Taking Your Online Directory to a New Level – Part 4
*Updated on March 4, 2011 Today we are going to introduce you to two more great features in the upcoming new directory the ability to set up your directory to open to a specific search screen the ability to link to any page/listing within your site Our next volunteer Once again, it is with a …
*Updated on March 4, 2011
Today we are going to introduce you to two more great features in the upcoming new directory
- the ability to set up your directory to open to a specific search screen
- the ability to link to any page/listing within your site
Our next volunteer
Once again, it is with a great deal of appreciation we introduce you to our next volunteer the Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce is a proactive, business organization whose goal is to enhance the success of its members.
The Chamber is a private, nonprofit corporation that unites hundreds of business and professional firms, creating a unique central agency that works to improve business and build a better economy. More than 85 percent of the membership is composed of small businesses.
Most important, the Chamber is people . . . people who realize that, through the Chamber, they can accomplish collectively what none of them can do individually.
We would like to extend our thanks to the Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce and in particular to Gail Trimble for all her help.
One directory – multiple search options
The Roseburg Chamber of Commerce endeavors to promote their members in a variety 
of ways, which of course, includes listing them in their directory.
Their website is set up to help guide visitors to their members through links to their "Member Directory" (which lists their members alphabetically) and through their "Buyer's Guide" which lists all their member categories. All of this is accomplished by using a single directory and setting up a couple of different controls – one that opens up to the the alphabetical search and another that opens up to a search by category.
You can set up your directory to open to one of four types of searches
One of the great new features of the new directory is the ability to set up a link to the different searches so that your directory opens to one of four search screens, the default screen, the search by category, the alphabetical search or the advanced search.
The default screen
The default screen simply includes the "Search" which allows your visitor to access the listings by typing in a search term, using the advanced search or clicking through to the category or alphabetical search.
Category Search
Just as the name implies, this will open your directory to the search by category. For the Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce, this is what all links to the buyers guide will open.
Alphabetical Search
Setting your link to open to the aphabetical search will take your visitor directly to the alphabetical search.
Advanced Search
And finally, you can set your link to open to the "Advanced Search" which gives your visitor more options to refine their search.
Everything has a link
Well, of course everything has a link! What I mean by this is that you can see the URL's to each of the sections in your directory in your browser's address bar. This means that you can link to any part of your directory from any part of your site.
For example, I can take the link to the alphabetical search in the Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce's directory and set it to be the page that opens when the visitors clicks on the "list by category" link from their title graphic. This then opens up their directory to the alphabetical search.
Or you could set up a link on your site to open your directory to a specific category or a group of categories linked together by keywords in your directory.
The bottom line is that the new directory gives you a great deal of control over how you would like to present your directory as well as countless ways to link visitors to it from throughout your site.
Where can I learn more and what's next?
When we are ready to officially launch the directory you will find a list of new help topics included in the announcement as well as links to these topics right from within your listings in Membee. These will contain all the information that you need to launch the new directory for your association.
"Bee" sure to keep watching for more information here at blog.membee.com where we will be posting all the new and exciting features coming your way.