Cyndi's List

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

Cyndi's List provides a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced index to genealogical resources on the Internet, serving as a free jumping-off point for genealogical research.

Target Customer

Genealogy researchers, hobbyists, and genealogical societies seeking online resources for family history research.

Key Differentiator

Free, long-running (25+ years) global directory of genealogical resources, organized as a 'card catalog' with categorized and cross-referenced links; includes user submissions and link maintenance; daily genealogy news feed.

Implementation Timeline

Value is realized immediately upon using the site; it is a free, web-based resource with ongoing updates (new/updated links shown on What's New and category pages). The site has evolved over 25+ years with regular maintenance and updates.

Pain Points

1Finding reliable online genealogy resources
2Navigating the vast Internet to locate genealogical information
3Dealing with broken or non-working/outdated links

Key Features

1Free to use
2Large catalog of links (hundreds of thousands) categorized & cross-referenced
3Browse categories alphabetically, search, and view What's New
4Submit a new link, report a broken link, and update a link
5Daily genealogy news feed via Twitter & Facebook ('The Cyndi's List Daily')
6Site map, terms of use, privacy policy, FAQs, and donation option

Target Customer Industries

Decision Makers

1Founder – Cyndi Ingle
2Publications Chair – Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Conference
3Past member – Board of Directors, Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society
4Owner / Caretaker – Cyndi's List (one-woman show as of 2007)
5Sister-in-law (past part-time helper) – 1999–2007
6Son – Evan (helping with special projects starting 2011)
7Michele – part-time employee
8Mark – occasional helper (described humorously as 'caffeine-delivery person')
9FusionSpan – web development partner

Client Results

1Approx. 250,000 unique visitors per month
2Approx. 970,000 pages visited per month
3More than 31,760,000 successful page requests per month
4Total links: 318,711; Categories: 232; New & Updated Links: 38

Competitive Advantages

1Free to use for everyone
2Long-standing, trusted genealogy research resource (25+ years)
3Categorized and cross-referenced like a library catalog for easy navigation
4Allows user contributions (submit new links) and active maintenance (report broken links)
5High visibility and recognition in major media over the years (e.g., USA Today, Smithsonian Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine)

Key Benefits

1Free access to a vast, categorized directory of genealogy resources

2Efficient navigation with category and alphabetical indexing

3Regular updates and maintenance of links

4Ability to add new links and report broken ones

5Daily genealogy news updates and a long-standing community presence

Case Studies & Success Stories

Sledge hammer for brick walls

Case #1

Users described Cyndi's List as a tool that helps break through research barriers and find great resources just by exploring linked pages.

Lamppost in the wilderness

Case #2

Users characterized the site as guiding genealogists for more than a decade.

Treasure trove of resources

Case #3

Multiple users described Cyndi's List as a vast collection that yields valuable genealogy resources.

Comprehensive genealogy resource

Case #4

The site has been referenced as a comprehensive starting point and catalog for online genealogical research.

Additional Product Information

Product Description

A comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced index to genealogical resources on the Internet; a free jumping-off point for online genealogical research; described as a 'card catalog' for genealogical resources on the Internet.

Target Market

Genealogy researchers and enthusiasts seeking an online hub of genealogical resources; individuals and societies needing a wide index of sites for family history research.

Unique Value Proposition

Free, long-standing, meticulously categorized and cross-referenced catalog of genealogical resources, functioning as a modern 'card catalog' and jumping-off point for Internet-based genealogical research with user submission and maintenance workflow.

Technical Requirements

Web-based resource; pages built originally with HTML (hand-coded by Cyndi Ingle) and later upgraded by fusionSpan; accessible through a standard web browser.