🚧 Taking Shortcuts

Most weeks I’m at the gym at least 4 days of the week. I go for the cardio machines cause I’ve got things like dumbbells and resistance bands at home.

But yesterday, I decided to change things up.

I decided that fitness boxing sounded like a good workout.

And it was a great cardio workout.

But here’s the thing - I just jumped right into it.

It was a spur of the moment kind of thing.

Regret

Have you seen that episode of Bob’s Burgers where a gym opens up next door and they go in for the free day? But when they wake up the next morning everything hurts and getting out of bed is painful as shit?

That was me this morning.

I thought I was in good shape. I thought I’d be fine making a switch to fitness boxing for one little workout.

So, I took some shortcuts. Didn’t work up to it. Just did a full half-hour session.

So much regret today. Even typing this is hurting parts of my upper arm that I didn’t even know had a muscle.

I’ve also discovered new core muscles under the core muscles I was previously toning with yoga. Or that I thought I was? How many are in there?!? So, so, so much regret.

I’m telling you this because I feel like it’s a trend that I often saw with niche sites and that I’m seeing again with directory sites.

I’m talking about taking shortcuts.

Just because you can spin up a directory site with AI in a few clicks (or walk right into a fitness boxing session), doesn’t mean that you should.

Of course, the good news about half-assing any type of website is that you won’t be wondering how you hurt in so many places at the same time the next morning.

But you’ll probably have some hurt later on. Just not physically.

From what I’ve seen, the directory sites that do the best are the ones where the site owner goes above and beyond.

Frey Chu calls this ‘data enrichment’ but it’s just taking the time to put in more details.

If you’re doing a directory of local hiking trails, then that “extra” might include things like:

• how many spaces are in the parking lot?

• what days are the busiest on the trail?

• are there public toilets?

• any picnic tables?

• any particularly challenging parts of the trail people should know about in advance?

• are dogs allowed?

• is there any shade on the trail (big one for Vegas trails)?

These are the types of things that you probably won’t get spinning up a directory site with AI. And those are the things that make your directory site stand out.

Coming up…

More on what I’m working on and how it’s going.

Stay awesome,

Shawna

P.S. If you’re looking for high level discussions or tips on things like local SEO and Rank & Rent, I highly recommend Jacky Chou’s Advise community. I’ve been in it for over a year now (I think?) and there’s tons of value in it, including a SOP for local SEO.

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