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Have you considered just taking your directory/directories permanently offline?

Discussion in 'Directories' started by pipes, Oct 4, 2013.

  1. Mia

    Mia R.I.P. STEVE JOBS

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    #21
    No, but Search Engines use the directories for content.
     
    Mia, Oct 15, 2013 IP
  2. averyz

    averyz Well-Known Member

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    #22
    Search Engines use almost the entire internet for content. Scripts full of links are not a big priority for SEs, Search Engines like nice well written content that people actually read.

    I have never read in SE giudelines anything to hint that they like sites with massive amounts of outbound links.

     
    averyz, Oct 15, 2013 IP
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  3. Mia

    Mia R.I.P. STEVE JOBS

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    #23
    Its more than a script full of links. Its organized and categorized content that leads people to a particular web site via relevant search results. Its not about "links". I think you're confusing the old school link farm with the directory. Keep in mind that the central core of the SE (at least in googles case) originated from ODP. That still remains the case. A well written directory can and does end up indexed in search results. Sure beats the heck out of the numerous MFA sites, wiki links and dead links that typically populate the first 2 or 3 results.
     
    Mia, Oct 15, 2013 IP
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  4. Nima

    Nima Well-Known Member

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    #24
    That maybe true to some extent. We don't make our sites for SEs. We make them for users and users actually do like sites with massive amounts of neatly organized links when they are searching for specific sites (Ex. when searching for attorneys)
     
    Nima, Oct 15, 2013 IP
  5. Nima

    Nima Well-Known Member

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    #25
    In some niches, Yes. For example when searching for doctors, engineers, lawyers, contractors and even SEO companies). Business owners specially use directories more than they use Google to find the contractors they need for their business (Keep in mind sites like LinkedIn are directories too).
     
    Nima, Oct 15, 2013 IP
  6. YMC

    YMC Well-Known Member

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    #26
    I can't speak for anyone else, but my directory has always received non-submitting traffic. It was built with that in mind.

    People still use DMOZ even though everyone knows it isn't being maintained well anymore. It's a sad truth but in many niches you can find much better sites there than through a Google search. If I want information, I don't give a damn who posts the most and has the "freshest" site. I want the site that has the information I need. If that's a site that hasn't been updated in 5 or even 10 years, that's the one I want; not the one that was updated yesterday and doesn't answer my questions.

    I was doing some research on the Civil War. I had spent hours. I was deep into Google's results before finally coming to a college professor's personal pages on his university website. It was the last site I visited. It had better information than any of the other sites, including Wikipedia. Yet, because it wasn't being updated, wasn't written for keyword density and he wasn't actively building links, it was buried in the results. Until sites like that are more highly valued by Google, their results will always be flawed.

    I agree, directories that were built as nothing more than a source of links, are becoming dinosaurs.

    But, being able to discern when a site truly offers something of value still appears to remain a task requiring human eyes.
     
    YMC, Oct 16, 2013 IP
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  7. Mia

    Mia R.I.P. STEVE JOBS

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    #27
    And I think you hit the nail on the head here. This is because way back when, web sites were indexed based on their UI Based CONTENT, not the underlying code, ALT Tags, H1 Tags, Keywords, etc.. There were actually people that reviewed that site and chose to include it based on the information provided; e.g. CONTENT.

    Directories still do it that way.
     
    Mia, Oct 16, 2013 IP
  8. arrisweb

    arrisweb Well-Known Member

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    #28
    I'm not going to close any of my directories. Just so on anger of Google.
     
    arrisweb, Dec 9, 2013 IP
  9. averyz

    averyz Well-Known Member

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    #29
    Search engines screen sites for content, bounce rate/actual reader, popularity and directory just puts who ever pays in there.

    The amount of people that go to a directory to find sites is soo small it is not even worth mentioning. Directories had their place in the 1990s, then in they became a place for SEO backlinks which created a market for them now that market is gone.

    Are you trying to say it is 1996 again and we need or use directories to find websites ?
     
    averyz, Dec 9, 2013 IP
  10. Nima

    Nima Well-Known Member

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    #30
    We indeed do need directories. Directories have evolved too. They are much more niche oriented. You are right that the number of their visitors are small but those visitors convert 100 times better for the listed websites than random SE traffic.

    Try finding a lawyer through Google? Inevitably you'll end up searching one of the top legal directories out there.
     
