The directory market is changing and directory owners are becoming smart. Its no longer a system wherein, you make a directory and submitter send some submissions your way. Submitters turning smarter and directory owners getting serious about their project is responsible for this good change. Directories next phase can be to be a useful resource, which is being achieved currently. So directories will not be only a way to be linkback to your site but it can also be source for useful information and useful resource. One such directory according to me is Aviva Directory, no I don't mean others are not useful or don't have good resources with them. But the way Aviva is taking things, I find it to be the "most" useful resource website as of now. This year 2007 is a year of PS and most useful directory providing "useful" resource which can hold its visitor and make him bookmark you. Let's see who is the one who can become a Bookmark favorite this year.
There are just 3 truths in business, irrespective of the market place you operate in, - 'get big, get niche or get out' This mantra applies equally to link directories and the reality is that the way to success is niche. It'll never make you rich but you can develop a core, targetted audience that will, over time, trust your resource over and above others. Forget big; if you try to play it big, you'll need a bucket load of resource (time/money/forgiving OH etc.) and I suspect most directory owners, like myself, haven't got any of those in spades. Get out? Well, if you glance at my sigs, you'll know that I need to follow the mantra. Check out Namepros in the next couple of days and you'll probably find all 3 for sale...
Thats it if you cannot compete get out of the market, and leave the market to those that can compete Great to see that at long last its 'sinking home' that the market will not support QBC's and Directory Owners who cannot compete
Agreed .Life is very competitive --virtually every sphere of our life. Directory industry too is getting highly competitive day by day. And so the adage goes --- FITTEST SURVIVES tnx
And lets all work together folks to compete and raise the bar and push the no-hopers into oblivion Come on you know who you all are, lets work together to make this directory market something that we are all proud of relative to the standards and the professionalism
Sure Pete--we must work together specially in the current circumstances we must get united to fight against Google's detrimental policies. But I am against pushing someone out-- I would rather say --lets all compete honestly and the fittest will survive. And what do we need survival? We need lots of imaginations/creativity ---with our directories. I'll be opening another directory in few days time -and as we talk here --my technician is installing. Its a different script I am using this time -and its free version has- better content related features than phpLD3.2's article feature. I'll have to get many articles done --so it will be late to open I am also changing the face/layout of my R6 directory. everything should be ready in few weeks time. The thing is --IMO --the days of mere directories earning huge revenues is gone --our sites should be versatile.
There must be tons of directories out there. I guess, to make it, u have to offer something different, something unique. Something not offered anywhere else.
Yes you are right the differentiators are the directories who integrate additional mods and features, and they also provide essential sustainable marketing and support services
Lol--Directory owners are investing in thousands of $$$ and why won't they be serious I am damn serious
Yahoo started as a directory much like a basic phpLD install. I think studying how they grew is worthwhile.
think i agree with the general consensus of you experienced owners on how directories need to evolve to survive. However, wld just like to add that its not simply adding more mods or features to 'beautify' your directories that is gonna cut it. At the very core, we must not forget the very reasons why our customers submit their sites to us. Basically, it is for us to 'review' and to 'support' their sites as quality sites before adding to our directories. In this way, they gain recognition that they have good sites, and also gain valuable quality backlinks. So at the end of the day, they value the review and the strength of the backlink. I believe if we continue seeking how we can enhance the value of the backlink they cld potentially gain from their submission to our directories, they will always have reasons to continue coming back. How we continue to increase the value of the backlink will of course return to the different ways our directories will need to evolve, but evolution must should always be focused on this aspect and not just to add some additional 'nice-to-have' features that do not add much value to their backlink. As such, my focus always is to ask myself in everything i do, how does this create more value for my customers? Does adding a particular mod do that or is it just to beautify the directory? Thus, content building and enhancement of reputation of my directories are my general objectives right now....
dvduval, Yahoo is a great example why the directory market has gained more consensus. Everywhere money starts to flow in, people begins to notice it.
Yahoo is also a great example that shows that their directory had to evolve. They had to add additional services around their search and directory to remains competitive. That is exactly what lies ahead for serious directory owners, "implementation of additional services that add value" - or so called mini verticals.