If I were submitting to directories, I ensure that the page that I would get listed are indexed in google, and also the directory should be well categorized and moderated. This ensures that you are not submitting to bad neighborhood.
It's easy to spot the difference to be honest. Check the types of sites listed. Verify whether the title/description is stuffed with keyword(s). See if the site is listed in a relevant category...Link farms usually look like ugly dumpyards where you will find just about anything, good directories are selective!
So today, some "directories" can be classified as Link Farms, and Wikipedia's definition of what is a link farm, may need to be revised/updated to include some types of directories?
I always defined a "link farm" as just a site filled with un monitored links for the only propose of backlinks to manipulate the search engines. I have read the Wiki description before and I think it needs edited it is outdated.. it only talks about the late 90s web ring stuff. This is 2009 the internet has big link farms now.. run with auto bots who plant links all day and night.
The unfortunate reality is that google seems to treat many legit directories as link farms, non the less. As a result, there's not much difference between the two in their eyes, though the majority here know that is certainly not always the case!
link farms and directories are completely different, even the worst spam filled directories can't be link farms, unless they do the reciprocal linking with unrelated sites... for every listing they have on their directory...
ive given this example loads of times, some like it some dont! theres a round the corner hotel renting rooms by the hour! and then there are those 3* , 4 * and 5 * hotels where real people go Both are hotels, both accommodate guests, both charge you for living there! difference summed up in one word "Quality" M.
A directory is what you make of it really.. all carry tons of links. This is where being different is key when making one. Try a different approach and dont follow the ten gazillion others and see what happens.
I think a link farm is a service you pay, and they go put your link in ANY type of easy place they have set up. Some of those places may be okay directories, but other places may be "dummy" sites the service owns, just a place to throw up people's links, regardless of content relevance. I think this becomes a bigger problem when the Google bots notice that you have TONS of links in places that have nothing to do with your niche. That's when Google penalizes your URL.
This is what I think : A link farm is any group of web sites that all hyperlink to every other site in the group without specializes categorizing those links while a directory specializes in linking to other web sites and categorizing those links.
Link farm is sometimes more like niche directory than the general one. Anyway I would recommend avoiding such links for the better quality of your site.
When using a directory for a backlink, should the page rank of the directory make a difference? My website has a PR of 2 so I would want a directory with a higher PR, correct?