SAF Directory: So Close, Yet So Far Off The Mark

Ryan -

You are soooo right. I posted about this issue on the SAF internal message board in 2006 and nothing has changed. The execs decided they didn't want to re-enter member info into the directory (too costly) so the site just queries the back end of an SAF database.

IIRC I posted a lengthy discussion about linking and page rank and the bulk of the thread seems to have disappeared from their forum. (The original post remains but I was unable to locate the follow-up posts.)

AIFD handles directory queries the same way. No link love - at all - to members.

So sad. So much link juice lost to local florists. And if it wasn't for the florists linking to those national sites, they'd have far less page rank.

I've talked myself blue in the face about this over the last 6 years....

Even worse, some of the paid directories also use URL re-directs to deprive florists of link juice. So few florists understand how important these links could be to their businesses.
 
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Cathy, I actually remember that post. At the time, I didn't understand what you were saying. (When it comes to this type of thing, it's still a stretch for me :( )

Ryan, as soon as I started watching the video, I started wondering if the powers that be, (you know who I mean) have deliberately done this. Last year I became an individual member instead of shop, so they removed my name from the directory. I guess you just saved me a few hundred bucks, I was actually considering going back to the shop membership.

Thanks!
 
I know we've talked about it before on FlowerChat, too - I think within the last year or so? Didn't they announce a newly overhauled directory?

Anyhow, when I read that comment about "investing member dues into SEO research" I threw up a little in my mouth ... couldn't let it go.
 
Sprout said:
Pretty disappointing.

Aside - I never read posts from "Blog Bot" - until now. I thought they were from a spambot, like I see on other forums I participate in.
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Sprout! Was getting a little worried ~ no storm problems I hope?

For your aside, I thought that too. Then I started reading them and realized Ryan takes great info from other blogs that could pertain to florists and posts it on Florist SEO. I'm learning a lot and it's starting to gel in my brain.
 
I have been reading the blogbot posts for some time and always wondered why there weren't more views.....always tons of views for the wire service rants, but hardly any for some good, usable information! Now I know why!
 
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[video]http://bit.ly/mK2pFf[/video]

I wanted everybody to watch and learn. I'm afraid too many people think they will follow a link later and then never remember to do so.

Update. Renato has replied to Ryan and sort of said they would consider changes, and implied that it would not necessarily be a good thing.

Ryan replied back and it's wonderful. Ryan, you are a star. Thank you so much for getting the attention where it needs to be. Furthermore, Renato's reply made perfect sense to me, BECAUSE I HAVE NO CLUE! Thank God we have you.

Here is a link to the replies so far. I kept my nose out of it because, again, I have no clue what these two are talking about in terms of, well....terms.

http://www.floristseo.com/seo/saf-directory-off-the-mark#more-333

Here is a little teaser from Renato (whom I love, he does some great educating. Although Ryan calls it "bite-sized", I refer to it as "for the dummy".)
SAF is not in the directory business, so it’s never been a priority to optimize our directory to compete with florists (and/or other directories) for those precious spots on page 1.
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A rejoinder from Ryan ~

Places listings are often blended with organic listings, so it’s critical to be strong in both areas. Where links are key for organic search, citations from authoritative sites are the equivalent for Google Places pages. Is there a site with greater authority potential in the floral industry than SAF? I’d be hard pressed to think of one.
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And my favorite, I hope this gets the attention and action it deserves.

You are in an amazing position to be able to offer an authoritative link to boost florists’ organic results, and an excellent citation to benefit their Places page. That’s two-for-one awesomeness, and you’ve struck out twice on one pitch with the current directory model. Further, you’ve ignored advice and concerns from your members about this issue for years.
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