SiteRapture Helps Find Online Services with Beta Launch of Vertical Directory



Today, SiteRapture, Inc. (http://www.siterapture.com) announced the beta launch of its vertical directory (http://www.siterapture.com), which helps consumers and businesses quickly find the best online services out of the thousands available on the web. Unlike traditional search engines and social bookmarking sites, SiteRapture reduces the time it takes to find online services by providing supplementary content which includes comprehensive service listings, user and editor reviews, ratings, recommendations, video tutorials, and other research content. The company lists over 2,000 online services in over 90 categories including social networking, digital music, video sharing, and other popular and niche web categories.

"Over the past few years, consumers and businesses have become increasingly frustrated with finding the right online services to use out of the many thousands that are available on the web," said SiteRapture Founder and CEO Michael D. Raeford, Jr. "SiteRapture was created as a simple alternative to using social bookmarking sites and search engines such as Google. So whether you are looking for a social networking site to join or information on which digital music service to use, we provide the research to help make those decisions. SiteRapture takes the guesswork out of the web."

According to Pew Internet and American Life Project, 43% of U.S. Internet users are frustrated by the lack of information they encounter when researching products and services online and 30% have felt overwhelmed by the amount of information they have found while researching online. For example, if a web surfer wants to find a social networking site and conducts a search for "social networking sites" using Google and Yahoo! search engines, over 4 million and 21 million search results are generated, respectively. These search results contain mainly irrelevant, inadequate information spread out across multiple sources and does not provide a quick way to find a specific social networking site based on the user's needs.

SiteRapture provides all of the relevant information in one place including a comprehensive directory of services, information on the different types of services and what to look for when selecting a service, explanations of service features, and editor recommendations based on various attributes. Users can also get detailed service information such as editor and user reviews, ratings, video tutorials showing how to use the service, and other qualitative and quantitative research.

"By combining traditional research tools with social networking functionality, SiteRapture facilitates social researching which creates connections between like-minded consumers and experts," said Raeford. The company offers user profile pages through which members can browse each others' ratings, reviews, and tutorials while interacting with one another about which online services they use and how to use them.

To begin researching online services using SiteRapture, register for a free account at http://www.siterapture.com (http://www.siterapture.com).





SiteRapture Helps Find Online Services with Beta Launch of Vertical Directory