The idea behind a bidding directory blatantly breaks Google's rules

I think we are going round in circles with this now

Whatever the source of traffic the metrics are the same as an offline business:

Maximise sales and profit for the lowest cost per sale

(also known as ROI - Return on Investment)

OR, to put it another way - ways to improve profit

1. Increase sales
2. Increase margin
3. Reduce cost
4. - Preferably do all 3 of the above if possible

These basics of business were established long before the internet existed - and ring true today (and will do forever)

Of course customer satisfaction and retention is another vital metric - but I will save that for another day.

But what do I know - I am only CEO of $4 million per annum business...........

 

#1 is the one I doubt, and I don't know how your web stats would tell you that.

And these are referrals to your directory, correct? Primarily from other directories or webmasters looking to list...

 

The related key word terms that are searched do in fact come up in analytics.
Repetitive/duplicate keyword terms to not get counted twice, but I have over 10,000+ key terms for which I can see myself. I can only speak for myself and not others.

 

can any one can explain me above matter can any one can say clear to me

 

but still 30.37% is direct traffic from who knows where as I advertise all over
btw in #7 there are no links listed to any of my directories in that section

 

I dont know when Zorg-Links launched - but according to Yahoo it has a "few" backlinks - regardless of what the Toolbar PR says - so I do not understand what you are asking me.

 

OK. And those keywords tell you these are not webmasters and directory owners how?

 

I hear a faint "echo" - are you majoring on duplicate content in school?

I am am happy for you to repeat my posts - but kindly acknowledge the original author

 

ahhh maybe he a noob and trying to run up post count

 

Not a chance in hell . . .

 

believe me, the search terms do tell. now as to whether or not you want to keep telling yourself otherwise, then by all means please feel free to do so.

 

1. Increase sales
Given existing Sales = xyz , how do you increase sales without increasing costs / staff ( i suppose looking for wasted / ineffective $ is one way )

2. Increase margin
How do we increase margin without decreasing quality or reducing value for the customer ?

3. Reduce cost
Interesting one , how do we go about reducing costs without affecting No 1. ( look for waste again ) isuppose is one way, and without affecting quality and value for the customer as it would increase # 2.

Not a smart a$$ question, interested to see you expand further on what you say ( which is correct ) in the context of how you would apply this in principle to Directories, / things you have found to be common and erea's that can be improved upon.

 

Thanks. Pardon me if I don't just take your word for it, given that you have a vested interest in having people believe that hordes of people use your directory rather than Google, MSN Search, or Yahoo! Search to find websites.

Knowing what I do about human behavior, I have a hard time believing it. I can see a few of them clicking on a Google link, finding themselves in a general directory, and backing out of it to return to the search results. I can't see anyone doing it out of preference, not even for the Yahoo! Direcfory or DMOZ. It's simply too much work wading down through categories, especially when the search engines do it for you.

Give people a choice between a simple solution and one that requires more work and I guarantee you that the vast majority will choose the simple solution.

 

Wow dude ! Please throw some here .

 

Thats exactly right, which is why i asked about the bounce rate in analytics, ive seen directories stats posted here before with a bounce rates of 70%+ which is terrible.
Theres no doubt directories can rank, anything can rank but its what them users do as soon as they click to your page which matters, and what they do is bounce straight off.

 

I revealed this fact not to show off but to state that success in business is about hard work - whether an online or traditional business.

FWIW my online sales are about 25% of my total sales at the current time.

(August online sales were $120,000 though so quite happy with that)

I am 41 years of age, have had my own business for 4 years and have taken the business online since August 2006

 

Hi Minstrel, So what according to you is a simple solution for Directories to improve ? Since people don't use directories, So how do you build strong backlinks & get Off-page Optimizations to again get better SERP's.

Hi Wealdie, Congrats.. That is really so inspiring. I also just started business & some day I will also have those figure

 

I don't think people use general directories or the few that do would go to Yahoo! or (less likely) DMOZ. I don't think people use bidding directories or even know what they are, with the exception of those who own bidding directories and the webmasters who bid on them thinking they'll get some PR benefit.

I do think people are more likely to use selective niche directories with stringent criteria for inclusion (i.e., quality control). For someone thinking about starting a new difrectory, that would be my recommendation. The world does not need another general directory and it certainly never needed a bidding directory.

I've said this repeatedly: Aim for the long term. Built it slowly and carefully with a sharp eye on quality control (quality content). Create a quality site that other people will want to link to. And they will - that's what oprganic linking is all about and it does work.

For a brand new site, first get some quality content and then contact webmasters of similar sites to investigate the possibility of a link to you, starting by linking to them and making that link unconditional. That means ytou're only going to be asking sites to link to you where you are sufficiently comfortable with the quality of content on that site that you feel good about endorsing it by a link from your site.

 

I think that any intelligent person who is honest with themself will agree with that.

 

I would turn this question around:

Ask yourself - Can I increase sales, increase margin and/or reduce costs with my current business model.

If you cannot find the answers to these questions for your business, it is time to change the business model

(I am not in the directory business BTW - I am in ecommerce)