SEO PR and Rankings - Have You Have *Recent* Success with Directory Submissions ?

There is a lot of debate about directory submissions recently and if they are still worth effort, alot of the debate centres around the removal of the "directory submission" recommendation from Google webmaster guidelines. Most seem to be based on theory and opinion:

I wanted to get opinions from the people in the frontlines, ie DP'ers. I would like to get opion on two aspects ie

• Top Directory Submission to say the Top20 Global directories
• Bulk Submission to 1000's of Free Directories

Has anyone experienced any positive results from either of these two services for any site ? please post or share your experience ......

 

Hello...

I believe they still hold value as ive been submitting my new sites to mine as well as others
and have seen them in google and yahoo backlinks so evidently they still count for something.

I mostly did directory submissions with the new site and it received a PR4 within 3 months...
As for traffic... some actually send a few people so i dont complain.

thx
malcolm

 

I voted for "All directories", but only because it was the closest to my feelings. I don't think mass submissions are the way to go, nor do I think you should only submit to the top 20 directories. There is a lot of middle ground. Niche directories still carry a lot of weight. General directories that have tight categories and are well edited also work well. Then the free directories can be considered lottery tickets. You never know if it will pay off or not.

 

Your uncle tells me you've given all of this up and moved out to Oz

 

Hah a leopard never changes his spots .....

 

Lol - I just realised how utterly random my post was.

Back on topic - submitting to the 'top 20' won't do much because they'll pick you up and index your site almost automatically. Best to get the latter option, using a wide variety of submission data (ie. title, description, keywords, etc)

 

It is certainly an interesting one and something that is recently going through a lot of change.

 

This is great info ... but goes against what quite a bit of what the mainsteam are saying.

I do agree though, a link from a unique domain is still worthwhile ... especially if you can get them as easilly as doing DR's subs ...

 

They are the easiest way to get lots of backlinks. The value has decreased a lot in last couple of years. But one can still rank for a low competition keyword with just a couple of 100 directory submissions.

 

IMO -

Lots of depends on lots of things when you are thinking about directory submission.

DOS:
# Best way is to first submit to those top 20 directories - in a span of 30 days. Use this time-gap so that Google bots think those links are results of initial hard work all webmasters put into their new projects.
The time is needed - because those links in top directories get crawled & indexed really quickly.

# You can use FREE directories effectively too. They are of two type --

New & Established.
New directories will approve your links quite quickly whereas established ones will take long time to review your site.

Submit to 5 new directories - (if possible & available) and 5 established directories on a daily basis. Follow this rule religiously for 3 months at least.

Result - you will get 1/2 links indexed per day which is just what Google wants. It takes time for Google bots to index links in new directories and it takes time for Admin of establish directories to approve your site.

This way you will never be in Google SANDBOX - due to excessive link-building and all Google TOS will also be followed.

Results will come slowly but surely and once you achieve the target - it will stay permanently with minimum effort.

# Better - work hard and do it yourself.
# Write unique descriptions for every submission if possible ( or use same in just 10 directories- on FREE ones), vary titles, anchors.


DONT"s

# Never use any type of automated/semi-automated submission softwares during submissions though RoboForm and Firefox plugin may be used for filling regulatory forms.

Some directory owners hate these type of submission and will just BAN the domain.

# Never-ever go for MASS -SUBMISION to 1000+ directories. Because -

-> Most probably you will not have time for it and hire some service who will use automated software and finish it within 24/36 hours. If this happens - you will have very low level of approvals.

-> You submitter will have little time to take care of unique descriptions - varying anchors and most importantly category selections( directory scripts are always ahead of submission softwares -so .........)


# As I mentioned earlier - it is always better to work hard and reap the fruits. But in practice, its not always possible due to time-strain. So if you have to hire a submission service - don't go by rate/price of submission. First do little bit of research -- and when you are sure about the authenticity of their service - hire them. Make sure - you are in control through reports from time to time.
Don't let them run the show for you - because most want to finish it as quickly as possible.


Follow all the steps mentioned above - and directories are still good enough to place you on first page for a medium level competitive keywords/phrases.


Many people who think directories are as good as DEAD - don't follow these principles - they go for a quicky, cheap submission services/mass submissions --
So they get no results.

Here is a detailed article on how to get good results from directories.
http://www.netcatalogue.org/web-directory-news/are-web-directories-dead/

 

voted "Very little value but still worth doing due to ease of gaining links"

 

I have never had any success with these directories so far. I sometimes wonder whether they index at all. Even after some months I tried searching my website listing in vain. Most of them are after money. About free directories less said the better.

 

"Very little value but still worth doing due to ease of gaining links" i think it for general directory, and still worth for niche directory...

 

I think directories are worth doing. What do you guys think of bid directories?

biduplink.co.uk & paid4directory.co.uk are just 2 of them.

shall i get links from directories like these? there are loads of them, and they are cheap too. But im not sure whether to do it or not. Will it help?

 

Did you read my post just before you?

Have you followed any of those rules of thumb?

If not -- please let me know.

I'll give ya a FREE domain, lead you all the way about how to use directories -and show you results.

Only one condition --

"You must be dedicated to your project and will think for visitors than webmasters/directory owners".

PM me if you wanna take the bait.

 

I think best is to submit to the best/trusted ones and to the ones that are relevant to your niche.

Some noise/bad links wont hurt as long as they are not a big percentage of your link profile. So for a new domain, it can hurt you.

I recently seen a domain without a lot of trust kicked back to page 3 because of <speculation>a batch of social bookmarking.</speculation>

 

I think rather than a specific number like 1 or 2, you should look towards a consistent number, whatever that consistent number is.

Also, directory links should be a part of your link profile, but not all of it.

 

I haven't bothered with directory submissions for nearly a year. When my site was new I did loads of directory submissions and they did well for me in terms of helping me rank for keywords. Then in the last half of last year Google Webmasters stopped listing most directory links for my sites. However, in the last 2 or 3 weeks lots of directories have started reappearing in GWT. Maybe they're worth more now than a few months ago when they seemed of little value.

 

Here is the thing, appear natural and never allow for a footprint.... Google is adept at seeing footprints... Randomise everything ...

 

blog links worth more than directories