Hi All, I have been trying to submit my sites to directories for more than a year and I must say, it is quite disappointing that if you submit your site to some 100 directories, you will get listed only into a handful of directories after waiting long for ages. I just wonder if these directories have some real visitors as well? or the people submitting to these directories are the only visitors. Is it not a complete wastage of time submitting your site to directories? Thanks
As I've said elsewhere, I feel that submitting to directories is still worthwhile (full disclosure: I run a directory). Otherwise why would Google bother to penalize directories for selling links? The fact that they have to manually punish dierctories employed in this practice should indicate that directory links must carry weight in Google's algorithm. Google likes links surrounded by similar links, and that’s the essence of what a page in a web directory is–it’s just a collection of links surrounded by similarly-themed links. In that sense, then, I still believe it to be a worthwhile practice.
Well in between posting this im submitting to directories right now and if i thought it was not worth it then i wouldn't but i continue to use them. Only a handful out of 100? what is your site about? can you show it please? Submit for backlinks, not traffic in most cases. If its free then submit and forget, it only cost you your time.
dirs. are nowadays used for getting backlinks, dont expect traffic from them in any case. The major benefit of dir. submissions is keyword stuffing.
I think that well organized, well edited and well maintained directories will supply good, targeted traffic. Not a torrent of it — but a bit. I've noticed that my directory puts out a bit.
similarly-themed links yes, but many aren't doing it. That's the problem. An old directory of mine sends at least 500 visitors to each client, and that's our most basic service offering. Many went down the wrong directory path years ago and nothing will change much - I don't think so anyway. Too many following the wrong herd, and it's tough to let go of what they have built up. But so what, it's just a bit of code at the end of the day and a few thousand $$$$$$ can turn that around quite easily - it just takes balls to do it. Like I say, it's tough to let go and begin again from scratch, but if you do and get it right, there's no end to the money you can make.
People submitting to these directories are the only visitors. Try to submit to the newly announced directories in the Solicitations & Announcements forum. The acceptance rate is quite good and a link is still a link so it's not a complete waste of time. Old directories (if they are still live at all) won't accept your links (especially free links) because nobody approves / disapproves submissions anymore. P.S.: you can start from here: 150 Free General Directories, Fast Approval [01 November 2008] (hopefully it's not too late)
I submit my sites to directories but rarely get traffic from them. I do get PR1/2 after submitting to 1000 directories. So I think directory submission is still worthwhile.
Submitters are only interested in and visiting for a freebie, if I'm not mistaken. Quality this and quality that, so spending a heap of your life approving others that will probably never ever pay you. I don't get this directory stuff, as the concept is totally flawed. It's set up for long-term failure, unless submitters are paying $100's to be listed (which I doubt). There can be little gain for directory owners unless they charge 100's, or point in being listed from a submitters view, unless it's dirt cheap or free. But people expect the free option and thus won't pay big fees for what seems to be just a weblink these days - and that's why these directories will only be hobby sites. The very few directories I know of that make 100's, are the big brands like Yell.com, not webmaster ones. The niche market is very different, however, it's difficult or near impossible to enter without expertise knowledge of the sector. We stopped submitting our company to all directories 2 years ago, we only use targeted websites now because the results are better. It's the way forward for us for certain.
For me submission to directories is one of the way to increase site backlinks and as of today it still relevant for SERP.
dirs. are nowadays used for getting backlinks, dont expect traffic from them in any case. and why is that. So people do realise that then, and the reason noone gets much traffic is because they aren't used much as a search tool: see it's just been admitted above what they are used for/what so many do - and I bet many are junk sites and directories. How is mass submitting of low quality sites by the masses adding value to directories. Simply it doesn't. Must be something in saying "I own a directory" - yeah, me and the other 20'000 suckers. So what. Apart from short-lived fun, all these are, are just directories filled to the brim with sites owned by kids, submitters, directories and pagerank chasers, hoping to manipulate search engine rankings. No wonder Google is handing out penalties I don't think I'm wrong. Spammers pure and simple.
go fuck yourself Oh that's very mature, very nice. Yeah, looks like someone's low website is obviously struggling for rankings and sales, and it hurts judging by the insult hehe. Sad isn't it, how many actually still think they have the greatest site on earth, yeah maybe - trouble is it's buried with 75'000 others all struggling too. Don't swear - it's not clever and never gets what you want from others. Go shaft yourself!
