Simple question really. When you start a new directory do you populate all your categories with at least one website before you announce it to the public. The reason i ask this is simply because with my latest directory i set up the categories and then left it for Google to index. After 3 weeks Google had indexed only a hand ful of my directories pages so i decided to add one website to each of my categories. The result was after 24hrs every single category on my directory was fully indexed in Google. So do you populate your categories first OR is it something you should really consider doing.
A good point. Your own results seem to show that it is worth the effort. Adding some unique content to your site is never a bad idea.
very good point. Besides directories are lists of websites, what's the point if they are empty. Also, more listings show a stronger directory and more reasons for new submitters to submit their website.
If people are not prepared to put the effort in then people should`nt be running directories. I took me 2 weeks of searching and selecting the right website for each category.
I wish your were in the majority. Unfortunately, the vast majority of new directories are crappy. To make it worse, many people duplicate the crappy directory a hundred times.
and that is the problem the directory section is currently undergoing, hopefully things will change sooner rather than later. I did`nt build a single backlink to my directory nor did i tell anybody until i had finished working on it which was 7 weeks after i installed it.
Every time I add a new category I populate it at the same time with at least 2 or 3 good quality sites.
There's video around here somewhere from Cutts and he asked a similar question about directories. I can't remember his exact language but it was something alone the lines of do directories find and list sites themselves or do they just wait for submissions. Not sure how anyone would know one way or the other but to answer your question, yes, I actively look for sites to list or if I simply run across what I think is a good site I may add it. I think it's not only important with a new directory but with others as well.
I also try to write custom meta descriptions for top categories. I would like to do that for all of them but the revenues don't justify this much effort )