I have been considering making up a directory on the internet as a website , probably a general directory categorised into many subjects unless someone can suggest a few topics which are more popular & likely to get more traffic. I know a directory can be a lot of work (a good one). I am not sure though how a directory gets its links or do you exchange links with other websites or other directories. If anyone can explain this I would be grateful. Thanks Craig
Hello, first of all, I'd like to point out that the Internet is littered with spammy web directories. Creating one is mostly pointless. They are heavily targeted by major search engines as they are usually major sources of link spam. To answer your question, web directories usually get their links when a person who has had their website accepted on to their directory links back to them, usually with a small image. A lot of web directories force a link back to them when the person is submitting their website.
Read the "You should not start a web directory" sticky post at the top, and if you find quite a few of the reasons are attributable then don't start a directory. If you are beginning a general directory it's hard slog. It's going to get between 200-1000 spam submissions per day that you are going to have to go through or find a system that allows you to weed out the good from the bad very quickly. A niche directory will be less work, and will also gain less submissions but may be more worth your while. If you have particular knowledge or expertise on a topic or subject area these usually make the best niche directories, especially if you also have a website with content on it already pertaining to that expertise.
I've been reading a lot about setting up local directories lately. Would that face the same problems as you posted for Craig? I know the back-end is going to be a lot of work, but thought since it's smaller and less likely to interest spammers it might work.
Yes, local directories seem to have gained some flavour in recent months. People are starting to see not just the NAP benefit but also since they tend to rank there is also a reputation management/trust building benefit (especially if they have reviews). Any website that has a submission/registration process has the capacity to be hit by spam. A general directory really only gets hit more because it exists in more places (i.e. by its nature it will have more links pointing to it). Its popularity rather than its type causes the dilemma, though the two are associated. If you created a local directory that gains popularity, it will attract spammers.
Thanks Silencer for the quick response. Sometimes a good idea in daylight isn't a good idea after all. Though it seems if it were narrow enough, like only doctors in a certain city...or would that be considered not a directory. Maybe I'm confused about what a directory is supposed to do other than get backlinks and traffic. Will let others more experienced do them, keep my bunny rabbit self away
Think about it this way...topically, any site can be submitted to a general directory. Way more spammers are going to visit. A niche directory, by it's very nature, should be open to only sites within that niche. While some idiot spammers and SEO firms will give it a go anyway, niche sites get far less garbage submissions.
I don't think you are confused at all. By definition a directory is an alphabetical or classified listing of names or other data. If you are collating all doctors from a particular city in one place, you are building a directory, even if you decide to call it something else
I thinks that it is quite difficult to make a directory a successful website. But if you achieve this goal you can have a good truffic and lots of visits. I have made y own directory, but I tried to be specific, so I have made a web map in addition to my directory, where all websites can be displayed. The site is not popular yet but I have registrations time to time!
No need to confused. It as simple as 1,2,3, you just create your directory and owners of directory of directories will catch you soon, and you will get traffic with no time. Hope for the best.
Hi ktp2012 I am not quite what you meant by LOCAL directory - do you mean on one particular subject , just a lot of areas in that topic or many topics e.g. travel , photography , health . Could you please explain it so its easier for me & others to understand. Thanks Craig
What I understand from a Local Directory is mean "A regional directory" for a particular country or city.
Best bet? Buy an established directory. No need to re-invent the wheel, or scrape old content, or come up with a new niche'. There are plenty of good directories out there and several that could be really good with a little work. At this point starting from the ground up is going to be a futile effort at best. Honing an existing directory and making it better would be where I would start.
I would also suggest buying an established directory is your best bet. Building a new directory from scratch requires aknowledge of the industry, scripts available, the customizations that you might need, and a good amount of upfront investment.
don't spend your time on building directory. All you get is auto-submissions, traffic from China and India. you will not make any $ from it.
Really? I wish you would have told me that before I built my directories and started make all this cash
Lucky you. I build my directory about 4 years ago and making pennies. Taking into consideration that Google took all the rankings from web directories, paid submissions is waste of money. Soon or later more and more people will realize that. My point is web directories is not long term investment. It is like investing in blockbuster nowadays.