Guys, We all know duplicate content exists, however I have no experience with directory submissions. If you submit the same description to say 300 directories, does Google show 300 links in Webmaster tools? I know this must be quite an unusual subject purely because the description/title field for directories are limited and surely there aren't that many variations you can do manually. Anyone with any experience in this field.
There are many variables and it's impossible to say if all the links will show up. If you submit to 300 directories there is no guarantee they will all approve your site. It also depend on the directory itself and whether it's well indexed and can provide a back link that will get indexed. Over a period of time yes, you should start to see most of your directory backlinks. Like you stated there's a limit to how you can vary your descriptions so at some point you will be submitting duplicated descriptions but IMO that's not a problem. Also, many directory owners will edit and re-write your description and that helps a bit too. This is my method. I use a semi automated submission tool where I have 6-7 different anchor text and descriptions and each time I submit my site it rotates to the next. I have submitted to hundreds maybe thousands of directories so my descriptions do get repeated but it's never been a problem or issue.
Double the content there, but Google says I have to double if the content adds some additional utility of the other do not have it seen as OK content. When is the application of the directory as more predecessor said, should have more titles and descriptions, it is important for ranking in different terms. On where to find your application You will be listed with many other applications, so that does not mean that the other take care of it, and I do not know why we care.
if you don't bother to make the article unique every time you submit it, you're pretty much wasting your time. the reason is well known, although if you don't know (and can't figure it out for yourself - its pretty simple) ask.
You should try to write more descriptions. Directory listings pages can more or less avoid these penalties because they have many different sites listed in different order. But detail pages will invariably get filtered out. The directories are getting hurt more in this exercise.