There is actually a far more conclusive test that will let you know poor directories instantly. Try searching on flower on a random directory in the Solicitations and Announcements thread and see what gets returned. Then see how they described their directory (I'm guessing they use the words "quality" and "human edited"). What's even more surprising is the directory owner will defend their terrible spam listings. To answer your question, it really is up to your discretion, but once you go down one path you really have to stick to it or else you'll wind up second guessing yourself the whole time. e.g. Well I added that niche website, this next one isn't as good but it's still a legitimate looking website so what do I do now? etc etc.. Extrapolate that further, and what do you do when that entire subcategory (car insurance) is filled with generically named "cheap insurance quotes" websites? Is that a useful page for people? I personally would end up rejecting anything I felt iffy about. Why? Cos it is my content and I'd rather be safe than sorry. Plus it makes your maintenance a whole lot easier, when you are just dealing with good websites. Don't be concerned that you are rejecting a majority of listings. Be proud that you aren't letting mediocre content rule your website/directory. If your instincts are telling you something, they are doing that for a reason
Exactly the type of site that I would not accept. Nothing but a lead generation site for an affiliate with no real content.
Most of the micro niche websites and affiliate sites I see have stolen content or articles that 5,000 other people are already using from article directories. Maybe because I'm a content writer, I have a better nose for iffy content but if the site uses more than an article here and there from article directories, it's out. If the content is stolen - it's definitely out. If it's an obvious affiliate site that offers no useful information - it's out too. I don't know who reminded me (might have even been Dan), but, one of the biggest things I've learned from these forums...Google has provided us all with a legal defense for denying inclusion to a site - there's no legal guarantee that any site has to list another. Granted a directory owner won't have access to the kind of legal power that Google does, but Google has already set that legal precedent. If, on the other hand, a site has a keyword stuffed URL and/or site name AND it has useful content I generally link to the site's name. I think sometimes folks worry too much about keyword-filled titles in directories. I generally just use the site's name. If the site name is something vague like Pink and Purple Links and they make jewelry, I typically use Jewelry by Pink and Purple Links.