Freelance referral sites: what works/doesn't?

[mcbob]

A bit of a slow time lately... going over the usual slow-time stuff, equipment fiddling, prepping a new reel, etc... but this year I have a bit of cash saved up to put towards advertising.

I'm currently free-listed on:
Mandy.com: http://www.mandy.com/1/services2.cfm?sid=MCR003
ProductionHUB: http://www.productionhub.com/directory/view.aspx?item=179676
MediaMatch: http://www.media-match.com/usa/profile.php?uid=1102864
Videographies.com
Greenlightjobs.com
Thumbtack.com

...probably a few others.

On the whole, I've gotten more solid leads from Craigslist than from the last three. The others are listed pretty much "more-first."

I have a terribly simple web page ( http://mcbob.tv ) that doesn't list very high in search engines.

So magic question, what's worked for you to at least get your listing seen and bring in some bid requests? Trying to figure out where the money is better-spent: preferred listings, SEO ranking or whatever it's called, custom shirts and hats and keychains and jar openers, or a giant billboard of my furry face held aloft by weather balloons, riding the wild jet stream to blissful international stratospheric glory.

Thoughts appreciated.

 

[Josh Bass]

I believe production hub is the most legit out of those three, has a rep for being a truly professional resource that the clients you actually want (i.e. people who understand actual freelancer rates as opposed to inexperienced clients who want a video shot and edited for $200) would use. However the free listings on there get buried beneath the paid/"featured" ones, and to be featured you have to commit to, yes really, $500 a year.in addition, i think you have pay each time you want to follow up on a lead, but i may be wrong there. However, i think if any sites worth spending that kinda money on, its production hub.

 

[mcbob]

How about web pages? For the non-wedding videographer, is there much purpose in paying for search engine ranking or similar witchcraft?