The primary reason to launch a local business directory, dating network or a job board is to create a new form of revenue. Members typically pay a fee of $10 to $20 per month to have their listings included in a local directory. Consider this:  A local directory with 1,000 listings, charging businesses $10 per month, generates $10,000 in income for a publisher. Although there are a number of other reasons to launch a local business directory, the opportunity to create an entirely new stream of income is something that most people can’t afford to overlook.

More and more advertisers are looking for other avenues to engage potential customers.  While the landscape of display ads on/and offline is becoming a crowded space, Advertisers are looking for alternatives and ways to expand their brand.  Instead, they are pushing for more unique, relevant advertising opportunities. Sponsorships and paid listings are just two examples of “new” advertising avenues that businesses are eager to invest.  Sponsorships, in particular, can be lucrative, since businesses will pay a premium to ensure their logos are the only ones featured on the directory’s homepage for a given period of time.