Kick starting a General Directory

[FSGDAG]

I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to kick start a general directory. I dont want thousands of links, just maybe 200-300 links in total... A couple in each category so that the site doesn't look 'bare'

[Bruceper]

I've always found niche directories to be easier to start, since you can fill them more easily.

What kind of suggestion(s) do you want? Where to find submissions?

[FSGDAG]

Any and all suggestions would be good...

I thought it would be nice to have 200-300 links already in the directory before I tried advertising it or putting it out to the public. I know others here have started a general directory before... What did everyone else do... Just start it empty and advertise it?

[inspireme]

hmm, personally i hire people to find links for me - like links to do with ski resorts in the usa - I ask for url, title, zip code. I then import this to indexU, run a script to get the meta tags and description from title. I then set another script to do "geocoding" requests on the zip code and storing the position int he database.

After that is done i run another script of mine that sorts the location to the nearest category (i geocoded categories also)

It takes about 15 hours to do all that, but then i have a few thousand listings in categories, with maps, with keywords, title and description. I then add custom fields nad hire people to visit the url and fill in the custom fields. Once done i mass mail all link owners...

I have also purchased DB's from odditysoftware and DP forums i always fill out info by hiring someone from scriptlance.

[infiniteflow]

I've made my directory (www.alternativefront.com) free for the first month just for promotion. When the number of free submissions reached 400 i had it ready for paid submissions. Now, i have just received my first paid submissions for 9 sites just after a month. I am now inspired to do more promotional works because it works.