hey there, I have seen some good directories do that. Is your directory listed in itself? I leave the one more "possible" quality backlink question aside
I dont see the point of doing it, tbh. Similarly i dont see the point of listing google, dmoz, goverment sites etc, like the public cant find those or they actually need the backlink?
I've not done it either but I can tell you many directories (and some good ones) have done that. I believe it's the owner's discretion to list ALL sites that he considers important to be part of the Index. As far as listing government sites goes, I have seen some good directories do that too...it could be a way to enhance the "value-add" of the directory itself and not necessarily the sites being listed.
Lets try to find what is the point Google's crawler will crawl directory and pick up links regardless because as far as crawler concern, it doesn't care if your or gov. sites in that Index and WMT clearly says that. As far as Google concern, a link is a link no matter where it comes from and if your directory passes link to Google then why not to give to G. what it wants. Your own directory as good as any site you list and I don't believe you have to be shy about your own site. Granted listing Google or DMOZ is kind of useless but other than that... everything goes. My 2c. fastreplies
Kind of hard to ignore those sites if you're trying to build a useful resource. I prefer to list credible and trustworthy sites over others when building out a category. I don't look at it as "promoting" the site when I add it. I'm not sure why it would be beneficial to list a directory in itself, and really see no reason for it.
I would have to agree, I too see no point into it other than possible and internal link. I have also noticed this being done in some of the directories, I guess one can only know when they do it themselves. As far as the effect it may have, I'm not sure any with come of it.
Just in case you have missed it first time around So, why don't you check WMT to see if there are links placed in your site to your own site listed in Links to your site Section? fastreplies
If they hope that they will somehow be immune or similar then its highly unlikely. Giving a backlink, or trying to give one, to a site that doesn't need one, isn't really necessary, it even looks lazy, deperate and unsure, like the owner couldn't be bothered to seek out some new unique sites and are unsure of what they are really doing.
I've hardly been an active directory owner lately but when I started by real estate directories I sourced a couple of entries for every category I created. I figured it was a free directory and I wanted it to look good from day 1 so it needed content. I wouldn't list Google (that seems crazy) but I did list Government departments when I found them.
With a niche directory i can understand this, especially if your listing something from those sites very relevant and thats helpful for visitors to that niche directory. Ive added sites myself to one of my directories especially, but steered away from the very obvious, an example would be categories where i just dont get paid submissions, like the forums category, so ive added them myself. I dont even list some of my own sites in my own directories and they are sites on different servers, different countries even. Listing my directory within my own directory would be nuts, listing google is equally as nutty to me. Im sure i listed the FSA (Financial Services Association) in one of mine, i feel this is acceptable, although a gov site, its focused at least, and not like im listing gov sites for each category.
The real question: does adding link to your own directory harms your directory overall value or not? So far I didn’t hear any factual evidence that says it does. Personal taste is bad substitute for a fact, which I’m surely if I can would like to hear. fastreplies
I think it would look odd to the search engines and feel that anything that they see as odd can lead to problems, things like that and interlinking, heavy nofollow use etc, if it hints at manipulation and looks unnatural then it cant be good.
I doubt the search engines could distinguish between a "directory link" to your home page and a "logo link" to your home page - except that on one page there would be the second link. For SEO purposes I doubt this is worth consideration.
Thank you Sarah, that was exactly what I'm saying. Crawlers are blind when it comes to who they are crawling. All they know is how to recognize links if they stumbled upon one and that is as much as they ever going to care about. One thing is for sure, it won't heard your site SERP fastreplies
Well you Ask other Quality sites to get listed in your Directory and if you dont list yours what does that mean Anyways, You can do it. There is no harm. And it is again a link back to your main page. If you check Google Webmaster tools there is a section called Internal Links. Google does appreciate an Good Internal Link structure so that the bots can crawl easily.
I'd suppose internal links would mean how interlinked (link structure) and navigable the pages of your site are and not really anything to do with getting listed in your own site
Exactly my point. We have 2 different subjects that shouldn't be placed in the same basket. fastreplies
There is no harm to list your directory in your directory so yes you can do it even if there is no use but still it will not harm your directory so no risk of doing that. Thanks PHYza
I've listed my own directory within itself, however, I am a developer, and it's strictly for developmental purposes. I most certainly wouldn't use a paid submission to 'test' and 'develop' with, that's for sure.