February 15, 2008 – 3:54 pm
Please note: This information is always available on the information page, but since we’re just opening, we’re making it available here for a few days. After our introductory period, this content will be replaced with other news items as they are posted on our news blog.
So what is this all about, anyway?
Being a part of the digital scrapbooking industry since early 2005, I have watched it bloom and grow into a big beautiful garden…a REALLY big beautiful garden full of so many plants and little flowers it’s hard to keep track of where they all are. People move from store to store, open their own stores, start new and fun blogs…let’s face it, we’re pretty mobile people in this community! This is why I decided to start Digiscrap Directory. It’s one central place where people can come and get a page listing and make themselves easy to find. It’s a place where all scrappers, from newbies to veterans, can come to find resources. The categories are broad, from fonts to software to tutorials to stores, communities and galleries to blogs, there’s a place for everything and more links are being added every day.
How do I get listed?
There are a couple of different options to get yourself listed in the directory. Listings in most categories are $5 per month, which is paid via a Paypal subscription that automatically renews until it is cancelled. If you purchase one listing, you will have the abiiity to add a link to the site of your choice, whether it is your own store, your blog, your product gallery at DST or Digital Scrapbook Previews, or your products in a consignment store. With each listing, you have the ability to add ONE link that can appear in up to three categories that you choose at the time you add your link. To add a single link, visit this page.
What if I need to list more than one link?
If you want to list more than one link, you should consider a custom category. With your own custom category, you get a page listing complete with the text you specify and a custom page banner in the parent category that best fits what you do (see an example here. A Basic Individual Custom Category comes with the ability to add up to 5 links, a Premium Individual or Business Custom Category includes up to 10. With either listing, your links will appear under your own custom category as well as two more categories of your choice. The more links, the more possibilities! Link your photo actions to the photo actions category, your page templates under the template category, your blog under the blog category, your personal store under the stores category. You can even add a link to your products gallery at DST or Digital Scrapbook Previews if you utilize those services.
What are the possible parent categories and why are they the only ones?
The primary goal in setting up the categories was to provide the most logical framework for browsing that I could possibly design. The parent categories are set up so that all links within a custom category will “fit” under the top level parent category.
If a person is browsing stores, for example, she wouldn’t expect to find a link to a designer’s blog or product gallery, but if a designer were to purchase a custom category under stores, it could happen. For this reason, ONLY multiple designer stores can purchase a custom category under the parent of stores. Anyone who sells in a store can add a listing or link to the stores category, but for everyone besides multiple designer stores, the best selection of a parent category would be the one below that best describes you:
- Designers - designers are perhaps the people who can benefit most from a custom category because they can show an example of their style with the custom banner and add links to their store(s), blog, product gallery and more, all linked to their custom category as well as two more categories of their choice (additional categories can be different for each link).
- Layout artists - scrappers who are looking to be on Creative Teams. Listing yourself under the Layout Artists category gives you an opportunity to show your style with your custom banner and add links to your blog and gallery. It’s also a great idea to use a custom category because you can list other teams that you are currently on, helping a designer to know what your current commitment level is and enabling them to contact your current designers for a “reference”. This information will make this the perfect place for designers to browse for potential candidates.
- Professional scrapbook artists - those who do scrap for hire and scrap for others as a profession. While people in the digital scrapbooking community are not generally looking for this service, our advertising campaign includes Google ads and banners on sites outside of the digital scrapbooking community, offering you exposure to potential customers in other markets.
- Web designers - those who create and customize sites and shops for designers and others in our industry. Link to your site, portfolio, blog, any sites that give examples of the type of work you do.
- Designer services providers - those who create previews, make blinkies, produce and post ads…anyone who offers a service that a digital designer can benefit from.
Don’t have a blog or website to link to? A custom category comes with the ability to add some basic information about yourself to your page. See this page as an example of what can be added to your page.
What other opportunities do you have to offer?
We have a news section that will allow us to feature designers, kits, layout artists, products and more. The most recent news item is posted right on the front page of the site as well. Plans are to feature our sponsors (meaning those who have paid links and/or custom category listings) from all different categories. We’ll have featured designers, featured kits, opportunities to offer freebies and coupons, promote sales, write articles and tutorials, just about anything related to digital scrapbooking can be included. For more information on these opportunities, please visit our front page news opportunities page.
We also offer banner advertising opportunities, which you can learn about here.
Why do I have to pay for a listing?
As most of us know, there are expenses associated with building and hosting a website. As we grow, so will our hosting needs and we will continue to upgrade hosting to be sure to offer all of our visitors the best possible experience. Maintenance must be done as well. Time will be invested in this site on a continual basis and there must be some sort of return on that investment. With listings starting at $5 per month, we’ve tried to make this affordable for everyone. Designers, if you sell JUST TWO KITS PER MONTH as a result of your listing at Digiscrap Directory, you’ve paid that month’s fee. This is some of the most affordable advertising that you can do to help grow your business.
Why are some listings free?
The most important thing we have to offer our sponsors is exposure. In order to generate as much traffic as possible, some listing categories are free. These include Fonts, Software, Tutorials, Printing Services and Designer TOUs. We believe that by offering listings in those categories free of charge, we will increase visitors to the site and gain as much exposure for our paid sponsors as possible.
So, who knows about this place?
Well, you, to start. You saw an ad or a blinkie or a banner or something that caught your eye and let you know about this resource. If you saw it, you can bet others will, too. We are currently pursuing advertising opportunities based on revenues available. The more successful this site is, the greater an audience we can reach with our advertising and that audience is here to see your information! With your support, Digiscrap Directory will secure advertising in as many publications as possible as well as use banner campaigns and ad postings to let all digital scrapbookers, from newbies to veterans, know about this place and all of our supporters!
The possibilities are ENDLESS!
Your premium page listing is your own little spot on the web that couldn’t be easier to find. Customize it with your own banner, choose your own links and what categories to include them in. It’s all up to you! So, what are you waiting for? Join us now and help make Digiscrap Directory the most comprehensive directory of digital scrapbooking resources on the web!
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