Dont take it personal, your in the directory section visited by directory owners daily, your bound to annoy at least someone. so just out of curiosity, what do you feel is the future for us directory owners?
IMO...directories are generally a good way to start...I've submitted several of my sites to directories over the last 3 years... however, you do have to be picky...you have to check to see their page rank and other ratings... I honestly don't know how relevant they are on today's web...times change...for instance forum communities used to be huge now it's almost impossible to have something like DP starting from the ground up...unless you have very deep pockets...social networking sites have all but replaced the value of forums... some people use automated submissions to directories, I always did each one manually because several articles I read said that that was the way to go and avoid getting tagged as spam... DMOZ still hasn't listed any of my sites...but that's OK...I think my sites are just as good as some I've seen listed...but that's just my opinion... whether they are still relevant or not...it's still a good idea to try to get listed on some of them...you never know, they could go through a revival of sorts and become very popular again.
This will always be difficult to answer because: 1. of what they are used for eg: spam submissions, backlinks etc 2. done to death, that any value directories once had is finished 3. searchers move on elsewhere 4. faster and superior websites are replacing directories 5. specialisation is the new directory/search tool eg: niche portals also, for me to answer this to satisfaction, I would be telling/giving up my ideas, and I would potentially lose my business, and I'm not about to do that. I will say that the future is way beyond a directory, and it's already going that way regarding web-design. To give up what forum members want eg: ( incredible powerful free promotional method ), Promotion, will need to develop further than single web-links and be totally, free and handed out virally to anyone, and I can tell you this will never ever happen. It's pointless either torturing oneself over this, as no website holding a powerful position on the web will give a bunch of wannabees such a huge advantage. Why would they - they won't. Web wannabees don't want to think, work or pay for anything - so it's no wonder they get annoyed when it doesn't work out for them. It's always better to have something unique, and that's the solution to vast traffic, power and wealth. Unfortunately few have what's needed to get there, and so all they know how to do is copy. Ofcourse what they don't know, is that the first one to do something will be regarded as the best, and the followers never really beat No.1....... despite what they tell themselves or others.
I give free links but handed out virally to anyone goes against my idea and yours of keeping quality so i need to decline where neccessary. I think, work and pay, my directories are one of a number of things that i deal with. Ive personally found that copying bits from here and there actually do make me money, copying others seems to work for a lot of people but i do realise what you are saying. A unique, crap thing is still a unique crap thing though, lol
Is hilarious though to read people talking about unique. If they want unique so bad what they doing even hanging on a forum. I always see so much anger from people regarding directories but they cant stop talking about them.
I too give something of value, but what I give in value probably goes way beyond what many are prepared to give. Giving free links totally, wasn't quite what I was getting at. The viral thing/idea gives the free thing, in return for placement on hopefully a related websites. Basically the same idea as a link swap, but for it to work on a large scale needs to be much more. Setting up an affiliate scheme is one way of doing this, but like anything else requires fairly large financial outlay, and probably won't work on a directory model. Well, hopefully something unique won't be crap, er it would defeat the purpose. Once again, creating anything unique needs decent cash outlay, has risk attached, but done right, is less risk than a fading web model such as directories. Something unique is more than a directory anyway, and isn't possible for someone average to do. You can get lucky with the right idea at the right time, but it rarely happens. And we have to take into account the types who start these directories, as that tells the story of what will happen to them. Ofcourse someone could get lucky I suppose, but it will still need tons of cash to make it into something, and it's just easier thinking of a new idea in the long term of things. Well, it's all they know about isn't it - it's ego with them. I reckon forums are ego-driven, but rarely are significant tips found on them. Nature of the beast I suppose. Money talks, bullshit walks hehe
Someone here gives a related, useful product away using that method. Not really sure who you are talking about regarding types and ego etc On a forum you can be whoever you want to be, create a false life, or multiple false lives. Im actually finding great tips, reading a section for the last week, i emphasise the words tips not secrets. DP for example has more information than a person needs, the meat is right here, just need to read and learn, make friends with people, build up trust, pass around a bit of business between trusted people. Forums are not for unique ideas, should do that away from forums.