[December 01, 2008]

Brownbook.net: Brownbook.net's New Listing Customization Features Further Widen Gap with Traditional Online Directories

(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge)
RDATE:01122008

United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Worldwide -- For the
first time, businesses can differentiate themselves from every other
listing in the directory as Brownbook.net releases its suite of
advanced yet easy-to-use business listing customization tools Florida,
USA / London, United Kingdom / Montreal, Canada: The free global online
directory that anyone can edit, Brownbook.net, released today cutting
edge new features that allow businesses, for the first time ever, to
fully customize the way their business listings appear on screen.

Brownbook.net was already the first directory to move away from
traditional 'pigeon hole' categorization in favor of tags (keywords)
alone. Now, with its full listing customization offering, it has
entered a class of its own within the online directory and local search
arenas.

The new customization tools have been included as part of the enhanced
listing fee - costing a negligible GBP11 or $22 per year.

"At last, all business listings don't have to look the same!" says Marc
Lyne, Founder of Brownbook.net. "With Brownbook.net, through the use of
rich media - like videos, images (such as your company logo), text
descriptions and even embedded widgets in your listing - you can easily
show the individuality and uniqueness of your business and make it
stand out, helping to convert prospects into customers. You can even
drag and drop page elements to change the layout of your listing to
create the look and feel you want it to have, and the inbuilt wysiwyg
text editor allows a choice of fonts, sizes, colours, and table
layouts. All this for a negligible cost! Other directories can charge
hundreds of dollars a year for nothing more than a sterile box listing
that looks identical to everyone else's with a fraction of the
functionality that Brownbook offers." Click here to see a video of Marc
explaining the customization feature.

Brownbook's new customization features allow users to:

- drag and drop page elements to change the layout of their page

- add photos, videos, logos, marketing information and more

- add external widgets, such as news feeds or a "MeeboMe" messenger
widget that enables users to respond in real-time to sales enquiries

- re-use Brownbook features (like the listing's Map or Reviews) as
"Bidgets" (Business Widgets) elsewhere, such as on their own website or
blog

Examples of a customized page that includes a full complement of both
rich media and widgets:
http://www.brownbook.net/business/186/nauteriors-fitted-bed-linen-for-bo
ats

http://www.brownbook.net/business/31008544/sjk-products-ltd Example of
a blog that is re-using Brownbook Bidgets (Map and the Reviews
Bidgets): http://miracledrywash.blogspot.com "The release of
Brownbook's customization features gives users an extremely powerful
new marketing tool, all for a negligible annual fee, introducing a new
era for the online directory business," concludes Marc.

What the analysts are saying about Brownbook.net

Wikinomics - The co-author's take on Brownbook's user earnings, helping
people earn and make money from home by doing what comes naturally
http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/10/30/wikinomics-in-action

-brownbooknet-gets-prosumers-invested-for-life/

Kelsey Group - The yellow pages industry's most influential analyst
firm discusses how Brownbook.net is doing things very differently to
the traditional directory model
http://blog.kelseygroup.com/index.php/2008/07/31/brownbook-following-dif
ferent-path-to-iyp-success/

InfoCommerce - Is Brown the new Yellow? Discusses how Brownbook.net is
providing businesses with a unique rich marketing opportunity whilst
simultaneously challenging the traditional directory companies
http://www.infocommercegroup.com/blog/2008/02/is-brown-new-yellow.html

Intruders.TV - Brownbook CEO Dave Ingram sharing his vision of the
future of local business directories that are powered by low cost web
solutions vs. traditional high cost telemarketing
http://uk.intruders.tv/Dave-Ingram-of-brownbook-net-the-open-business-di
rectory_a447.html

About Brownbook.net

Founded in 2008, Brownbook.net is the world's largest user-contributed
keyword-based (rather than category-based) local business directory,
with over 27 million businesses already listed in 230 countries. Any
business is entitled to a free listing that includes their business
name, address, contact telephone numbers, e-mail, website, VoIP,
Instant Messenger and tags. Businesses can choose to pay a small annual
fee (GBP11 or $22) to enhance their listing allowing the addition of
photos, videos, widgets, detailed marketing information, and full
customization, as well as priority in search results. Built upon the
foundations of wiki-principles and collaborative production,
transparency and openness between users, low- or no-cost services for
businesses, totally self-service processes, and rewarding users,
Brownbook.net aims to be THE global business directory.

http://www.brownbook.net

http://blog.brownbook.net

http://blog.brownbook.net/press

CONTACT: Sarah Warren, Brownbook.net
Tel: +44 (0)208 1235 466
e-mail: sarah@brownbook.net

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