I’ve noticed the core strategy behind a lot of six and seven figure directories is actually pretty simple (but not easy), which is that:
Multiple directories = total niche dominance.
Example #1: Tim Stodz's Healthcare Directories
This week I was chatting with Tim Stoddart, one of the OG directory builders that I’m doing a pod with soon, and he executed this strategy within the rehab/drug recovery niche.
He was able to build his $2 million/year SEO agency in-part from owning a conglomerate of healthcare directories within the same niche.
Most people know him for building Sober Nation, a directory that helped people find recovery resources.
But he didn’t stop there. He went on to create YourFirstStep.org, DetoxLocal.com, MedicallyAssisted.com, and RecoveryLocal.org. All of these are in the same niche, just targeting different slices of the recovery and treatment funnel.
Now imagine starting a lead generation and SEO agency in the healthcare rehab space after owning all these directories. It's total niche dominance.
Example #2: Expert witnesses
Just last week I talked about finding SeakExperts.com in a YouTube video.
I thought it was a standalone directory, but realized they own a whole fleet of sites all focused on expert witnesses and legal leads.
The company does $3M/year in revenue.
Example #3: Law firms
Same thing with some law firm directories I’ve looked into.
lawyers.findlaw.com is one of many directories where you can find lawyers near you, but they also own FindLaw.com, SuperLawyers.com, Abogado.com, and LawInfo.com.
This niche is so lucrative, just one of these directories alone is generating $1.5M in revenue.
Example #4: Comic Shops
The same is the case for the comic shop niche.
I'm not sure who owns this, but clearly they own over a dozen websites within the niche.
They have their directory ComicShopLocator.com, but they've also expanded to e-commerce and conferences all within the same niche: comic books & collectibles.
If you can prove that you can rank and drive results in one tough niche, why not replicate it with other related properties?
These directory portfolios dwarf my personal directory portfolio, which is basically a bunch of random directories in niches that have nothing to do with each other.
For the first time, I’m wondering if it’s worth shifting gears. What if I just tried to dominate one space instead of spreading myself thin?
This strategy doesn't sound sexy. But it’s effective.
Once you own the distribution, there are so many ways to monetize it.
If you’re just getting into directories and trying to build your first profitable one, that’s great.
But once you’ve got something working, you might want to ask: what’s the next move?
Maybe the answer isn’t building something completely new. Maybe it’s doubling down on what’s already working and expanding sideways in the same niche.
This is advice I should follow too because that's what I'm seeing work.
Update: SYD Pro Monthly Subscription + Private Consulting Now Available
I've received a lot of requests to offer a monthly subscription to Ship Your Directory Pro and today it's now an option!
You get all the access to the resources, weekly livestreams where I answer any and all questions, and courses.
On a similar note, I've finished all the big projects (for a couple months), so I've opened up my calendar for 1:1 SEO and Directory consulting.
If you want me to dive deeper into your project one-on-one and help you craft a game plan moving forward, this is for you.
Keep Building,
Frey
