Is niche really it for directories?

I'd say that based on my limited experience the niche directory has far more traction in the various search engine serps and based on observing google analytics, gains far more non web master traffic. The keywords indicate that anyway.

 

So let me run this by you.

Is it just that it is easier to achieve the better seo benefits you are talking about with a niche directory than a general directory?

I mean couldn't those same seo results be achieved in a general directory if each niche within the general directory was thought about and promoted as its own niche?

 

OK, since my site is crafts related, I'll stick with the earlier example of knitting.

On a general directory, a knitting site typically will either be able to submit to Arts & Humanities > Crafts or Shopping > Crafts. In either of those Crafts sub-categories, that knitting site will be lumped in with painting, pottery, and all sorts of other types of crafts-related sites.

On a niche directory like mine, within the Knitting section, the site owner can select what sort of knitting site they have and submit their site to a specific sub-category. For the sake of example, let's say that the site in question offers free knitting patterns. So, their site would be listed in Knitting > Free Patterns.

Now, which directory do you think has the best chance of sending that site the most targeted visitors and provide the most SEO-useful link? The one with one knitting pattern site amongst a painter, two potters, and several jewelry sites? Or the page that might only have a handful of listings but ALL of them are related to knitting patterns?

What do you think the chances are of the general directory's crafting page ranking for knitting terms vs my directory ranking for knitting terms?

 

As to traffic, it is very true that most niche directories see far less traffic than the general ones do. What percentage of a general directory's visitors simply submit their site(s) and leave? Only a small percentage of my traffic is submitters, which means most of the people coming to my site are looking for information and are actually visiting listed sites and clicking on ads (yeah, I know some have to also be returning to the search engines without doing either).

From what I've seen, niche directories are both harder and easier to promote. A good niche directory can become a reference site and well-known within it's topic. By doing so, it will get free publicity from the same people who are submitting to it and like has already been said it will get bookmarked by visitors. At the same time, they can be harder to promote. When I submit my niche directories to general ones, I am often forced to submit to a black hole known as "other niches". While I know most of my submitters are looking for 'free advertising for <keyword> sites' and '<keyword> something' in the search engines, many general directory owners prohibit me from submitting to the topic area and force me to submit to a directory area where it is unlikely to send me much, if any, traffic. Very few of my search engine hits are from directory-related terms and I would suspect most niche directory owners would say the same thing.

If nothing else comes out of this thread, I would love to suggest to general directory owners to either create a directory category within each of the primary categories (i.e. Arts > Directories) or allow topical directories to submit to those topics. And to not allow general directories to submit to those categories unless it's a deep link to their a category that fits within that topic. We will both gain from your doing so, trust me.

 

This is a nice tip and I will be looking into this... I have been noticing lately that most general directories (even my own) have a singular category for niche directories called niche.

 

It would be to their benefit to sub-categorize the listings instead of having a singular category and lumping all of the niche directories together.

 

I can't speak for anyone else with a niche directory but I will very rarely submit to "Niche" or "Other Niches" because they, at least IMHO, are totally worthless to garner visitors or SEO value to a topical directory.

 

One of the reasons I suggested they subcategorize the niche directories into tighter topics. It's also a benefit to use symbolic links from the topical categories pointing to the niche directory categories.

 

Some good points,and from YMC and i think this falls back onto the G directory owner and the work they are putting in.

for niche if i have only one entry for say craft it would fall into niche , but as soon as there other submissions for craft it would then be broken out into craft as the catagory, from there in craft if there was more than 1 knitting it would be broken out into craft > knitting

this all comes down to as above the work and effort some one is prepared to put into a site.

re symbolic links ( i call them redirects ) i also believe ery strongly in these and again it takes work and understanding to be on top of this but worth the effort for 3 reasons

1. the visitor is enabled better navigation, thus less time looking for things.
2. the submitter has a more accurate coverage of thier listing
3. the site owner in offering a better service attracts more submissions and visitors.

 

I do not believe that general directories can enjoy the same SEO effects as a tightly focusssed niche directory
experience with other niche sites show that with limited resources a tightly focussed midget can out perform a
un focussed giant

 

I wouldn't discount free links, but wouldn't rely on them either. These days you need to buy yourself to get any advantage.

 

I don't think so. A niche directory is tightly focused on a theme so Google ranks it higher for that theme. I have a general directory that it's categories rank in the 100s, but just can't make much more progress even if I get links to the categories. However, I have niche directories that rank #1 for their niche. I'm positive that my niche sites give more link juice on their theme than my general directories do.

 

Not a good idea, when I was running a general directory, I created a category just for Directories, but all I got was a ton of spam.

Making a category for directories just encourages spammers, and creates more maintenance work for little gain.

 

What about the differences between a niche directory and a general directory for monetizing them?

I would expect there are some, maybe some of you who have good niche sites can shed some light on that.

Just for the record I do have a few ideas on the differences - just looking for the others opinions.

 

I have had just the opposite experiences. I have found niche directories difficult to make money with and general directories very lucrative. I think it will depend a lot on your marketing background and experiences.

 

In my opinion that is what the success of any site boils down to.

A niche directory can be successful or a general directory could also be successful. For that matter any site could be successful if they have traffic.

 

Thanks to the targetted traffic in a niche directory:
- You can charge per month
- Setup Your own Pay per Click system
- Sell related product
and much more
Of course here I am not talking about "travel" or "business", ... directories: those are too general in my opinion