Where do you see web directories in 2010, 2015 and 2020?? Personally I see the market becoming a large oligopoly of behemoth trusted sites. Those that will continue to evolve and lead the pack will slowly move from simply being "directories" to webmaster resources with "directories". They will give browsers / customers a reason to return daily or atleast weekly instead of never or just to check the hit count. I don't see the industry going anywhere however I do see editorial integrity becoming more of an issue than ever before and WHO you link to being scrutinized even more. That being said these "web resources" i see will fit into an area that is currently above what directories are today and just below search engines. Established ones will only continue to get bigger and stronger and for growth i see Niche directories being the place to be. Any thoughts?
The market will move forward with new concepts and needless to say Directories will have to keep apace with how the internet evolves To ensure their own durability
I see google getting much more heavy with giving out PR and the paid links. I see less dropped domains being sold, so less QBC directories. I see the established ones now, like alive etc becoming PR8. I think PR will increase over time, so a 10 year old site is easier to to get an extra PR, rather than a new site. I see these trusted directories charging more as they have ultimate backlink power. I see the directory market losing many people due to lack of budget. I see myself as king of the word
I bet most of the directories would be at PR6/PR7 If Google makes Alive and Aviva etc., to PR8 anyone can easily gain more PR by buying links on these directories If a site easily earns PR of about 5 in 3 months,then it will be big headache to Google as their technology is very much based on PR!(though they say they have 160 factors in deciding a SERPS) So even though these sites deserve PR8 they will kept at a lower PR of 6/7 !
Getting up to PR5 is not hard, but every PR move-up after that is pretty hard... And it gets harder as it moves up. I think most of the directories that exist nowadays won't last long as Google will find a way to fight them. I don't honestly believe in directories, I just submit to them for SEO purposes. But there are some directories that I buy paid submissions not only because of ranking but the return traffic... I believe directories should be made to generate traffic and list good sites. When a crappy all adsense website can buy many directory listings and rank high, that's obviously not good for those of us who make quality websites...
i agree with the rest of your statements except these portions. Google NEEDS directories. THere is no way for them to determine alone what are good/bad sites and that's where we come in. Read my article on Will the Internet Crash & Burn?. At the rate new websites are being produced, G will be overwhelmed or is already overwhelmed. So there is really no reason for them to fight us. We can work very well together. Also, u seem to contradict yourself. You don't believe in directories but yet u submit to them. So obviously, they do give you returns that you are looking for i.e. SEO. So how can you say you don't believe in them? Perhaps you don't believe in certain functions of directories, but don't think you can say that for ALL functions of directories like SEO.
I definitely agree with your points Dubz. Directories may need to evolve to become stickier. I think that the good directories will only become stronger.
Im saying the directories work, but I believe there should be better ways in place to determine better websites (to be ranked in search engines).... But I dont get to decide how the websites are chosen, so i go along with the best SEO practices at this time... Nima
Hmmm I see My army of spiders jumping on Your directories back and ripping out catagories as if they were pages in an old book... heheheeh lol Thiers much to come soon enough as we have just started and no matter what happens the general directory will see the light of day as it has in the past... thx malcolm
Web directories are useful but the thing is that the way it is increasing (Directories)..... it seems that search engines may not consider the link from directories in future for which we are talking about. b'cause if only directories help to get the better SERP than everybody will do only this so in that case search engines may not consider.....not SURE..!! Anybody can give thought on this......!! Please
there is ONE OBVIOUS good reason why many directories are emerging.... ppl see that there is a demand for them however, this does not necessarily lead to search engines not taking them into account. it just means that only the fittest will survive and out of those that hang around long enough, will be the really good and strong ones I cannot think of how SE will cope without us!
people pay to submit to directories to improve their PR. they think to themselves, i could get rich from this. they buy a dropped PR4 domain. they ruin the market. i see this stopping and directories running thinner, as PR will become less important as google gets more heavy. i see the QBC realising its harder to make their quick buck, and directories dieing out, except from the proper ones that people like us run..
