Link Directory on websites : Does it help?

Hi all,

I'd like to know if making a link directory on a website will help. And if it is, what categories should I put there? Only related to my site or all categories?

Thank you in advance

 

I think that directories are preferable as stand alone although of course you can add to a website that you have, but be prepared to spend a lot of time checking submittals and processing approvals

Will it help I think testing with a directory can only decide on that

 

If you can find another way to work reciprocal links into more valuable content (review of like sites or a guide) you can still solicite links, but you'll have a lot more success then the typical link directories so many people attach to their websites. Plus if you get too many reciprocals, you may end up with the Google -30 penalty.

 

How many is too many

 

What is the google 30 penalty? This is the first time I have heard this term.

 

It's probably more of a ratio then a specific number. Say 90% of the links to your website come from reciprocals, that will probably hurt you more then help you. Google is specifically trying to make seo "tricks" and manipulation statagies not work. Matt Cutts (Google engineer) specifically mentions penalties for webmasters who abuse reciprocal linking.

Here are some links for further reading:
SEObook: Thousands of Reciprocal Link Partners & Getting Nowhere in Google

Reciprocal Linking Services & Link Trading Websites: Are They A Waste Of Time?

I will post later on about the google -30, (it's aleged penalty that webmasters have been reporting, it hasn't been verified explicitly, but basicially your site seems to drop 30 rankings and can never rank above 31 even for your proper name and people believe sites that did a ton of linking manipulation got hit with it)

 

Here is a great link to the seo chat forums with a good discussion about the Google 30 position penalty.

 

I think if you add a link directory on your site, you should only include categories/sites related to your site. I don't think a general type of directory on a site would help much, it may even hurt if you include many off-topic sites. Stick to related sites and you should be fine.

 

Thanks for the reply! I certainly have more recip links than anything else. I probably need to concentrate on one ways for a while and then go back to reciprocals. On a real estate site it is really hard to find another site that just wants to link to you to pick up content. It has to be some really special content.