The British Computer Society (BCS) recently reported on a Wiki business directory that was launched in the UK this month: Brownbook (www.brownbook.net).

It was named after one of its founders, Jerry Brown, an ex-directory industry executive who saw the potential of creating a ‘user-created’ local directory. Taking their cue from Wikipedia, they set about building Brownbook by embracing wiki principles of ‘anyone-can- edit’, and simultaneously removing any need to understand technology or any special computer language or syntax. The result is a local directory service where anyone can add businesses, edit, or add reviews; and one that puts total control into the hands of the businesses and consumers.

They launched their service last Feb. 4, a free and open wiki-type ‘local business directory’ website that lets consumers add and find local businesses, rate them and add reviews. It is the UK’s first ‘peer-produced’ online directory service. Brownbook aims to do for the local directory market what Wikipedia has done for the encyclopedia market; namely, to provide a service that is more complete and more accurate than the existing local directory services; that allows people to have their say; that anyone can use for free, and that lets even the smallest business promote itself at zero cost.

Due to the open nature of Brownbook, anyone without registering can add reviews for any business – positive or negative – and if the business you want to review isn’t there it takes you a matter of seconds to add it, further increasing the power of the service for future users. Frequent visitors can optionally register with The Brownbook if they want to develop a sense of ‘reputation’ behind their reviews and edits. They will also receive their own ‘user page’ which lets them tell other members about themselves in addition to tracking any reviews or edits they’ve made at anytime.

Businesses can use Brownbook to promote their business and its reputation. By encouraging satisfied customers to give positive testimonials any business can build up its local credibility. Business owners can claim and promote their business listings for a small annual subscription that costs less than a box of pens. The Brownbook system alerts them any time a review or any other updates are made, and they can add photos and videos of their business as well as rich business details like opening times, special promotions, and any other information useful for customers. And all these can be changed or updated by the business owner at any time at no extra cost by simply going online to http://www.brownbook.net.

Listings are also free, while the site will make money from sponsored advertising on its search page by Google. The no fee for businesses is expected to be especially attractive for businesses. Brownbook will also be launching in the US in the second quarter of 2008, and plans to be in four countries by the end of the year.

In the age of Web 2.0, Brownbook seems to be right on the track with the demands of the times. But with the Yellow Pages already offering comments and reviews, videos, and other such interactive enhancements to their online versions, will the free-for-all Wikepedia aspect truly make Brownbook the most credible online directory? Let’s wait and see.