Tired Of So Many Bad New Directories

Every day there are a ton of dropped domain (with high PRs) or directories with domain names that has nothing to do with directory or new directory owners that think they'll become a millionaire by making a crappy directory...

Maybe we need to get a place for older better directory owners to get together, evaluate old and new directories and share experiences... DP's directory section (IMO) has become too crowded with new wanabies.

Don't get me wrong I once was a newbie myself and still have a lot to learn, but I'm willing to put the time and effort to learn. I feel a lot of new dir owners aren't willing to do that.

(also when i said "we" need to get a place, I didn't mean that I'm an old pro directory owner either. Well, old but not quite pro.)

 

Even directorycritic and add url are now posting crappy directories. No list of good directories is available now

 

What you said doesn't just apply to directories, it applies to every field. When people see money in one niche they're bound to think they can make some easy money to and create and copy sites in the niche that are of lesser or dubious quality.

It's annoying but not that big a deal. All directories die, some die sooner than others. They either get hit with a penalization for selling links or they lose PR or they become devalued as link farms, that's why there's always a need for new blood in directories. Most of the new directories won't survive the first pr update and will close down or die out for one reason or the other, the good ones will live longer - but eventually they'll die out when the time comes.

Just look at big directories like Aviva that are dying, and that just means there's room for more directories to take it's place. The bad ones will die out, the good ones will stay for awhile - it all balances out.

 

i think getting listed in directory is a time consuming work social bookmarkign is the better option

 

i think getting listed in directory is a time consuming work social bookmarkign is the better option

 

You think wrong Submitting to social bookmarking is as time-consuming, if not more than, submitting to directories.

Back to the OP, I think there is nothing much we can do about it; however I would love to see some serious directory owners get together, do a pow-wow and do something for the benefit of the industry as a whole. I wonder what happened to that Directory Owners Union idea?

 

I think a bigger issue currently is that people are using the genuine directories less now, i mean directories that have aged a little, that always were directories from the start.

Time would be better spent creating awareness for those for potential submitters to use but currently theres less money to spend.

I think the new ones often get flipped anyway dont they, its just someone or a few making some quick cash on that, and from what im aware people do that with other types of sites anyway.

Theres actually more decent paid directories available than most submitters need and im sure that submitters know where to find them, its basically down to a lack of money that will stop them being used as often.

Maybe directories have had their day? maybe those suggestions are right now, everyone now seems more interested in the fad methods of promotion, i see people over the last few years jump from one fad to another.

In no particular order: myspace, digg, stumbleupon, facebook, twitter....

 

what is the problem of bad directories the more the merrier. if you apply for one then get enlisted then if they get big you are a winner however if they get closed then you didnt loose a thing so no biggie. and the problem is it doesnt need alot of coding to create a directory that is why there are so many

 

This type of thinking is exactly the problem that we're talking about

 

Me too, I am tired of directories and more directories, there are only a couple of good a reputable directories, such as: Yahoo, Dmoz, Business, Best of Web, and a couple of more.. sitepoint maybe, but not many more.

True, there are many dropped domains! The easy way is creating directories, but really I did not understand it, when someone find out a dropped domain they must to see around archive.org, and learn about the old site, then you can build a related site about the old site, doing it you have less chances to loss the backlinks (and loss the PR) and you have more chances in the future (if your main goal is sell links) to sell links, our doing linkbuilding, etc, etc,

I know buy a drop domain and build a directory is the easy way, but if you spend time and money (I mean build a new site, add content, work on the site) in the near future they will earn more money.

My 2 cents!
Jakomo

 

Dan @ IVS has been consistent in supplying a quality directory list with solid listings standards.

I personally don't have the time or desire to perform a thorough and complete inspection of each free directory I add to my list. If the directory has plenty of categories, allows free submissions, and is easy to navigate/submit, chances are I will list it if my submissions are accepted. Directories bloated with ads, trojans, frames, using anothers DB, etc., are permanently banned whether or not they were previously in my list.

Quality is a subjective opinion and standards vary from one person to another. Empower the submitter to make their own decision and that is the best one can do.

I will say that operating a free directory is a failed business model, except in some rare cases. These directories typically have no revenue to hire editors, add the features visitors and submitters want, and are unable to gain any real exposure.

If you are looking for high quality in a free directory, chances are you won't find it...

@ Slincon

Aviva is not dying. If you look at this statistic, you will see Aviva actually is doing the best it has in the last year...

 

Yep - good example here - linkencyclopedia dot info and linkcougar dot info

This person is pumping out directories like this on .info domains by the hundreds... Same template on nearly all of them with just slight changes to the logo to accomodate different domain names.