I personally also support the directories even I do own the few directories but as in looking into the future there will be so many directories and out of that how many will be worth for search engines..!! even somewhere on mattcutts blog i read that google is penalizing the some directories which do not give nofollow attribute in that case who will submit to directories
Very well said Dubz -will give ya greens after I finish my post. Your ideas and My VISION/Understanding match exactly. Yes --with recent Google policies -that is what I see the directory industry in 2010 itself. Google will always value a Quality Web Directory that has high standard of editorial integrity -- and devalue those directories with only links. Isn't that Matt said on his Blogs? Indeed, it has already started the process of valueing directories based on not INBOUND links --but based on editorial quality. That point is very much evident with Google stripping PR of many Free directories -who are there for Just AdSense and links. They offer FREE listing --for traffic only. I can see the BIGGIES becoming bigger --and I am in the process of experimentation with my directories right now. I'll talk about my experiment on my BLOG next month when I am done. My plan is to PREPARE myself outside Google. In-short -- I want to make a directory that can live the day on its own --irrespective of Google or no Google. Basically -- whatever the condition--Quality Content will always remain the most important factor. Some directory owners -edit submitters' site details ( which I strongly oppose) -to get unique contents for their directories. But my experiment is to try to innovate a way to transform Directories into SUPER-RESOURCE-SITES- so that visitors visit the site again and again. The should not just list websites and give them link--but also provide real valuable contents. And if there is Content --good PR will automatically come --like it has come for http://www.excellentguide.com -- which was awarded PR7 by Google despite having far less LinkStrength than many -many PR6 directories Let me SEE --how far I succeed.
You make some great points as well. The only thing I don't agree with is the modification of submissions. I try and reword all of them keeping same structure, same words alot of the time just different placement; sometimes different words. It's value added for them if they use the same anchor and description everywhere it gets stale. Basically I think google is starting to catchon to people who have lots of links from few locations aka they bought sitewides on 10-15 sites. Sure you have 60,000 backlinks but it's from 25 sites... Google has already started the shift whether we realize it or not, look how directories are becoming "authorities" these ones will stick around, google is already giving them the red carpet treatment. I think it will be very interesting in the future. Lots of people here are doing it but buying links for juice and traffic... What good is it driving 1000's of people to a concert hall with promises of this and that and when you get there it's only you and a bartender? Traffic and PR are useless unless your site offers something of value to your customers. There are LOTS of different business models online and I see mine shifting. Paid submissions / reviews will always be a part of the business but I like I"m sure many other larger ones have lots of ad companies constantly emailing with propositions. Some seem good others don't. The internet has so many sitse but not enough information. Have you ever REALLY tried to look for something, like a tutorial or a how to or an explanation. Often you get there and it has the same words as your search and then something totally different. I think there will always be a shortage of quality content that hits the nail on the head. If you can write these guides or even better yet; instead of paying X for a sitewide why not pay X to get someone to write a few super targetted keyword rich articles? Search "What the heck is a blogosphere" in google and you'll see what I'm talking about. Now search "What is a blogosphere". Notice only blogosphere is the word highlighted. The rest is totally discounted. Word of advice: When implementing articles watch the words you use. I'm finding if you put more word then necessary it has a better chance and every filler word you can ever think of gets discounted so you gotta be creative!! (what, is, a, when, how, am, should, you name it...) "What is blogging and what is a blog" gets translated into "Blog + blogging". Lot's of directories that get traffic now are already starting to switch I've noticed. I wont name any for fear of excluding some. Either way I'm proud to be a member of the directory community and can't wait for what the future brings.
Great as well. But here is our difference of Opinion. Just answer me why do people submit to directories? Is it for just PR juice? Or is it PR coupled with Anchor Texts/SEO purpose? Suppose --you want to optimize -you site for some Keywords. So you prepare --very well written --descriptions & anchor words. You submit your site to my directory -- and I decide that --I must change your anchor texts -keywords and description --because I think that will add value to your site. Will you be happy to pay me $35 and destroying your SEO plan? Who the HELL AM I -to decide what my customer is optimizing --what my customers need is? Tell me --when you optimize you directory --do you change the Anchor word of your directory --EACH AND EVERY TIME YOU LIST ON A NEW SITE? What is Keyword/Anchor word optimization? Why the Hell people and SEO guys list their sites on Directories? Do you get the picture now? Directories that change clients submissions are violating the very BASIC of their service. That is help a client to rank on SEs.
Somehow this has quickly turned into a do you edit submissions or not! Basically I keep the same gist, never modify the anchor just add small filler words or instead of saying has lots of topics from business, internet marketing to SEO! I'd say business, SEO and internet marketing are all topics included. Anyways I think most people use the same one most of the time. Lots of people realize the value of submission but don't understand that submitting the same note EVERYWHERE doesn't help. I often ask if they mind as well. Rob