The regional publisher Trinity Mirror has launched an online business directory across 200 of its local newspaper websites in the UK as it looks to increase competition with the likes of Yell.com and Thomson Local.

Trinity Mirror has created LocalMole.co.uk to complement existing promotions businesses on newspapers such as its flagship title Liverpool Echo, as part of a move to build a more comprehensive portfolio of digital products to offer local advertisers.

LocalMole.co.uk, which is both a standalone online offering and a sub- section on Trinity Mirror newspaper websites, offers clients hosted microsites to which they can upload company information, Google Maps,
images and eventually video. Users will be able to rank listed services and link company profiles to Facebook groups and accounts.

Clients' business listings will also appear as text links across relevant content on Trinity Mirror's newspaper websites. The company claims the directory already contains a database of more than 1.8m businesses.

"In the next year you will start to see a revolution in the [adverting packages] regional newspapers sell online," Chris Bunyan, the digital director of Trinity Mirror Regionals, said. "We are just in the foothills of that."

Despite some gains in digital income, regional newspaper publishers have struggled to replace the revenue lost from print advertising as it migrated to a range of lower-cost services across the web and circulations fall.

Several publishers are now looking at developing more sophisticated ways of generating revenue from regional newspaper websites.

Last month, Johnston Press's digital strategy director, Lori Cunningham, said the group was employing a number of strategies to evolve towards a network of community sites, beyond just news, where greater user-engagement could be turned into revenue.

Bunyan added: "If you take the combined audience of newspapers and online, the local audience is bigger now than it was 20 or 30 years ago. The challenge for all newspapers is how do you make revenue from that growing digital landscape? It's very difficult."

Trinity Mirror has chosen Central Index - white label Directory publisher - as their provider on this project.

One of the most popular news websites in the UK, The Times Online is now extending its content into the local business directory market in order to add value to its users, and offer an online marketing platform to local and national UK businesses.

Partnering with leading UK white labelled business directory provider, CentralIndex.com, The Times Online is offering a free UK wide business search for 2 Million UK businesses, and an opportunity to stand out from the crowd for a small annual fee.

The Times Online Business Directory is linked throughout the main website, and at http://directory.timesonline.co.uk

Business owners have the chance to promote themselves further by purchasing a Premium Index Card - effectively their own 5 page mini website hosted on The Times Online Business Directory platform. This higher profile in the directory will cost £199.00 per year, and include secure password access for updating information such as products and special offers.

“The Times has long been considered a trustworthy and valuable source of information,” says The Times Online Commercial Executive Andrew Wootton. “To offer a UK wide business search is a natural extension of our online offering, and an opportunity for UK businesses to reach out to our huge readership.”

The Central Index platform is a white label service that provides a UK business directory through a dedicated online feed, allowing brands to deliver a high quality Online Business Directory experience at the fraction of the cost of maintaining their own. Revenue is generated through business owners upgrading the free ‘Index Card’ listing to a paid for ‘Premium Index Card’.

“We specialise in providing Business Directory technology to high traffic brands," says James Moore, Director of Central Index. ‘The Times Online is an ideal brand for this service, and a great response is anticipated from local and national companies wishing to drive local sales.”

Central Index launched in 2006 as a collaboration between top UK ISP Skymarket Ltd, and local business directory provider Citipages Ltd. This powerful local search solution is fast growing to be a popular choice among publishers entering into the lucrative Online Business Directory market, or enhancing their existing directory offerings.

Business owners wishing to promote themselves on The Times Online Busines Directory should register at http://directory.timesonline.co.uk/enquiry or by calling 08454 635 735

For further information please contact directory@thetimes.co.uk

LONDON - Bauer Advertising is to launch a series of online business directories linked to its media brands Heat, Closer, FHM, Zoo and Empire.

Bauer has already linked up with directory provider Central Index to successfully launch a directory on the website for its radio brand Magic.

The partnership will continue with the rollout to the five other brands, which started life as magazines and have been extended to the web, mobile, television and radio, in some cases.

Kurt Edwards, Head of Digital Sales at Bauer Advertising, said:
"These new directories enhance our online classified advertising offering by giving local, independent businesses a voice in a branded environment.

