It seems like the in-thing at the moment is to have a directory. Or maybe a whole bunch. I was just wondering how that's working out for you guys who run any. I have 1 and it's doing ok. It was bringing in a low to mid $xxx or so a month on adsense but it's wavering off at the moment. It doesn't really worry me too much because the site is *really* slow and that's likely a good reason why it's dropping off a bit. I'm losing pages in G too. Anyone else seeing that with their directories?
I think as long as yo keep working on it, pages do not die. I have a couple directories, and it really depends on so many things, what works and what not. I have a PR3 that makes $200 a month, a PR4 that makes $100 a month and a PR5 that doe snot really make any money yet. But yes, they work.
I acutally think that directories will start to see a discounted link value in the near future. It seems that google is trying to clean up spam - once they've made a chink in that SEO armor - Directories are next. Especially well linked directories that are proped up by link networks. It was very apparentin the last SES Matt Cutts interview that link networks are being hit hard right now. Directories will be hit hard as link networks are cleared out.
I think it's easy for Google to devalue ranking benefits of directory listings - but are probably good for indexing purposes. Although I offer a paid submission service on the Platinax Directory, I also offer free submission - and frankly, enjoy people using it, because having a directory of quality sites can only be useful to the user experience - which is what I'm really focusing on now.
Right - I think that's the most important thing... I guess my thinking is that it's *really* not difficult for a search engine to filter out directories - for a start most run on the same software and leave footprints. Also from an SE point of view, it's pretty easy to filter out links from pages that use the structure *link* *description* *link* *description* *link* *description* *link* *description* *link* *description* *link* *description* ___ I never really got into the whole directory thing - just don't see the point really, but I do run one and it would be nice to see if people are seeing what I'm seeing on there (As a side note, it uses a custom script)...
That description could be any page with external links not just a directory, those 'footprints' appear in all different places. Directories appear to work fine to me overall, though I have never dedicated much effort to them as they dont generate much referral traffic usually, but for low level backlinks they are fine. They def. rank ok: http://www.google.com/search?q=business&hl=en&lr=&client=safari&rls=en&start=20&sa=N
I think Google has no problem filtering out directory links. For example, check out these SERPs: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=platinax&btnG=Google+Search The site is listed in at least a few dozen directories - most of which Google plainly does not regard important enough to list for that unique brand name.
That's pretty much what I believe to be the case. The big, edited directories, like Yahoo and Business.com will evade the link devaluations in my opinion but the dmoz clones will get stuffed.
Yeah, I've seen that... Took down a couple of whole sites too, even though the directory was just a small part of them.
The directories category in DMOZ just got it's PR back. This is a sign to me, to the better (speaking od directories usefullness) not to the worst, as Google may see it. Directories today (except Dmoz and Yahoo! and some other big ones) are just a source of IBL's. Nothing more.
I think that general directories will be the most devaluated by google algorithm because they usually dont get added value ... :-o Text link networks as co-op could be devaluated but spanish text link networks as webpositer.com or infortelecom.com will not be devaluated because google only work in english results and usa market ... :-o Webpositer was banned only 15 days for 2 year of spam work with hidden networks of text links and now they are in the first position for "Posicionamiento en buscadores" ( web positioning ) Do you think that is normal to get 40.000 home page text links in two years ?
Digitalpoint Ad-network has the same internal work. Only that all links that go to the webmaster tools, that Shawn has, have a rel=nofollow.
I think there are obvoius patterns of inflated back links when it comes to some directories. Those will be found and devalued. I can think of 2-3 directories that lost their PR8 or PR7 over the last year - atleast on their home pages. This is a warning shot from google, no doubt.
Scott, why do you say it's only easy to detect *some*? A directory is a directory is a directory - the format's pretty consistant.
Im saying that there are some directories that are built simply to be a PR farm, and those typically make use of many of the link networks. Google has really been cracking down on link networks and as google figures out who is using those networks, they will inevitably find several well ranking directories.
Check the google cache before submitting -- not apparent pattern, but lots that were in the cache are no longer. I think Google likes themed directories -- if you are in the business of crawling the web, wouldn't it be easier and faster to go where there are lots of sites on a particular topic all in one place?