Just garbage - and people wonder why these script companies should not be giving out free versions. Free versions of directory scripts with free templates allow someone to pop up worthless spam filled directories that offer nothing in value by the thousands. It is sites like these that give people the impression that directories have no worth. Owners of quality directories or those who care about the product they put forth should no longer support or promote directory script companies offering free versions imo.

A quality directory built with uniqueness, care, content, great features and on quality scripts can have immense value.

Spam directories built on dropped domains or free scripts with free templates offering free links made for the purpose of flipping, getting .05 a day off a random adsense click or whatever are worthless imo.

You can see the posts here every single day of people promoting their great free directory list or looking for free directories and the next poster down is wondering why only 7 links have shown up from that 1000 directory submission service they ordered and labels directories in general as not worth the effort. Well duh..... Just like there is a difference in quality between my BMW and my Ford there is a difference in quality between directories which is not measured in page rank.

It is almost funny to watch the directories which pop up in dp or sitepoint for sale - the first thing nearly all of them say is oh " I never monetized it" but with a little effort you can reap huge profits... Need to sell for my next project..... ( which just happens to be the next garbage directory they can throw up )

Speaking of throw up - Thinking about this has me on the verge so I better stop now.

 

i completely agree with the op...i used to visit the solicitations subform a lot..now i only do it when i've got no other way to procrastinate (like right now!).... i often chuckle when i see 'free new PR4 directory'

 

I thought about this quite a while ago and decided not to do it for a couple reasons. I mean it would be simple enough to put up a vbulletin script with a secure login then only distribute it to invited members but....

Don't have the time to devote to it - limiting membership would also limit interaction and it is tough enough to get an open forum going ( Mikey knows ) - In most cases the people I want to interact with I can either call, IM or email directly.

 

Id like to ask you all though, if today all of these less desirable directories could be exterminated and no more were created, do you feel it would make a difference to your own directories? business wise.

I personally dont think it would make a difference.

And realistically the dropped domain sort are not going to stop appearing.

 

in the end, i don't think the less desirable directories make a difference...except in this subforum here at dp which has become full of these dropped domain instant directories with a life expectancy of a few months... i agree that the dropped domains aren't going to stop appearing...i just honestly don't understand why people try the dropped domain thing...any more than I understand why other people bother submitting to those dirs

 

YES it would! Educating clients on the value of quality directory submissions is difficult enough on its own. Add to that all these low quality directories filled with spam that offer no value for their listings which potential clients see and you can understand why some people feel that directory submissions offer no value.

They feel that way because they may have submitted to thousands of free directories through a submission service using duplicate descriptions and anchor text. Submitted to directories thrown up on free scripts with free templates on .99 cent .info domains that have not been promoted or customized with features and content to add value for listings.

They feel that way because these thousands of worthless directories thrown up on free scripts with no features or content, no promotion with owners that have no idea on editing are no longer valued by search engines. They don't understand the difference in quality between those worthless directories and quality ones that search engines do value.

They also dont understand how to tell the difference between quality and garbage. Even in this thread someone mentioned page rank. People page rank does not matter in a directory - In any quality directory the listing is not going to be on the index page anyway and that is where the best page rank resides. There are probably a couple hundred better ways to define quality in a directory than page rank.

Realistically none of them are going to stop appearing because the people who build them rely on submitters not knowing the difference.

 

Regarding PR, still a few SEO guys who wont touch a directory with no PR, they are of course working in the SEO area but they are not interested if you haven't got PR, my personal experience has been this, also the same for a few others i know here too.

Apart from that i know that some submitters dont mind the lack of PR, i guess spending a few thousand on some reasonably priced directories appeals to them more than say PPC for example.

The ones that people dont want are also here at a time when its too tempting, even though people know why they are being built, a lack of funds will have people looking towards those tons of poor quality directories, either for the free links, very cheap featured or dirt cheap sitewides.

And if someones into flipping other types of sites too they will use the "to be flipped" or "milked" directories to grab a little pr within 3 - 6 months to quickly sell on their sites.

Id say most submitters know the difference, especially if they found them here, i think its a case of lots of people think short term, get in make the money get out.

Understandably it makes others angry if your holding onto a directory and your loyal and all but it doesn't reward you, i can see the frustration.

I just cant see anything changing though.

 

Yes, it's down to the directory script owners to not make free versions. If they made a try and buy model or basic paid model 95% of the crap would go. In the absence of free scripts the industry would improve as only more serious people would create directories.