Now recently Google has been cracking down on Selling links and even buying links. Yet here is what i am worried.. What if you got a free paid link? would it be safe to use it? I mean what if google looks at it in another way? Also are Directories now even good? I mean could google look at them in a wrong way..
Some directories are good some directories are bad Read the STICKY at the top of this category to learn all about Directories Enjoy the read
I don't think directory listings are considered as paid links. But if u have a directory and try to manipulate search engines, then I guess ur in murky waters. Again, I'm not the definitive source of information.
If by chance your link in the directory is from a penalized directory you do not have to be worried about. It will in no way will be counted against you; it simply won’t be counted as a back link. Directory submissions to reputable directories are still a positive and productive step in marketing your website.
In my opinion I think directories are good. I think Google even tells us we can benefit by getting our sites listed in directories and the 2 examples it gives are 1 paid and 1 free. With that said, I would look for directories that have a relevant category for your website and submit it without worry. Thanks.
I agree that Directories are good. Just dont submit to too many that contain lots of links to Viagra or Pron sites// and you will be fine. Evem then Im not sure that big G would penalise you. Because it could have been submitted by a competitor....
I think the above post is true. I always believe that Google also thinks about what your competitor can do to you (like submit your site to link farms) and they just nullify or put little value in it.
Agreed. I don't think any directory listing can hurt you. It would be way too easy for your competitors to manipulate. The best idea would be to attain links from quality and reputable directories. These links can help you. Getting a free link may not harm you, but at the same time, it may not help you either.
Directories are one of the major source to find the good websites for search engines.They use it while displaying there search results. Directory submission provides back link . It has no any negative effect as steveb said As a seo point of view it is a simplest and effective way for good search engine ranking
Depends on the directory. Some are good, some are no so good. However directories are good if you want to increase your SERP's, however if you are expecting traffic then they are not so good.
I personally am not a fan. Too many outgoing links, too little content. It's frowned upon by search engines. I'm re-iterating this by the way, despite having taken a rep hit from some guy last time I said it. I'm re-iterating it because it's TRUE. hxxp://www.livedemo.com/scripts/nucleus/index.php?itemid=1&catid=1 (replace xx with tt if you want to view, but it may be too large and crash your browser) But yeah, sites like that carry no weight anymore. Too many outgoing links. It's all about link-spam protection, and other such schemes. Directories too got swept up, just to a lesser extent. Which is why I'm not a fan. If I want a medium-low quality link, I'll pump em out with xrumer, not sit around entering captchas for a fraction of the quantity. For more info, you can look up Spam-Mass on wikipedia.