It’s Time For A (Directory) Change Share on Social Media

Here at Pageant Planet, everything we do is to serve YOU - our contestants, directors, and experts - and to give you the best help, information, and support possible.

For that reason, when we first got started in 2014, we made the decision to allow directors and experts to list their businesses in our directory for free. The idea was to support the industry by allowing directors and experts to leverage our network.

We assumed, of course, that most would want that free exposure, and would therefore keep their profile and event info current. Obviously, our paid advertisers would be listed first, but then the free listings would be there so that potential contestants could easily find them.

Fast forward to today, and here’s how that’s going: many profiles are digital graveyards that look like they’ve not been touched in years. Some of the pageants don’t even exist anymore, but their listing is still up (along with the director’s contact info). So, contestants are trying to contact directors to no avail (or contacting them only to discover that they’ve unknowingly bothered someone who hasn’t directed in a hot minute).

In other words? The current directory process is inefficient, frustrating, and confusing to the community we are trying to serve. Obviously, this is not the kind of experience or image that we want associated with the Pageant Planet brand.

Which is why we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to solve these problems, and therefore upgrade the Pageant Planet directory experience - for everyone.

Starting August 1st, we are going to remove all non-advertisers from the pageant directory. In doing this, we are going to be weeding out all of those outdated, potentially defunct listings so that the directory is streamlined and only contains relevant, usable information.

So, what’s that mean for you? Simple: the people who want to be here, and be active, will be. That means, if you choose to partner with us, there will be many more eyeballs on YOUR pageant! (Since there will be far less pageants competing for visibility on our platform, contestants will find you much more easily.)

We know you’ll likely have questions, so we’re going to do our best to go ahead and address a few FAQs here. As always, if you need further clarification about anything, please reach out to us here.

Question: How much is it to advertise on Pageant Planet? 

Answer: Packages start at $25/mo and include the ability to message unlimited contestants. Click here to upgrade -> then click on your pageant profile -> click Advertise. Need help? Here's the step by step.

Question: “If I’m not an advertiser can I still use the Pageant Management Software?”

Answer: Absolutely! You can still host your People’s Choice on Pageant Planet, claim leads, manage your contestant communication and score your pageant via Scoresheet. You just won’t be visible in the pageant directory.

Question: “If my pageant’s not listed in the Directory, can I still qualify for a Best in Pageant Award?”

Answer: Absolutely! Directory status won’t affect your BIP status. All you need to do to qualify for a BIP award is share your profile (via your link) and get at least one nomination - easy, peasy.

Question: “I’m a nonprofit - do I sill need to register as an Advertiser in the Directory?”

Answer: Sort of. You will still need to register as an Advertiser (and pay), but you’ll get special, nonprofit pricing. Get in touch with us to talk through all the details and get that set up.

Question: “I’m not currently an Advertiser - so will my pageant still be visible after July 31?”

Answer: No. If a contestant were to, hypothetically, search for your specific pageant, they’d be able to find it. But new contestants who are searching for pageants they qualify for, will not be shown your pageant as an option.

Again - the goal is to have a Directory that is active, updated, and full of pageants who are serious about recruiting contestants.

Question: “Are any changes being made to the expert directories? (i.e. coaches, photographers, retailers)

Answer: No, but the same issue persists there so you can expect these changes in the near future.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you and the pageant community at large - we take that responsibility seriously. If you have any questions about the changes moving forward, or would like to make sure you stay on with us as an official Advertiser, please schedule a call now.