Depressing to approve links now adays!

Hello,

I dont know but I dont visit/work on my directory much "even if its an authority one in google"!

Yet when I visit it once in a million years, its just spam links or good links submitted by idiots!

Webmasters no longer know how to submit links, titles and descriptions are not meta keywords for the love of god!

A seo firm submitted their link in the "Top Sites" category, shows you how expert these guys are in seo!

The list goes on and on, making the life of a directory editor, a living hell. You need to go through hundreds of links, just to approve one or two or maybe none!

All of you submitting your links, please follow the submission guidelines before you submit, do it and the chances of approval would jump to 99%!

 

Automated submissions are a big part of the problem.

 

Have you taken any measures to curb automated submissions?

Filter IP's, and write your code to disallow automated submissions. Use a spam database to get a good starting point for lists of IP's to ban. Ban any additional IP that has done an automated submission, require a CAPTCHA, and periodically change your submission URL. When you ban an IP, report them to a spam database.

 

You do that and CanadianEh will post in his list next to your directory "Not recommended".

Are you asking me why would he do that?
Well, because he is one of those SEOs who submits keywords stuffed titles and descriptions
and when he gets blacklisted for spamming, he turns in raging idiot who will say stupid things
about one of the best directory with highest editorial standards just to satisfy his sick ego.

Am I making this up?
You be the judge and take a look at what he is "Not recommend" http://www.amray.com/searches/new/
and tell me if you see any spammie listing.



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So sad but also so true.

The absolute worst offenders are the so called and self appointed SEO experts. I often find myself rejecting quality and useful sides due to the absolute garbage, keyword stuffed submissions. More often than not this junk is submitted by someone using a gmail email address. I have noticed a marked reduction in this crap since banning submissions with SEO related phrases in titles and descriptions an am on the verge of banning any email containing typical submission spammers email addresses.

I active look for (and will give discounts) to those services willing to do things the right way.

It is partly our fault for not actively exposing the link farm/directory network operators for what they are.

I have recently started using a script which has some wonderful spam fighting and pre-filtering options which has cut the time required to filter the cesspool originated submissions.

 

How about we write a code to require the submitter to have an email from the website hes submitting?

If your submitting your website test.com, your email should be

Your thoughts?

 

Charge for listings even if it is just .99 most of the spammers and auto submitter target free submissions.

 

That is a good way to put a stop to things. I did it as a test while back and I can't mention in polite company many of the names I was called.

While it can put a screeching halt to the spam scum bags I have mixed emotions because of the large number of good submissions from those using gmail etc. (I personally think using those for business is asking for trouble).

I am now using a script with some awesome filtering abilities which works quite well and has cut my review time dramatically.

 

While in principle I think requiring the email to match the domain is spot on, it would eliminate probably 1/3 to 1/2 of my listings. Many great blogs and shops are run on shared sites - think Blogger and Etsy.

For a while, I considered emailing the real victims, the site owners who hired these SEO charlatans but figured it would be a waste of time.

I have it a bit easier than most of you running niche directories - I can delete alot of the spam simply based on the title.

My favorites are the ones who submit unrelated sites to my directory, submit them to one of the better categories and then email multiple times mentioning that they have gone ahead and put a link on their site to mine and asking when can they expect to have a live link.

Harkster, what's the script you're using with the spam and filtering tools? Is it part of what runs your site or an add-on?

 

SBD. He has done a good job developing spam fighting tools. My time doing reviews has been cut by more than half. Much of the worst stuff never makes it to the review queue. I am using it on Yo. I am also extremely strict and often my decision is made by scanning the title and description and his risk assessment information.

 

I saw on Dan's forum that they have a big new release out. Looks like it offers a lot more than the software I'm using. I'm getting a bit tired of having to customize new versions to break them in order to get back functionalities that were available in the old version or at least worked in the old ones - like sending confirmation of submission emails whether I turn them off or not and now "suspended" listings are being marked as banned. I don't call something a successful upgrade if stuff that worked in an earlier version is no longer available or doesn't work. sigh.

 

We're using that since 2003 but there is very little help if idiots never bother to read
submission guidelines and continue to submit sites we are blacklisting by hundreds every day.



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I found a funny knol over a the phpld forums, the title is - Why Owning a Web Directory Sucks and in it the guy says:

It really made me laugh, I owned a free directory a few years ago then sold it for $50 because I could not take the spam.

Here is the entire article:

http://knol.google.com/k/why-owning-a-web-directory-sucks

 

If you are using features like captcha plus banning IP addresses and common spam words, you shouldn't have this problem. Now if you only login to your directory once/month, most likely you will see some spam.

But remember that having a quality directory is not just about waiting for submissions to come to you. If that is all you do, the quality will not be there. It is like having a messy house, throwing a party, and then complaining that your house is messy. But if you are attracting quality visitors (not just submitters) you are going to be talking about a completely different situation.

 

Don't even bother guys this is just syndicated content. BAN PLEASE. This original article was featured on a variety of different websites. No use in wasting your time.

 

They posted this on the phpLD forum, and I'm glad they did. It is good to have this discussion. While there are ways the software could be improved to help slow spam (and we have some awesome stuff coming in early 2011 just for that), there is also this idea that you can throw up a directory and wait for people to give you money without also making the directory a quality website. People are still making money with low quality directories, and as long as that is possible, people will do it, but it will be good to see some directories that shine because they clearly care about their content. When you care, it shows, and you attract more of what you seeking to yourself.

 

i abandoned my directory for this cause. i tried to closed its registration but those registered ones kept submitting craps.
they submit articles from other directory and the link is different.

 

I would temporarily shut down all submissions until the users spamming you have their usernames suspended and their ip addresses banned.

Believe it or not there are some directory owners who ONLY manually add links themselves and makes hundreds or thousands per month. An example would be someone selling in their community. You'd be surprised how well this "old school" approach stil works.

 

@dvduval

(A little off topic) It's good to see you around here, David. It's been a long time...I hope you had a nice Christmas.

Best wishes for the New Year!

 

It "appears" they are not putting up with as much BS on this forum as they once did. There are some spammer types getting through (almost on topic to this conversation), but people being mean to each other is harmful to the people involved and the people around them.

Best wishes to you and your family too this holiday season!