Do Free Directories make money?

Hi
Free directories would make money only from advertising (homepage links/banners, selling email space and affiliate ad programs like Adsense).
But work/ time to review submissions is much more than paid directories as number of submissions is much more.
So is % of free directories that make profit high? Anyone know of free directories that make money?

Cheers!

 

DMOZ make money from bribes.

 

I think free directories are capable of generating revenue, however as you stated above, the income would be adsense and further advertising solutions. I personally don't know free directories that generate a good amount of monthly income, but I do believe there are some, yet most directories are paid (charge for review fees).

Meti

 

If your intention is to make money then I wouldnt recommend a free directory. Most all your traffic will be webmasters, webmasters do not generally click on AdSense ads nor will they often join or buy anything through your affiliate link.

Just my advice, but if you are wanting to make money a free directory will probably not do it for you.

 

If it is a PR4+ it will make some from main ads and link selling from main.
I am saying free PR4+ because the PR will self advertise it and bring you traffic( possible money)

 

haha...actually that is a faster approval/ review fee

 

Try adding some "adsence" ...to justify the cause

PS merry Christmas and happy new year to you

thx
malcolm

 

ya.... the attractive thing about free dir is the much bigger traffic IMHO is several times that of paid dir so can sell PR links on main page for higher price. Especially since can add Free directory to list of free directories circulated to manual submitters.
But daunting part is the amount of spam and submissions you have to review.

Same to you too... Have a prosperous and linkful 2008

 

My relatively new free business to business directory, B2Bsearch.org, does OK. I hand tweak each submission with anchor text, screenshots and keywords for better results and YES that takes time.

TLA ads sell out fast on directories and I'll be selling banner space from the site once it gains a little more PR/Traffic. For me paid banner ads, featured links, and TLA bring in the most revenue with Adsense and Chitika just as icing.

 

Any site can make money

But in directorys you have to invest a lot more and expect not huge revenue

You can add payed review olso
And adsense does bad on webdirectorys ...

 

free general directories don't make a lot of money, free niche directories do.

 

It's just depends on your strategy how to monetize your directory site's

 

Free general directories make money from adsens and selling sitewide links.
I have a PR3 free directory and make almost $5/month from it.

 

Agree on free general directories not making much money, and partly agree that a free niche directory may attract more traffic even though it is most likely going to be webmaster traffic. But a paid niche directory can be quite attractive to the owner, webmaster, and those seeking specific information.

Either way, I've turned to the niche side of directories and have found that there is much more profit and usefulness than with my general directory. I'm afraid that general directories have already seen their better days and think that if someone is looking to make good money with a directory, they better think niche.

Just my opinion..

 

You can earn from adsense,adversal etc.Some of the popular may earn from affiliates too.

 

Generally people are starting free directory submission to make high visitors and good PR. They will be started paid submission when it has good PR. Even I have also SEO friendly directory and I am doing same.

 

I agree that free niche directories would make money for you. but it takes time and a lot of promotion from you.
S

 

some free directories has paid pricing, for featured listings and fast approval. If theres someone fall to that.thats the time they get money . . .if they have huge traffics they can do advertising!

 

Free directories don't make much money as a general rule. But what i do get from my Free directories is free advertising for my Paid Directories, So they do make me money eventually i suppose.

 

That is nice strategy actually. Cannibalising your free directory to help paid directory