Test to see if directories are still worth it.

Has anyone actually tested out if directories still in terms of SERP? I keep reading articles and threads on how PR for directories have gone down. Would the decrease in PR decrease the effectiveness of directories? Common sense would say yes but does it really render these directories obsolete?

I am conducting a test as we speak to see if directories still effective. Be back in a week or two hopefully with some kind of results.

 

Look forward to your results, for a long while now PR and directories don't mix anyway, some still can not get past PR and price / directory thinking, but many have.

The effectivness of directories can not also be put in a one size fits all basket, with many better directories soon taking leaps forward and the spammy directories falling into the deep mud holes.

The study would be like studying any site site type, quality will always win.

 

If you do a test yourself you know for sure, the articles hopefully mention the other, non directory sites that have gone down too.

Im not sure how changes in PR would render anything obsolete.

 

For ranking, directories offer the best bang for your buck. PR does not really have an effect on anything especially since the latest fiasco by Gooogle.

 

I have been a member of forums.seochat.com since Dec. '06 and used to read some threads and posts.

Most people over there despise PR and directories. But what happened is - seochat forum is now PR4 despite not selling a single link.

I would just like to see the DEATH of the TERM SEO mad:0 -- all those who claims to be SEO go after PR- but they never acknowledge it.

So is with directories.

@OP - just tell me where do you find enough organic links for 100s of sites within few months time with link-baiting!!!!!!!!!!

If one is not SEOMOZ/SEJ/SERT/SC/WPN/ or PNA -its very difficult to manipulate digg/slashdot and other social media sites for organic links for hundreds of your clients' sites.

They are so scared (coward0 that --although they buy links for their clients they have no heart t acknowledge it as they are too scared of G.

IMO-- the solution lies quality web directories which have editorial integrity and are recognised by G.

web directories are the only way to get some quick quality links and get your site indexed by SEs.
If one is looking for huge direct traffic from directories- than he is just fooling around with himself. Its more a cumulative effort.
As i have been maintaining since last one year-- the PRIMARY ROLE OF WEB DIRECTORIES IS -- to help sites GET INDEXED AND RANK- unfortunately, this view is not held by most of my fellow members as they are busy to try and manipulate G SERPs and boost their achievements whih are detrimental to their industry--
thants all

 

Yes i did, As long as a website is not penalized, everytime someone submit my network (60 high quality pr4 directories) they get a huge boost in their rankings after 1 to 3 months, especially when they use they targeted keywords as anchor text, so yes directories are stronger than ever.

 

I agree. I don't understand why it is taking some people so long to figure this out. Directories has been and always will be the number 1 source for links. Sure, you can try and do some of the other stuff as well, but if you want to get indexed faster and rise up in the search engines then directories are your best friend.

Have a look at this and tell me if directories are still worth it: This detail page (Christening Bracelets ) ranks #25 on google for the keyword "Christening Bracelets" not bad considering that there are no links pointing to it execpt the ones in the directory, oh, and now this one that I just posted.

So if you ask me I would say directories are still more than worth it.

 

I just wanted to add that web directories still and will always play a big role in the league, web directories are a great way for webmasters to gain exposure to their web sites and not to mention they are extremly helpful for net users so there are no reasons for Google to keep penalizing them, as it wouldn't make sense.

- Meti

 

Thanks for everyone's input. I personally hate the whole PR and directories shindig as well. However, i needed more concrete evidences to prof to my boss whether or not that directories are worth submitting to.

 

You can always look up some web sites listed on high-quality, indexed web directories and you should see that the listings on a web directory tends to rank very high on the search engines.

- Meti

 

Thanks for the advice Metti. I dont doubt that directories work and in the past they worked quite well. what i need to find out is if anythings changed since October when Google penalized some directories and also lower the PR of many sites that were selling links.

 

Yes a lot has changed, many good directories are now including many added features and providing even more bang for your buck, these directories are easy to spot, the quality is there.

On the other foot many other direcories have gone down the toilet with crappy editing, poor maintainance, many free * directories now are just traps for people where the owner does not care who joins so long as they can boost numbers for thier spammy ad campiagns and really the directory title is a front for the crap.

just take your time and ask yourself this question, would you like your business to be seen in this directory, answer yes, submit, answer no run for the hills.

 

I think that *some* directories are worth it. But to me, that includes only 15-20 of the top ones. Beyond that, I think the rest are a waste of time and money.

/*tom*/

 

I agree with the above... Some have been really helpful for me, others are a total waste of time. It really really depends...

 

I am now starting to like Directory section of DP. I like how responses changed towards directories, for the past few months. I am glad that people actually think before posting.

 

I think it helps if you break it down, rather than looking at directories as a whole. Not all directories, or types of directory, were penalised. In other words, is there a difference between bidding directories, thin general directories on a common script, niche specific directories, fully paid directories, and so on?

If your boss allows you a small budget to test the impact of advertising on directories you will probably learn more by putting them into categories and using different landing pages to test your results.

 

I applaud your investigative spirit, but feel the goal is overly broad as stated. It's really hard to design a rigorous test when it comes to cause and effect for SEO/SERPs. Take care with your assumptions and conclusions!

It would be interesting to know (when the experiement is over) exactly what was done and what results were achieved.

 

We get a lot of back link at the directories thats why its worth.

 

once again thanks to everyone for their advices. I will be back in a few weeks hopefully with some kinda result. I have set up some guidelines for my experiment and details to come in the near future.

 

I will be expecting your results, I think they can come to good use for web directory owners.

- Meti