Before i get some heat from people, I would like to say that, I had directory with PR5. Closed now. What is the purpose of the Directories? Regular people does not use any of our directories. They go on Google and find anything there. Directories are "Internet Bubble", more directories within each other, more links. We have so much garbage on line, so in one day we will be suffering from our own "bubble", that we will not be able to find anything what we need. Who goes on those directories? People who wants to link they own directory or "Clients" who actually think, that someone will be on that directory and look the his company. And people pays not small fees to be on directory ( paid ones). So many times i want to find something, and i am getting stupid "articles directories", with useless information. One day Google just crashed the web, because so many back links, internal links etc. I learn if you have website and you have good keywords, u will get good traffic, and you do not need to put your website with any directory or "golinks.com" something of that nature. In conclusion, NO WEB searcher are using directories to find what they looking for, they use search engine. What searcher are typing in google? phase or product name, they don't know company name or url, therefore, they will not be able to find what they looking in any directories. Try, does any of your searches will be a result in any of Directories? almost not, sometimes, i getting from DMOZ, but not in directories where you have 50 different subdirectories. No one really knows, the google search engine, and so many people think, that MORE IS BETTER, not always. good luck
I'm sorry if you were mislead by your own assumptions on what web directories are about. Directories helps search engines by indexing websites that my not be indexed or would have been buried deep within the results pages. Directories helps webmasters get to top results in search engines for that certain keywords that search engines find. Directories assist search engines from many things and within time you will know them. I don't know what statistic resources your using, but people do use directories to find websites, maybe not you, but alot of people do. There are so much more to directories that you miss, I hope you find the good use of directories as you are mis-inform on what it is all about. Good day
I think that depends on the directory owner and what purpose their directory is for. Yes, many use directories for backlinks but some directories also offer a quality resource for others. A niche directory can offer a great service to visitors. I know with mine, I get a lot of page views per visitor and they return for further resources so it's not just for backlinks, it is a place to come to and find information and resources pertaining to their interest and to come back again and again.
One day I will know why directories exist! It is a question that I must know. But I do know one good reason.
Quality directories work as human meta index to help search engines and people find and classify sites. The problem most free and some paid directories are nothing more than scraper link farms. I agree probably 95% of internet directories are garbage.
ive gotten alot of referals from SE's to my directory for keywords relating to websites in the directory so i have no idea what you are on about and i wouldnt even class it as "big" so im sure many other directories get the same
I have to agree, but what you are talking about is general web directories. They are now Search Engine tools and great for backlinks. However, a niche directory can have a lot of traffic and can drive these traffic to their listings.
I have noticed that real user traffic almost always comes initially from search engine results, and some of those users bookmark the directory and revisit later. So, I can certainly agree that real visitors do use directories.
I totally agree they are great for backlinks and will gave you pr juice if you keep submitting them. Thats mostly where i get mine traffic from directory.
Free directories are perfectly fine by me, but I would definitely never use any directory to search for anything.
There are good ones and bad ones. Google (or any other SEs for that matter) doesn't always yield the best results. When I can't find what I'm looking for in the SEs, I usually turn to directories.
I read your post and it seems you are a frustrated -former directory owner who could not survive in the competition. Just tell me one thing --without these garbage sites -- How will other sites get quickly indexed? How could they improve their SERPs? How could they get required backlinks?