Admin Manual

This "how to" builds on the business membership type document.  Please review that doc at http://www.igroops.com/members/ids/docs/adminman/PvsB

Now with the business membership type you can allow your business members to be searched publicly, you can separate your business and personal members for searching, and you can have attractive icons with predefined categories and subcategories.  But what if you wanted to create a comprehensive business directory, not just one with your business members?  iGrOOps has a solution for that!

This new use for the reviews application creates a whole new way to monetize your group!  Businesses want exposure, and premium listings in local directories that people use is great exposure.

Using a combination of the business membership type and the Reviews application, you can

• create a comprehensive business directory which includes both member and non-member listings
• allow members and/or non-members the ability to comment on and rate businesses in your directory
• easily import basic listing information into your reviews application
• have your business members show up in search results with a "premium" listing
• use the predefined categories with icons

This is ideal for local community websites and/or any social website where only certain businesses should be listed.

We created a custom image for the homepage.  This is linked to the reviews application.

The users are taken to the screen where they can search or browse the listing.  If browsing, all data instantly appears - there is no refreshing.  Data is hidden on the screen since the number of listings are relatively small (usually under 1000).

Once the category is opened, the business member listings will show first as sponsored listings, then the rest of the listings in the reviews database.

Creating Your Directory 

Here is a step by step guide on how to this working on your site. We make the following assumptions:

• you already have your reviews app activated (ADMIN SETTINGS)
• you are using a business membership type for at least one of your membership levels (certainly NOT required, but is needed for the sponsored listings)
• you do not have any existing listings or you removed the existing listings you did have in the reviews app

If you are already using the reviews app, you will need to either remove your existing listings or incorporate them into your new directory.  Once you switch over to the predefined categories, your existing listings will all appear in the "Other" category.

1) In your reviews app, click on the "Admin Options" tab

2) Select the option to use the predefined categories

3) If you are using Business membership type(s) and you want those members to show as sponsored listings for the categories for which they are registered, check that option.

A big advantage for being a business member is that your listing can show up in up to three categories whereas other listings in the reviews app have only one category associated with them.  Be sure to use that as a selling point for potential sponsors!

4) Now just start entering listings in your reviews app!

Importing Listings

You may find that entering in hundreds of basic listings can get pretty monotonous.  There is a better way... importing!  In the admin options area, you will see a textarea box where you can paste your data you want to import.  The format is one entry per line and each field is separated by a bar "|". Not all fields can be imported - only the basics that do not require formatting or line wrapping.  To upload images, format HTML, and enter details, just edit the entry after import.  This import feature is meant for basic phonebook entries.

Categories must match the correct category titles exactly.  You can get a complete listing of the categories used by the system at this URL: http://www.igroops.com/categories.txt  Or you can just import one category at a time using the category drop down.  if you choose the latter method, do not add the category in your import list, instead start with title.

Format: category|title|address|contact|short description OR title|address|contact|short description (if using category drop down)

Example:

Arts & Entertainment/Movies|Crazy Multiplex|123 Main, Mytown, CA|555-123-4567|48 theaters
Arts & Entertainment/Movies|Town Theatre|321 Main, Mytown, CA|555-234-5678|lousy 2 theaters
...

Tips, Tricks, and Notes

• You can link directly to any category or subcategory.  When you expand a category, you will see that the category name where the listings appear under is linked.  Click that link and you will see the direct URL.
• The subtitle shows in the listing when the user chooses to see all listings in the general category
• If using the predefined categories, you cannot modify the categories
• The main difference between this application and the member directory with business listings is that with the member directory ONLY member listings appear and there is no easy way of adding general listings without making all listings members of your group.
• Some categories are not a perfect fit.  Simply use the "short description" field to tell exactly what the listing is.  This will then show in the listing summary.