10 years ago when I first started developing directories it was a great deal of work to get one launched. It normally took around a year of data entry and the same amount of time to have a script custom designed and debugged. Back then webmasters would rarely ever pay to submit a website to a second tier directory. The directories were built to develop as useful quality resource for the internet. In this era many high quality directories were developed and their income was derived from banner advertising. The first big blow for the directory business was the dot com crash. Banner advertising was not selling and some large and many small directories could not continue operating at a loss and closed. From this a new breed of directories was born like Joe Ant, and GoGuides. These directories were started by experienced go.com editors when go.com folded. Several other directories were started shortly after, Skaffe, WoW and another that I can’t remember the name of by former go.com editors. The directories all offered free submission and several still do in one form or another. When the Google Page Ranking was devised the average well developed directory had a PR5 and in rare instances PR6. These directories were developed after years of volunteer and paid editors that searched the internet for quality resources and reviewing free submissions. Content was king back then something I still consider of great importance today. About 4 years ago webmasters slowly started submitting to directories to develop page rank, then it caught on and running a directory that would not sell page rank became a difficult job. Most submitters wanted to be on the pages with the highest page rank and could get quite abusive when not placed in them. Out of the page rank frenzy emerged the directory to accommodate the consumer’s needs. These directories bought their page rank and sold the page rank indiscriminately and became the directory of today and were hailed to be the best on the web. Now doomsayers are running around saying it’s the end of paid directories because a handful got their hands slapped for violating Google’s policies. Many more directory/link farms are going to get penalized in the future but it’s certainly not the end of directories. The directories I have heard called dinosaurs by new directory operators will still be here. We have weathered many web storms and will certainly ride this one out as well.
Interesting view and i thank you for this topic/thread. I never had heard off the .com meltdown thing as i am relatively new but ive been learning from others mistakes as i go and adding new technologies where applicable and agree that Directories will never die as we will always feed the SEs with data. The Dinosaurs... ummm yes that would be me and sometimes my ignorance gets the best of me ( actual people operate them and i apologize to them) but to me those directories are long forgotten as todays directories offer much more and the owners just dont wish to upgrade to the newest technology ect ect... and truthfully unless they do decide to upgrade not many will be submitting as todays web/internet moves at lightspeed and yesterdays technology isnt worth much in todays fast paced internet world. Just my thoughts.. for what its worth thx malcolm
A gr8 post indeed, after many directory bashing threads, and the "why g did this and that" threads.... your post actually sounds positive and encouraging! M.
Nice to hear a balanced viewfrom somebody who has this much experience. Thanks stoner3221 for an intelligent post.
Good post, +rep What if we didn't care about feeding the SEs data, instead we fed the end user data. Also, I think the old directories are more important than todays "cutting edge" directories. But that's just my opinion, both definitely have their place in the web.
I appreciate your positive attitude. I am working on a directory project myself. It will be homemade content, so I may be taking that original "year" to create it .
What was the name of the directory you 'developed' 10 years ago? I'd be interested to see how far you've come.
What I meant, was that some of these glossy shiny, thousand of installed mods, directories don't provide any real value to end users. Whereas some of the older no glitz directories have real value for users. But I am not saying that anything new won't succeed, I encourage people to try new things, just to keep the visitor, not the submitter in mind.
what if there was no Phpld, phplb, phplynx,,,,,, Too late for that now, but i suspect that these might slowly,,,
thanks for the reading because ive not been understanding the "directories panic" of these days .. everything evolves and you cant loose your nerves if you want to adapt and survive .. think long term, diversify ur businesses (online and offline), try to make the best work possible and i think you would be ok (hope so).
Directories face many challenges, I suspect new business models will come out off this Thanks for this article cos its really filled in many holes in my understanding of directories prior to the great TBPR rush
Yeah, it really change a lot especially there are tons of directories nowadays and some of them are not a quality directories like a link farm according to Google standards same templates different domains....