I saw this thread from CanadianEh and thought I should post stats of directories in my directory list. Google has updated pagerank multiple times in last 3 months, unlike earlier 'pattern' of quarterly update, they updated pagerank even at 10 days gap. Here is a comparison between April and today's pagerank numbers. April PR6 - 1 PR5 - 25 PR4 - 60 PR3 - 216 PR2 - 365 PR1 - 396 July (after multiple PR updates from Google) PR6 - 2 PR5 - 30 PR4 - 61 PR3 - 268 PR2 - 418 PR1 - 563 Unlike last time, number of directories in for all PR levels increased so that's a good sign. I have tried to assign PR 0 to all fake PR directories but I may not have checked all the directories. I haven't checked the directories for dropped domains. Here is my post about changes after these PR updates - http://www.directoryroll.com/blog/free-directories-are-looking-good/
Good to see an increase in PageRank for what it is worth... Most free web directories are a waste of time, where is the motivation for directory web masters to review submissions? Lots of free directories with good approval time simply select all and hit the approve button, meaning it full of low quality listings and poor submissions go unnoticed. Thanks Brian
@Brian: You have a point but you are missing several others in making this one. If you are unable to monetize free directories with featured listings, ad sales etc. that doesn't mean others can't make money from them. It's not easy to make money with free or paid directories but many members of this forum are successful directory owners and that's not hidden from anyone.
There are various Business Tactics involved if you are running a web directory. If one think he can use the same method/way he/runs a paid directory for a free web directory, its not going to work and vise-versa. Free/Paid directory or for that matter any website does 'work' if the owner is 'honest', 'genuine' & 'hardworking'.
It is good to see that your stats show PR has increased for free directories also. My stats have large amount of niche and regional listings.
Good point Humm, with effort and creative business techniques free directories can definitely make a profit.
Niche directories and paid directories can make enough money to promote themselves and it shouldn't be difficult to get a PR with some link building, however free directory owners have to optimize their resources because there is almost no income in the beginning.
The best way to see if directories are doing good is to check through all the directories that where hit by the Google ban and see how they are doing now. Its ok saying that new and free directories are doing ok now but many of them where started after the penalties where given out and no longer break the so called rules.
Just don't only do directory links and all will be fine. 90% of sites are low quality anyways including the directories and sites submitting to them. The gems are the targeted directories that actually drive targeted traffic to your sites and pages.
The free directories are certainly finding that they need to monetize in some fashion in order to finance the site at the very least. This can be through advertisements, which tend to clutter the directories and make them less user-friendly, or through enhanced listings.
Yeah i think so, but why are they providing free web directories which is just useless? what are actually the benefit of submitting your sites to free Web directories?
That’s why I said “most†if you look at the monthly directories that were announced here on DP 2-3 months back, many have thousands of pending links or unedited listings. Some free directories are very well managed. I don’t run any free web directories. For some it’s an easy method of harvesting emails addresses to spam. I’m not saying that free directories are useless but lots of time is sometimes wasted when the said directory has so many pending links. Thanks Brian