John Scott Experiment Paid vs. Free Directory Listings - My Take

I found this post and think it is quite interesting.

I have also noticed that for some of my new blogs if I just submitted to a few of my own paid directories and added a couple of site-wides that I tend to get a higher page rank quicker than some of the new sites I submitted to 100's of free directories.

Has anyone else had similar experiences? And do you think it has to do with the number of links aquired over a short period of time or more to do with the places those links are aquired. For example, do you think Google might penalize a site if they see a couple of hundred PR0-PR3 links built up over a short period?

 

Very interesting will follow this topic closely
Thanks Jay

 

It could of course be true but, need more specific details about this experiment.

 

so the test sites were new domains and they submitted one to 700 free directories, wouldn't that be the problem and answer right there?

 

For example, do you think Google might penalize a site if they see a couple of hundred PR0-PR3 links built up over a short period?

From my experience of submitting to directories for over a year..at each update I got pr. I think the only way you will find that answers is to submit and see what happens. Expertness in a field is better explain by experimenting your self. I sure alot of ppl can help you better on this subject than me.

 

Its more likely to be true ...

 

I don't think that John's experiment nor my experiences contitute any type of real 'controlled' test but it would be interesting to hear about any other folks that have had similar experiences.

"wouldn't that be the problem and answer right there?" - I guess out of 700 directories you would probably get around 200-300 backlinks.

 

the whole thing is flawed, no control at all, quite meaningless IMO.

 

I have had same experience and I know few more sites had same experience. My CONCLUSION-- has been "the less --the merrier" -- Gone are the days for new sites to list on 100 site-wide --get XXXXX backlinks in 2 months and get high PR. These days its more about QUALITY OF LINKS than QUANTITY.

 

he should have had a TEST SITE C where he submitted this test site to both the paid and 700 free directories.

 

Sounds like Sandbox to me if penalty gets involved. But hundreds of low PR links won't do much.

Roughly, you need 20 PR1 links to make your site PR1. But you only need 4-5 PR2 links to make it PR1.

With this in your mind, you can gain PR for your site more effectively and fast. I usually invest only $60 - $80 to aim at PR4
I also have PR6, to which I have invested so far less than $1,000 only.

 

I would not conclude sandbox, I would say the reason is simply the site that was submitted to the paid directories gained PR because those directories have high PR, and the site submitted only to free directories were probably PR0-PR1's mostly.

The only way would would truly know is if he included a third test site and submitted that one to both paid and free directories.

 

hmm .. well here is my experience and findings ..


i started www.idk.in in January.. at the same time started www.bbbx.info and www.whatsnewcentral.info


all sites were pr 0, and were linked to each other ...

Than i went ahead advertised idk.in everywhere, and did not much with the blog and the other blog ...

Stumbled all of them ... Del.icio


and than it turned out when the pr update ..

idk.in gets a pr 5 (Because i bought paid links and were listed in paid dirs)

bbbx.info gets a pr 4 (Because it was linked to idk which was strong and stumble backlinks)

whatsnewcentral.info gets a pr 4 because it was a blog and they are very strong ...


so in the end its true that you get what you pay for


idk.in is a 5 because i invested in it

 

I agree and Scott even says that the test was flawed as a comparison between paid vs. free directory submissions:

And Google has been cracking down on unnatural linking patterns in most cases. Think in these terms and you have a better shot at success.

 

Interesting experiment.
Will keep an eye on my links from now on

I agree with you here.
It's always about Quality not the Quantity.

 

I think you should let us know little more about it for a reference. I understand the cases for other two.

 

I don't think that it is a case of too many links. It just to show that many low quality links will never do much for you. One high pr link from an authority site will do much more for you than any amount of free links.

 

right, and it still makes sense to submit to the free directories because you never know where they might go in a few months, look at Bigweblinks, it went from PR0 to PR7 in one update.

 

If I had done that then it wouldn't have been a 700 free vs. five paid experiment, would it?