so directly via the above partner portals.
The collaboration with blauarbeit.de also brings other advantages to users of GoYellow.de: craftspeople can bid directly on the projects posted by GoYellow.de users, for artisan or garden work. A similar service has been on offer for a while already though GoYellow, as a result of the cooperation with MyHammer.de.
Posted in Web Communities, Local Search per PC, Local Search, News | 
Tags: Auskunft, Auskunftsportal, Autofahrerportal, autoplenum, blauarbeit, Branchenbuch, Branchenverzeichnis, GoLocal, GoYellow, lokale Informationen, restaurant-kritik, User Generated Content, Verzeichnisdienst, web2.0 | 
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Phone directory “DasTelefonbuch” gets a new look
The telephone online directory DasTelefonbuch has pepped up its web presence and can be found sporting some new features and an updated interface.
Relaunched in March, above all the design of the portal has been changed. On the start page, the search fields take a stronger central focus than before. Links that were previously more prominent, such as Area Codes and Postal Code Finder, as well as Themes such as Emergency numbers, are now to be found somewhat smaller, placed under the entry field.
Also new: on searching, the user already receives a preview of all available content, in the generated results list. Using this new feature, it is possible at a glance, to scan available additional information (e.g. e-mail or URL) using the detail preview, in addition to the standard details like phone number and address.
This detail view, accessed by clicking the name or the “All Information” link, serves to make the site much more user-friendly and accessible. Previously one was already able to print, e-mail, fax or sms a selected entry, but this functionality was not clear and was easily overseen. This has now been remedied. The new ‘look’, using attractive and easily recognizable icons, placed on a dark grey background, now displays these former practical features under the “Use Contact” section, where one can also find a map-view and a route planner.
A press release also lists other features offered by the website, including the uploading of business adverts, photos or videos, and additional information about products, services or hours of operation.
New (German) web directory: glenglobe.de
“…Show yourself” – using this catch phrase, the new local branch-directory glenglobe.de was launched officially early in 2008.
This motto is aimed especially at small and medium-sized concerns, for which glenglobe.de is meant to be a platform. Undertakings are urged to present themselves and their team to the customers at large, and publicize their goods and services.
The management of glenglobe.de GmbH in Berlin, made public the launch in a press statement, and announced various functions available. Company owners are able to upload photo galleries, logos and background information (such as opening times, etc.) In addition, a virtual business card (vCard) is offered, on which they can display an image and contact details. One of the innovations offered (as yet unlike most USA or German local directories or search engines) is the provision of printable coupons/discount vouchers, which customers may download. Further, the visitor can also access events and current themes/news. All these three cornerstones of this service (i.e.. coupons, events and news) are easily edited and updated by subscribing firms and service providers, allowing glenglobe.de to call itself “the living online-directory.”
The location of a participating firm is displayed on a Google Map. Missing however is a route planner, which is unfortunate. However there are a bunch of other features, such as a “Recommend” button, a “Skype” option, or a counter that allows the registered undertaking to keep track of visitors to their entry, or the selection of “glenletters” (flags for future usage). ‘Glenletters’ allow visitors to subscribe to their firms of choice. Subscribers are informed as soon as any of their flagged companies have changed or updated their glenglobe.de presence.
This service is still in the Beta-phase, and at present, a company entry is offered free for 6 months, as announced by glenglobe.de director Anita Tusch in the company blog. The planned monthly cost after the beta-phase has been announced as 9,90 Euro (as seen in the FAQs). Companies need to commit to a minimum of one year’s subscription.
The idea of this offering is good. However at present there are very few entries, as the principle is based on the self-entry and participation of firms or service providers. As a consequence, the service is still relatively unusable by visitors, looking for goods and services in their immediate locality. The question is whether companies will accept the paid subscription model, after the end of the beta-phase. There are already numerous free local search services, such as Google Maps, where one can present a business to the public.
