When to become paid

I have a question that requires a response from some other directory owners.

For the first 30 days of my directory being online, I have received 80 + submissions with more than 65% having a PR of 3 or higher.


My question is, when do you know when you should start charging, and when does Google begin to give you some page rank for your directory.


Thanks.

 

Well imho charge as soon as you can, because if your directory becomes known as free, expectations are free is free

So try and go for quality before quantity
Free brings in quantity
Paid will hopefully bring in quality but you will have to decline some who pay

G spiders site more often as they become known top directories are spidered sometimes many times a day ................... but it all takes time ............... maybe within 6 months G will rank your directory ............. they update 3 to 4 times per year

 

I catch your drift, I am changing the prices right now.

 

I'm thinking at the end of this month we should have another PR update (Pagerank is always being updated, but the client doesn't get updated for every 3 months or so)

 

Linkbait, what type is your directory? Niche or General? If its general and only been online for 30 days, hasnt been fully indexed, has no PR and your looking to change it to paid, chances are in 1 months time (or less) your directory will be totally dead - no traffic, no submissions and no money.

If your directory has only been online for 30 days chances are you've probably missed the GBPR update... there are only a small selection of directories (Alive, Aviva etc.) that are willing to invest in start up directories with poor indexing and 0 PR.

Care to share your directory URL?

 

You can keep regular listings free for like one month. But I suggest that you start charging for featured links right away.

 

If it's in your plan to stay as a paid directory, i would charge from the beginning...

 

Have to agree that charging from the start is probably the best way, but I've found that the free and paid method is working quite nicely as well. As you get more submissions and your PR climbs, you will see more paid listings come in. There is value in position when it comes to a directory and people know it.

 

Uhm google begins giving you page rank as soon as you build good backlinks, if you have just sat there only accepting submissions dont even think you are on the way to any kind of page rank.

 

Start charging now, but offer a free submission as well.

 

I agree with this. Offer featured listings and free listings.
Then when you get some pagerank and traffic, you can switch.
And make sure you are building a quality directory.