How to determine if a Web Directory is worth submitting to? To base on PR only?

Hi guys.

Lately I want to pose this question upon to you guys and see what you guys think & have to say about this: how to determine if a web directory is worth submitting to, and whether or not to solely base that determination on its Google PageRank only?

Let me first explain to you why I am posing this question.. Many, many web directories come & go. Many new webmasters think it's a quick get-rich scheme & end up getting bored with it and/or later selling it off. In the end, most new directories don't go anywhere, and that's the majority & the truth.

So I'd like to know how I - as well as other webmasters including yourself - can determine whether or not a web directory is worth investing the time to submit your sites into, and whether or not that determination is solely based on the Google PageRank of the directory alone.

And furthermore, to conclude that question with another question for you to answer: Do you think it's worth submitting into a Google PageRank 0 web directory? What do you think the lowest Google PageRank a directory should have - if applicable - for you to take the time to submit your site(s) into? I am just afraid that many of these PR0 will be the typical "come & go" web directories, but then again I don't want to miss out on another DirBull.com, who went from PR0 to PR8 in just 2-3 months!

Your thoughts/incites?

 

Sounds like a typical case of pixel envy. You really should consult someone about it. People who chase PR remind of a dog chasing their tail.

 

Sadly though the value/weight of a link is truly based on a site's PageRank, at least if the page itself doesn't have a PageRank. You at least then have the peace of mind knowing Google values the site and will eventually find your link once it's placed on the directory. That's why I'm debating whether or not submitting to a PR0 directory is worth it...I mean I won't doubt that it will get indexed or crawled, but there's no guarantee, and then, if your link is found, does it even have any weight or value?

 

So how much "weight" do you think that a link from the example provided will have in the near future? Considering the possibility that just because a document exhibits toolbar PR doesn't necessarily mean it passes any PR or link juice, I'd rather have a relevant link from a site that passed some juice my way. I'd take anchor text and relevance from a site that passes juice over raw PR any day.

 

i'd care if the page my link is on that it is indexed in google because many of those directories deep links aren't even indexed which would make the link be worthless.

 

PR is not a reliable guide to quality in any site, and may be artificially maintained by newish (paid for) directories, then allowed to sink after a few moths of fee-taking. A couple of years ago, this was a frequent 'game', though it's rarely profitable these days, so I think it's less common.

But provided you do not reciprocate the link, then a directory entry will virtually certainly do you no harm, and may do very well for you, especially if it's a niche or regionally directory.

PR has some value as a barometer, taken with other factors; for example, a new directory with a 'high PR' on its index page, but none on the category pages might make you think carefully.

Added to all this, SEs increasingly ignore directories. With very few (but notable) exceptions, general directories tend to have very, very little SEO value. And this is broadly reflected in PR; the trend, for the past couple of years, has been firmly downhill. I monitor a fair number of quality directories, and over the past few PR updates, those with falling PR outnumber those rising at almost four to one. A few have weathered the storm untroubled.

Many niche directories have remained stable, but you need to look at each one on their merits.

 

I'll submit to a niche directory regardless of PR. For general directories I use PR as a way to narrow the list of directories I'm going spend my time on. The important thing is that the page where you'll be listed is well edited and all the other sites on that page are related to your site. Even better if that page comes up in Google for some of the text on the page.

 

If its a directory related to my website I submit regardless of PR. Same for a directory that is around a long time. I never pay for directory submission. If a directory is good, it will be able to sell advertisements.

For new directories there's a ton where a webmaster gets spare domain and decides to set up a directory on it. So a quick look at the URL, logo and general design will tell you whether its a genuine attempt at establishing a directory or just someone with a spare domain.
Some webmasters don't even bother changing the script logo or design. In which case its probably only a matter of time before something else is done with the domain so its a waste of time submitting.

 

Look for page caching, quality listing descriptions, tight cat control, reguarly updated, directory advertising activity.

TBPR is least important, a directory with PR 0 can still have .15 .30 .45 and so on. I have cats in my directory which are cached, but PR is unranked, yet the listings detail pages in those cats have TBPR.
It's a gimmick, I know it's what sells but quality is having your listing on a cached on topic quality page. You will benefit from that alot more in the long term.

 

Soo much bla bla ....

Just simply submit in directories. Thats it

 

Home page PR is meaningless if the directory is not indexed deeply. It's also good to know that the directory has strict submission guidelines.

 

Many directories created from expired domain that has a high PR from previous content/backlinks/work, check the domain history with archive.org give a point. consider this fact is good for SERP, because in most case Google has given the PR for the previous content not for current contents.

 

The brand new directories starting on a freshly registered normal domain with pr0 are not a concern, its the "brand new pr5" directories with 1000 listings added in 5 days with a domain that has no relevance and manages to sell 15 sitewides within a fortnight and doesn't even edit the submission guidelines are the ones that make the decision easy of whether to invest a moment in submitting to it or not, regardless of whether its free or paid.

 

Yes it is simply cuz PR is a variable (it varies!)...when I had one of my sites approved in JoeAnt, it was pr3, now its pr7...Besides, many pr0 directories that I had submitted by site to not only gained pr overtime but also did they improve in standard. I'd submit to a OK looking and new pr0 directory and may even pay for it than get listed in a jdfnnv.com type pr8 directory or ANY high pr domain setup to sell link directory

 

my requirements would be if the directory is below 800K @ alexa and minimum PR1
however, i would submit to PR0 directory if the alexa stats are below 500K, and is running more than 3 months, i go to directories to chase traffic, not PR

 

You can determine the quality of a web directory based on many factors and not page rank only. Anyone can buy an expired domain name with page rank and develop the domain into a directory which many do actually and the same goes for Alexa ranking.

You should base your decision on more effective factors like:
1. The source provided by the directory, is it unique and useful or is it spam free?
2. The age of the directory, is 2 days old or 2 years old?
3. Is the directory SEO friendly?
4. Are the directory pages indexed in search engines?
5. Does it have a ranking in SERP's?
6. What's the page rank and Alexa rank for the directory ?

And there are many factors that you can use to determine whether if a web directory worth getting listed in or not.

 

submit to good directories and post in forum or blog

 

The better directories continue to make INVESTMENTS into their core script to expand the base features. 99% of the directories running out there use just a base script, category dump and have poor editing.

 

I'll say....Just have a quick look on dir and submit. First glance can easily give idea of quality (open any sub-category page and quickly read the title and desc of links present on that page. If title and desc seems quality and specific to the sub-category you are seeing then dir is good).

Also, if dir is come and go type then your link will be there for around 1 year or so time atleast. And, it is not going to harm if it does not benefit (worst case). In most of the cases, you'll get some positive value if not big one.

 

as mentioned above you can't tell via PR, however PR will give a better indication of a newer site. New sites always start with PR0.
If its a general free directory, I'd like to not go lower than PR2. If its a niche directory than it doesnt matter if its PR0 or PR9.