Consumers get a free web service, and businesses will benefit from the opportunity to promote themselves in front of the most desirable audiences, within an arena endorsed by the most exciting media brands in the UK."

The Central Index platform is a white label service that provides a UK business directory of 2M + businesses via a fully brandable system, allowing brands to deliver a high quality Online Business Directory experience at the fraction of the cost of maintaining their own. Revenue is generated through business owners upgrading the free ‘Index Card’ listing, to a paid for ‘Premium Index Card’.

“We are delighted to extend our range of partners with such well known brands as this group of magazines,’ says James Moore, Director of Central Index. ‘This is exactly the target audience that small businesses and brands with local sales requirements need to reach, and the response is already demonstrating the market enthusiasm for this new service.”

Central Index launched in 2006 as a collaboration between top UK ISP Skymarket Ltd, and local business directory provider Citipages Ltd. This powerful local search solution is fast growing to be a popular choice among publishers entering into the lucrative Online Business Directory market, or enhancing their existing directory offerings with additional data and technology.

Business owners wishing to promote themselves should register at www.fhm.com/directory or by calling
08454 673674.

The Sun is doing its bit for local businesses in Britain by offering free promotion to every UK business on its new Online Business Directory.

Using the powerful Online Business Directory technology of Central Index., The Sun is offering a free listing for UK business owners. Users will be able to search and find local businesses via a clean and simple to use online interface on http://www.thesun.co.uk/directory

Business owners have the chance to promote themselves further by purchasing a Premium Index Card - effectively their own 5 page mini website hosted on The Sun Online Business Directory platform. This higher profile in the directory will cost £149.00 per year, and include secure password access for updating information such as products and special offers.

“The Sun brand is all about supporting the people and businesses of Britain,” says The Sun Online Executive Russell Carter, “we are proud to be able to offer this useful service to our users and to local businesses.”

The Central Index platform is a white label service that provides a UK business directory through an XML API, allowing brands to deliver a high quality Online Business Directory experience at the fraction of the cost of maintaining their own. Revenue is generated through business owners upgrading the free ‘Index Card’ listing to a paid for ‘Premium Index Card’.

“We specialise in providing Business Directory technology to high traffic brands,’ says James Moore, Director of Central Index. ‘The Sun Online is an ideal brand for this service, and a great response is anticipated from local and national companies wishing to drive local sales.”

Central Index launched in 2006 as a collaboration between top UK ISP Skymarket Ltd, and local business directory provider Citipages Ltd. This powerful local search solution is fast growing to be a popular choice among publishers entering into the lucrative Online Business Directory market, or enhancing their existing directory offerings.

Business owners wishing to promote themselves should register at http://directory.thesun.co.uk/enquiry or by calling 08454 639739

For further information please contact directory@thesun.co.uk

Fresh from their success as London’s most popular radio station for the third year running (RAJAR), Magic has launched a new service for the people of London - Magic Local.

Using the powerful Online Business Directory technology of Central Index, and the 3 M + classifieds listed by Oodle.co.uk, the new Magic Local service is a one-stop-shop for all things Local. Users can search and find businesses and products via a clean and simple to use online interface on www.magic.co.uk/local.

Business owners in London will be pleased to know that they are listed free of charge on the directory, and of course they have the chance to promote themselves by purchasing a Premium Index Card - effectively their own 5 page mini website hosted on the Magic Local platform. Even better news is that the higher profile in the directory will cost only £99.00 per year during the launch period.

“We specialise in providing Business Directory technology to high traffic brands,’ says James Moore, Director of Central Index. ‘We are proud to be working with a brand as strong as Magic for this new initiative, and the incredible response from the London business community shows that Magic have struck a real chord with the community on this new project.”

The Central Index platform is a white label service that provides a UK business directory through a powerful API, allowing brands to deliver a high quality Online Business Directory experience at the fraction of the cost. Revenue is generated through upgrading the free ‘Index Card’ listing to a paid for ‘Premium Index Card’. Central Index launched last year and is fast growing to be a popular choice among publishers entering into the lucrative Online Business Directory market.

For more information visit www.magic.co.uk/local

Business owners wishing to promote themselves can find further details are available on the website or by calling 08000 848 948