Building a Profitable Web Directory!

[olddocks]

How profitable are newly born directories these days? I have heard that there are so many directories out there and building a good directory will take years of hardwork. Is this true?

I am currently thinking of starting a good web directory (dmoz like). Initially i am thinking of making this directory free atleast for few months, but later my long term goals are good profitable one. Although i have been quite successful in promoting content rich sites, still i feel this area is relatively new to me. Can you share your experiences?

I am looking for best tips on marketing and promotion methods need to be worked out so as to build a reasonably profitable directory.

[dvduval]

There are probably two main items you will need:
1) Indexed well by search engines (and pagerank too)
2) Quality content (good links, not just a bunch of submissions by others)

Plan on it taking a few months to get #1 right. You don't have to work super hard, but you need to spend a little time each week on #2.

[aaron_nimocks]

Focus on PR. (cant believe I just said that)

Get your site listed on popular directory lists like seocompany.ca

[pagode]

Don't try to start a universal directory but focus on one subject. This can be a special interest or a location. First add a lot (several hunderd to a thousand depending on subject) of listings yourself [many people won't submit sites to empty directories and promoting an empty directory will be difficult]. Than start promoting your site (just as you would do any other site).

[olddocks]

Thank you very much you all coming forward to help me out. As dvduval pointed out in (1) i absolutely can make pages very search friendly to bots.

what exactly is "passing pagerank"? Does this had to do with designing very good bot friendly pages?

I also want to know, when is the first cent you guys made, ever since you started your directory.

[John D]

Once you get bigger you will start making money from submissions, I think when your starting out its easier to make revenue from advertising/adsense.

Passing pagerank is normally just to ensure your links are direct to the site and not using a redirect script, phpld does this.
www.phplinkdirectory.com

I use phpld and its great, does everything I need :)

[cagintranet]

Don't try to start a universal directory but focus on one subject. This can be a special interest or a location.

Best advise ever when building a directory... FOCUS ON A NICHE