Do you think world economic slow down will affect directory industry?

Hi

Recent economic turmoil has impact on every business may be it will affect this as well! I wonder but not sure how much this crisis will affect directory industry: more precisely link building etc etc...

Any opinion? Any guess? Any prediction?

Please share your experience and thought!

Thanks

 

I agree the the economic downturn is/will affect most all businesses but I like to look at it this way.

While sales, etc are most certain to slow down, all, well at least the truly serious, webmasters/site owners will be looking for every competitive advantage they can find.They will still need to promote, build links and bring customers/visitors to their sites.

Their budgets may be reduced but I still see people searching for what they consider "quality" directories that will potentially offer the best ROI. I see directories coming under closer scrutiny and perhaps "iffy" directories being skipped over that a year ago probably wouldn't have been looked at that closely and made the "cut".

I know I'm feeling the pinch and I'm a lot more selective where I invest my $$$ now.

 

No it wont as some advertisers who had only used other methods will now look for cheaper alternatives, ie directories etc.

And any directory owner will bend a little to bait new submitters, lowering prices, using coupons, other incentives.

Hold on, rewind, rewind, actually it will affect things now because all it takes is a suggestion or rumour to convince people that something is happening.

You know that half of some things are not actually happening or not happening on the suggested scale but all it takes is people talking about it to create waves of panick and fear.

People actually shoot themselves in the foot.

Economic crisis, mortgages, banks being taken over is all a deliberate move to have 100% control over what you do.

The funny thing is people themselves create their own nightmare to live in.

BTW, directories are not really an "industry" more an internet marketing/seo method of many to choose from.

 

Google dictates how will the directories will do, not the current economics. During the Google PR "re-evaluation" period many of the directories that where doing okay, went down dramatically and most have not been the same ever since I don't think, but time will tell on what's to come on how the directory will do in this coming future. Directory like dirjournal is a prime example that directories still have a chance.

 

My opinion is we will have to wait and see because,

On one hand think it could increase directory activity due to the cost effective nature of directory marketing. On the other hand I can see submissions decreasing because of tightening budgets.

Either way what pipes said holds true in that advertising and running some specials via coupons could help entice some business.

Look at what the major retailers are doing right now to entice business for the holidays. There are more ads and specials than I have ever seen already running even before Black Friday hits.

 

The economic climate has an impact right around the world

However that should not stop innovators reaching out deeper into the global market

So yes, times are difficult but business still goes on, and the smart guys will find ways to ensure revenue is still generated,all be it maybe slightly less

But business is still out there ,and moreover lots of it

You have to keep pushing ahead

 

IMO Google is a more important element than the economic climate to impact internet marketing business.

 

Companies may reduce overall spending, but they need to buy advertising.

They can't stop it dead, or if they do - noone will find their website.

Advertising may become cheaper, but not by much!

 

in a way they might have to spend more as there aren't as many customers to go around so companies have to fight harder to get them

 

Quite possible.

 

I recently read somewhere that with IE7 there is some sort of problem with the affiliate tracking for some companies; ClickBank was one mentioned. You might want to check that.

It would seem that this will be a period where the directories based on providing a value/resource will survive, if not thrive. The cream will truly rise to the top as funds get tighter.

 

Its really hard to say, with all this proposed money, the us government is spending on these "bailouts" We may see everything start to move back in the right direction. That could change all niches..

 

Or maybe the USA government will be broke for many generations but they will have banks that still prey on home owners and auto manufacturers that pay employees $30 an hour to tighten four bolts on a seat.

A free market has a way of dealing with failing companies, and it is called bankruptcy. The politicians need to get a grip, quit spending the money of future generations, and focus on inserting a large enema in the marketplace to flush out all the crap. The more they try to bailout this company and that company the longer it will take the market to recover.

SEO is a long term process, so my gut tells me any dropoff in directory submissions will be short lived. The internet is an affordable medium to reach customers and organic search listings offer a superb value. Quality directories are positioned well to offer SEO Specialists the links their clients need.

 

Do you think a bailout is the answer? 1-2-5-10 years down the road, boom, the greedy system decides to collapse again...what another handout, I mean bailout at our expense? What do I really get from this except lower wages, and higher taxes? how many more must get murdered because of George w Bushes killing spree? How much more do we have to pay for? if you esitmate the amount of money already in this war with afgan/iraq, it would have been well more then enough to pay for a bailout times two.

so whats another recession or bailout...our kids, grandkids, great grand kids will just flip the bill, our govt is basicly saying so what....

 

Not so much the current financial crisis but I think google has had more of an impact on the directory industry.

 

Every sector has been facing crisis, i wonder why directory business will left out of it.

 

Web advertising/SEO spending is probably going to be the first thing slashed in a budget during a recession. Should've been a doctor

 

The 2008 financial crisis still effect me IMO it will effect more. Clicks, traffic remains the same but my paid submission revenues going down about %50. I believe that by the 2nd half of 2009 Most of country will be coming out of the economic downturn.

 

haha I love how politic this thread got. I kind of look at it like natural selection. the industry will be forced to change to meet the needs of the changing middle class. the strongest of us will survive and the weakest of us will have to get real jobs... heh man that would suck