Directories really do help with SERPs, you just need to put more effort into finding good directories.
Whats a good directory? I've asked this a few times as I don't quite understand. What seperates a good one from a bad? They're all just link farms.
While a directory may have a high PR, isn't it more of an issue what the PR is of the page your link would end up on? I've checked out PR of the subdomains and I haven't found one that had a PR as high as the site URL. So what one ends up with is a backlink from a 'nothing' site. If I'm mistaken about this, I would appreciate someone educating me.
I agree with you there. When I first started out I thought that directories were very important and I spent a lot of time submitting my websites to both free and paid ones. Over time I began to see that I was getting almost no traffic from any of the (literally) hundreds of directories. Everyone has an opinion and this is mine - directories are for newbies. Oh, and before anyone who knows about me jumps in and asks, 'dont you have a directory?" Yes, I do. I set it up on my oldest site a long time ago so it is still there. Would I recommend that anyone pay for a link there? No, I would not - unless I was just wanting to get your money.
And i suppose that's a fair call, but this is what i also find funny with directory submissions per say or better those that submit. Most want a free ride, they list in some free space then some how expect that directory / s to auto start sending them traffic like some free shower of love from the gods, it is not going to happen. i think rather than as you have posted, is that people are now getting grip on reality, you want free or nickel n dime, you get nickel dime service, but please do not complain as you reap what you sow. It is that there may be some back end push that will see indirect results and when people get these indirect results i never hear it was from the directory submission. Event King Has it right, these days if you want to play, you need to pay, end of story there is no free piggy back ride. also there are many good free and paid directories that do send some traffic but again you want the www blowin your door down you need brass in pocket. directories can be and will be a good source moving forward, but this thinking of dumping into crap free or nickel n dime outfits for instant glory must stop.
What separates a good directory from a link farm is that a good directory attempts to create a resource for actual people rather than something that exists soley to manipulate search engines. There is a simple test. Think of 3 random common topics, search for them, if you get some decent resources then maybe the directory is legitimate. The vast majority of directories will fail this test. Here is what google says Who would you believe, Google's guidelines webmaster guidelines, or those folk telling us all about the benefits of directories who have a vested interest.
I don't see how a directory can be a good resource for a person. Nobody goes onto their favourite directory if they want to locate something on the web, they use a search engine. Can someone (preferably not someone with 5 directory links in their sig) point me in the direction of a directory that adds genuine value to a human user, rather than a google bot.
I would also like to see such a directory. Also, has anyone ever done a search and found a directory listing in the results? I haven't and I use Google search for research very often
You are correct everyone goes to the SE first, and they usually find the information they want that way. There are times where a directory can be useful in a niche topic and/or a heavily spammed area. For example a search on "hotels Miami" is not so useful if you are seeking a list of individual hotels that you want to check out.
If you go deep into a niche then I agree, a directory of (for example) dentists in brooklyn could be of value. But when a directory has listings on pet food stores, sport, tax advice, and antique jewellery then there is no value.
Once again a general view that does not stand for all such directories, but can understand your thoughts, but the good ones are out there.
That itself opens a can of worms, as what one person see's another does not. Also in what sort of returns for $ are we looking at? is that comparable to other mediums on the net for advertising $ 4 $, i still think there are many that want it all at no or at little cost, but complain when using the submit your site to my dead directory. There is one general directory at the moment offering some good value for money advertising but to avoid the normal bung fight i will pm you the name and its your call.
I look for directories that will give me a good link that will be noticed by google. Its down to personal judgement which directories are worth paying for. I'm only going by my own experiences. I have many sites that rank well in google due to spending a few hundred dollars on directory submissions.
This won't take much to answer effectively. The answer is 'no', nobody can, because nobody has one. Anyone who believes their directory offers genuine value and accuracy to the human user. I do know of one directory which is slowly getting bigger which certainly has the capabilities to rival search engines in all fields.
Heres some examples of directories that benefit humans and bots: http://www.incominglinks.com/ http://www.newsdirectory.com/ http://www.itravelnet.com/ http://3d2f.com/ http://lii.org/ But of course most directories are far from the above. I took the title of this thread to mean "are directories worth the effort to the webmaster who wants to promote their site".
hmmmm, not when I was searching for something it didn't. I created my directory because the information was too difficult to find and took too much time. Yeah, they might use a SE first, but they soon go elsewhere when the mighty dog fails to chuck up what they really want. Search engine Limitations Search engines aren't the be-all and end-all of what's on the Web. They're only as good as their most recent findings, which is only a small proportion of what's on the web and possibly 6 months out of date. So just because you can't find it via a search engine - doesn't mean it doesn't exist. This would surely affect the "quality" and freshness of results and in turn the user experience would be bad, if searchers can't find something quickly. This is where directories are like Gold dust. Time and time again I spent over an hour just looking for specialist info - SE's are pretty bad these days, not good for finding niche stuff at all. These days I regulary find myself using the specialists engines, and more than one Search engine because 1 info resource just isn't enough anymore. Thank God for niche portals.