Web Site Review: MANTA - Small Business Forum

Web Site Review:  MANTA - Small Business Forum

SPONSOR: Business Books

Manta is the world's largest online community for promoting and connecting small business. With more than one million registered users and 64 million company profiles, business owners and professionals use Manta to promote and differentiate their offerings and "be found" online by customers and prospects.

With Manta, you can do one of two things: write your company profile from scratch or "claim" the profile that Manta has already created for your business. Most do the latter--an easy process of contacting Manta and proving you are who you say you are. Once the profile is yours, you can go ahead and tweak it by adding content. You can include photos of your business as well.  Also, the profile can be used to alert the community to your events, both for recruiting and marketing.


"Manta is a de facto website for those who don't have one and a complementary resource for those who do," says Pam Springer, president and CEO. "It also functions as an online community for small businesses, and as a marketing platform that allows companies to connect with vendors, supplies, partners, and customers." Although Manta is available to any business of any size, the company targets very small players with 10 employees or fewer, says Springer, adding that 43% of Manta's registrants fall into that category.

You can check them out on Facebook: 

DOWNSIDE:  There have been some complaints from Home Business Owners that Manta posts their home address and when the business owner attempts to claim the profile, Manta just creates an alternative profile.  Also, Manta is used primarily by cold calling prospectors and when CEO Pam Springer claims you will connect with vendors, she means they will be cold calling and cold emailing you.  However, Manta is making the directory harder to come by for the prospector, see their blog post here.  A mitigating factor in this case is that it is against the terms and conditions of Manta to blast out cold calls from their list or to mass grab their list with a list grabber.  And the company does seem responsive and aware of unintended consequences.


Promote Your Company: Claim or Add Your Company Profile
It's Free & Easy!
Over 30 million people visit Manta every month. Your potential customers are among them. So, make sure your business stands out.

In just a few minutes of your time, you can claim or add your company profile and tell these potential customers exactly what you want them to know. Your profile can:

• Link to your website.
• Display your logo and business hours.
• Highlight the products and brands you carry.
• Provide links to Twitter and Facebook.
• And much, much more.