Directory sites for sale

I get wondering about directory sites for sale at high BIN's.
Especially new ones just put up.
Now, domains cost about 8 bucks.
Directory scripts, from free (best is phpld) to cost a little (best is upgraded phpld).
Tons of templates, free.
Lots of category lists, free to minor cost.
So what is the attraction in setting up a directory and trying to sell if for high BIN's?

Maybe I, or someone, should start a service to build directories for people who want one?

Now an established directory with lots of links (not added by the directory owner) and some decent income, I can see those going for 6-12 times monthly earnings.

IMHO

 

You know, I have been wondering the same thing. Why are directories worth so much. I to have been considering building them for people. I have looked into some of the ways of marketing them so that they get PR fast and also bring in a decent income. The other day I just built my first template or modified template out of PHPLD and needless to say, the first time around it a bear for sure.

I would really be interested in someone with a good knowledge of what makes these things so valuable to let us know.
Thanks

 

directories are future investments.

 

exactly

 

I think directories AND domain names could be future investments.

At the rate .com domains are eaten up daily, i won't be surprised if supercarafragelisticexpialidotious.com will be up for auction for a U$1,000,000 soon

 

some buyers also considered for them the domain as premiums so they dont have problems with the BIN...

 

The simple answer is because some web directories that are well structured, well designed, and well maketed make ALOT of money.....

Remember, paid directories are all profit, so the ones that do well are worth their weight in gold.

 

My thoughts is that now this whole concepts of Page Rank and Link Building is getting very popular as a means of getting to the top of the search list, directories sites which is sort of a conduit for this link building exercise that it is becoming ever increasingly popular. Relationship even if they are paid ones are increasingly valuable.

Of course, quality links are important and not just any links so directory owners are now doing what they can to get up the PR food chain once they climb, listing on it becomes a priviledge which many would scrabble to pay big bucks for.

No longer are web directory listing free, they are becoming quite a money earner. Directory sites just have the capacity to absorb as much links as it is thrown without being over-saturated.

A normal typical websites may just have limited places to put in links or banners.

Now I could easily just acquire good domain names, throw in a boiler plate directory with categories and some listing and get good bucks for it. The beauty about this exercise is that all the directories could look the same and have the same contents and yet still have the kind of value-added appeal by virtue that they are directories.

No you don't even need to price it as 6 to 12 months profit. In fact, I've seen some day old directories going for close to $100 or more even when they do not even have the chance to be listed yet. The value is in the domain name.

 

How many of you actually use a directory site??? I’ll tell you this, the first thing I do when I see one of those is click “BACK” so fast that the page doesn’t even have time to finish loading. In my perspective they are a waste of time, space and just about everything else. Everyday I see people gobbling up directory sites here on DP and I still don’t understand why. Like iowadawg said the scripts are mostly free the domain $8, hosting you get deals for about $4 month. If all this is not enough most of them have only a few days at best and many DON’T HAVE ANY LISTINGS YET. Last but not least, people listen to me, 200 to 300 uniques per day SUCKS ok, any crappy site gets that nowadays.

Sorry about this but I really had to let it all out. I respect every DP member that wants to sell there sites but these are my thoughts regarding this matter.

 

IMO, the value of a directory is a combination of a couple of things. The domain, the unique design, and the niche it serves.

I don't see much value in "General" directories these days, although there are some successful ones, but given the right nich, a directory can be a resource, as well as an income source.

For me, it is mostly something I enjoy. I do build custom directories to sell, but I really enjoy it and it has become not only an income source, but a hobby. I have even given one to my 12 yo daughter to manage, and she likes it rather well.

I think the attraction of a directory for most people is that, even though they may not always bring big bucks in ads or payed inclusions, as long as it breaks the cost of hosting it is an easy site to manage and it almost "Builds itself."

 

IMO.

NEW directory sites are being sold at around $50 to $100 and I think that is what it should be sold at.. because.. the domain name costs $10, then work done in creating a design and template, work done in setting up the categories, some value in the domain name itself.. all these combined make a directory worth around $50.

Yes, they are good earners.. even if they are not.. people buy them to give deep links to their own sites, because most directories don't allow deep links. So they buy 10 directories.. and setup all deep links on them.

I hope I am making sense.

 

You can see the example at http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=70472

Isn't it worth the BIN price.
domain+name+adding_cat

 

hmm maybe there is some big business in this.

 

The service seems to be out there. See http://www.buywebdirectories.com/. It actually looks like a well designed business model.

My problem is the potential for someone to buy one of these sites, add a bit of data to the database and sell it, and sell it again and again... You end up with duplicate directories all over the place. In my opinion, Google won't go near them. A bigger concern would be the long-term harm that it could cause to directories in general.

In my mind, I'll be seeing red flags whenever I see one of these designs.

 

CanadianEh, you make an interesting observation. however, the key is to add some uniqueness to these directories if they have the same structure. this uniqueness can be in the form of some news, articles or some other rss feeds or something else. it is upto the directory buyer who can add this unique value in their own creative way. it is being said from the last 2 years that directories have been devalued by google but is it really true ?

 

From what I have seen, directories are doing quite well. There are some examples of directories losing their ranking, but who knows what the reason was.

My Blog directory was started in Dec. It has done quite well, and achieved a PR 5 very quickly. Granted, I am always adding something new to it, like the latest addition of Blog reviews, but there does not seem to have been any penalties from Google for it.

 

Same here. only positive experiences so far.

 

I think that I’m the only on this thread that doesn’t have a directory site!!!!

 

Time to start one or buy one

 

If the directory had a custom designed template, and custom designed category listing, it might be worth 50 bucks or more.
But look carefully at what is sold here and elsewhere...all boilerplate!
Certainly back to my original posting, not worth 50 bucks or more.