BUSINESS
Golden Pages upgrades Web site
06-06-2003
by Andrew McLindon
Business information service Golden Pages has spent EUR500,000 to develop and launch an on-line classified database.
The database can be found on Golden Pages' revamped Web site and has over 120,000 business listings, which can be searched via a search engine that the company claimed is more powerful than the previous version.
According to Golden Pages, the new classified search engine returns the most relevant results available and is being adopted by its sister companies within the World Directories Group. Last year, World Directories increased its stake in Golden Pages from 37 percent to 100 percent for EUR185 million. The business had previously been owned by Eircom.
The new site also includes the Eircom business and residential phone book.
Golden Pages claimed that the number of unique users of its site grew by 20 percent between June 2002 and April 2003. In April, for instance, it had 80,207 unique visitors. Golden Pages said it expected that this level of growth would continue in the future.
Although Golden Pages is synonymous with its paper publication, its marketing director, Tim Wynne, said the firm has launched services in other mediums, such as Golden Pages Talking, and was seeking to deliver further new products. "We are constantly looking at new ways to enhance our customer experience offline and on-line, and are committed to making information about suppliers and service providers available over every medium at any time and in every aspect of business/private life," said Wynne.
According to Golden Pages, its paper publication contains over 2,200 classifications and 120,000 business listings. Every year, the Golden Pages is looked at 46 million times for information, which works out on average to once every month for every person in the country.
Golden Pages worked with consulting firm Bearing Point to manage the development of the site in conjunction with the technical division of Golden Pages' parent company, Publictec. The site's layout and branding was designed by Enterprise IG.
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