    Nima, Dec 9, 2013 IP
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  11. Web Directory Reviews Org

    Web Directory Reviews Org Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    #31
    A directory that hasn't changed since the 1990s may we'll be obsolete, that's no reason to pronounce obsolescence on the entire industry.
     
  12. averyz

    averyz Well-Known Member

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    #32
    Why would I search a directory to find a lawyer ? Like I am going to use a search engine to find a directory but then ignore search engine to find a lawyer ? that would be stupid. that just creates another step of nonsense.

    I would want a lawyer that is local and can file papers in a local court. Google, Bing and Yahoo have local listings that come up with maps, reviews, ratings and links to the websites.

    or I could click on a directory go through their paid listings and see who paid to be in their listings then in many cases contact them through a hidden contact system that belongs to the directory ? Why..?
    -For one thing the directory is only going to have lawyers that have gone out of their ay to pay for a listing so it will be missing most of the ones that are in my local search engine listings.
    Then I have a 3rd party involved that is trying to profit from my visit and the listing which means I might have to deal with them hijacking the communication for the lawyers or stuffing lawyers in my face that have happened to pay a larger ad fee.

    No thanks, I will stick to local search engine listings like 99% of people.
     
    averyz, Dec 13, 2013 IP
  13. Web Directory Reviews Org

    Web Directory Reviews Org Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    #33
    Ninety percent of the content in a good web directory (not to be confused with the link farms that I think you are talking about) is content added by the directory staff.
     
    Nima likes this.
  14. Nima

    Nima Well-Known Member

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    #34
    And you think getting listed on the first page of Google is not the same as Pay for Listing (specially for keywords as competitive as lawyer search keywords)
    If you ever actually do need a lawyer and try finding one through your either one of your favorite search engines, you inevitably end up on websites like Lawyers.com, YellowPages.com, Martindale.com, FindLaw.com, etc.

    99% of people don't stick to local search engines when searching for lawyers. About 35% of them do. I know this because lawyer search and marketing is what i do :)
     
    Nima, Dec 13, 2013 IP
  15. Nima

    Nima Well-Known Member

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    #35
    Absolutely. The most expensive part of managing our directories is the editing process and manually adding businesses in different categories (mostly for free) .
     
    Nima, Dec 13, 2013 IP
  16. averyz

    averyz Well-Known Member

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    #36
    Google Maps is not paid(yet) it shows you business and lawyers close to your location. Then you have the last 3-4 listings on the page that are not paid or extremely large directories.

    Yes we all know how honest and accurate marketers are about their services, especially SEO marketers

    Now days only the big players(yelp, yellow pages, etc) in the directory market are making the first page of google for any worth while keywords. So talking about directories and traffic you are talking about .01% of them.

    Seriously, if your directory is on the fist page of google for "lawyer" yeah I believe you get some traffic and can send some traffic. But I would wonder how you find time in your busy valuable time to post on here ?

    What key words exactly does your site rank for on the fist page? Because the one in your signature doesn't look like it ranks for much other then "list your law firm"
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2013
    averyz, Dec 13, 2013 IP
  17. averyz

    averyz Well-Known Member

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    #37
    double post
     
    averyz, Dec 13, 2013 IP
  18. Nima

    Nima Well-Known Member

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    #38
    My directory is not on the first page of Google for "lawyer". You also keep thinking that the only way for a directory to succeed is somehow through Google (whether Google looking at the link juice or Google listing you on first page of their searches). Don't get me wrong, first page listing of Google can be great (and cost you $$,$$$ a month for a keyword like "Lawyer") but - happily - Google is not the end of the world :)

    If you think the directory market is so bad and the directory owners are so vicious, why even stop by here?
     
    Nima, Dec 13, 2013 IP
  19. averyz

    averyz Well-Known Member

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    #39
    I don't think directory owners are "so vicious" I was just trying to have a realistic discussion.

    You claim that directories have all this traffic and I don't see it. So I am asking How..? Obviously not from the 23rd page of google for "list your law firm"

    Hmm... To find a lawyer Google Maps or the 23rd page of google under "list your law firm" ?
     
    averyz, Dec 13, 2013 IP
  20. Nima

    Nima Well-Known Member

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    #40
    I just realized you were accusing me of lying. lol
    You're actually right. Not even 35% of people use Google to find lawyers: Here are two sources for you.
     
    Nima, Dec 13, 2013 IP