Are web directories still relevant for SEO in 2026?

Are web directories still relevant for SEO in 2026? I’m looking for some honest perspectives on this.

I’m currently managing a few projects and wondering if submitting to directories is still a productive use of time or just an outdated relic. Does the "link juice" from a niche or local directory actually move the needle anymore, or do search engines mostly ignore them now?

 

The main problem is that majority of the link directories are abandoned and approval on the links never come up. So from this perspective is waste of time. Not many links get indexed by Google from directories. On the other hand niche directories are still good.

 

The Reality of Web Directories in 2026
The thread correctly points out that most general directories are "outdated relics." Google’s algorithms have become highly sophisticated at identifying and ignoring "link farms"—sites that exist solely to host links without providing value to human users.
for Keyword Research

 

Yes, directory backlinks still work for SEO in 2026, but you must emphasize quality over quantity. They're not a "magic bullet," but they are foundational.

 

They are good for branding so I use them for that purpose but they don't really help with seo.

 

You should not rely on the directories for
the promotion through the search engines.

Instead, you should use the directories for
the promotion directly to the human public.

 

I think directories still has it uses. It's just not as powerful as it used to be.

 

I still use directories, but only the ones I’d actually expect a customer to visit.

 

Miss the good ol days of niche message boards like this *cough cough DSLreports *cough cough

 

You may want to opt for business directories that are indexed by Google and provide "dofollow" backlinks. At Voreu.com, we take our work seriously, and many of the companies listed with us are indexed on Google.
Our experience with business directories dates back to 2015. The Voreu.com project was conceived in 2023 and officially launched in 2026.

 

I agree with the split in this thread, and I think nicenic's test is the most practical one: only use a directory you would actually expect a customer to visit. That is where dartdesign's point about abandoned general directories matters most. If approvals never come and the pages are not indexed, there is no discovery value to chase, whatever the link attribute is.

For a local or niche project, I would treat a directory as a citation and discovery check, not a ranking lever on its own. Check whether its category pages are actually indexed, whether listings are maintained and moderated, and whether the listing shows complete details a customer could act on. The directory mentioned in the latest reply fits that narrower case on its own homepage: it presents itself as a verified U.S. business directory, says every company is checked by a real person before publication, and lets visitors search by category, state, and city. It also shows a fairly small current scale, 204 verified businesses across 50 states and 10 categories, which is at least testable. You can check whether a listing drives a referral or a branded search, instead of assuming the link alone moved anything.

I would still not submit the same site to dozens of general directories. Pick a small set that matches the niche or location, keep the name, address, and description consistent, and track referrals and indexed listing pages for a few weeks before deciding whether it was worth the time.

What indexed category or local listing have you seen actually send a qualified inquiry, rather than just showing up in a backlink report?