Methods for Improving the Directory Sector

I agree 100%.

I have an honest question though. Why do directory script owners do provide the free versions?

I can think of two reasons:

1. They think people will use the free script and then buy a license once their site is making money. This can be a valid reason for them. But question is what percentage of free script users actually do buy a license later and which percent of them use the script to create hundreds of spammy ones.

One solution to this can be offer a trial version for however many month for just $1 or $2. If a new directory owner is not even willing to pay $1 or $2 he won't be buying the script later.

2. They want the link backs to their site as a way of promoting the script. Honestly one link back on a reputable directory (IMO) is worth 1000 times a link on a spammy directory.

Can anyone know of other reasons for offering free scripts?

 

Well the difference with a CEO is that theres a whole workforce beneath them, take me for example, theres only me, so i have no designer, coder or anything like that so if i have an idea i pretty much have to work with what is available, if that is not enough then i need to learn how to do things, exactly what im currently doing.

Im not talking about how people run their directory, im talking about how they dont truely know (me too) what they are working with.

"What your basically saying is that we directory owners should mind our own business and leave those poor free directory script companies alone. We should only do the things which we have control over."

Minding our own business in life has usually been the best route to take, its beneficial and a productive use of our time.

Yes leave the directory script owners alone, yes dealing with what we can have control over is a good start.

I wouldn't really call this a sector more realistically an opportunity, a business, its hardly a sector.

You cant undo what is already done so theres no need to approach a script company if you already know that you dont want to purchase their scripts anymore.

A petition stop please, i thought you were serious about change, lol, its embarrassing.

I think ive mentioned revenge in the sense that its better to improve than to try and get even where you feel somehow that wrong was done, its a better use of your mental energy.

You did ask for methods in the thread title so ive suggested a method, personally i think its realistic and really positive.

Because im doing it for myself already i cant see how i can lose anything from increasing my knowledge.

Keep an open mind.

 

Pipes, with absolutely no disrespect intended, if you truly believe

and think what we want to do is embarrassing for you, why not just leave this thread alone?

I also happen to think of directories as a sector and business, not just an opportunity.

 

Only the petition idea, its not embarrassing for me though

A good point though regarding i should not take part further in the thread.

I will unsubscribe straight after i post this.

 

I never disagreed with you about learning as knowledge is very important in anything. I just think that there are different situations for different owners and different areas of knowledge we can focus on based on those differences.

For instance your learning to code and I think that is admirable - I am not learning how to code because it is not the best way to utilize my time. It may be that learning php - smarty and sql is a good move on your part. My time is more productively spent in other ways. I focus my learning on areas which can translate to all areas of business. Yes I still have a lot to learn and I will probably always feel that way.

Example - I come up with a great idea for a modification to a site or a new spin for a new site. Is it better for me to spend 6 months (whatever) learning to code to attempt to make it work? Or is it a better use of my time to retain an expert to make my vision a reality in a weeks time? In my personal situation it is a more productive use of my time networking with experts who know what they are doing when it comes to coding.

That is how a directory owner can be more a CEO than on the line trying to figure out how to make that darn steering column work. Vision, networking, knowledge of the industry - If that makes sense.

I understand - as you say - there is only you and this is an opportunity, maybe a business - When thinking individually one might not see a sector. I do understand and that is completely fine. Even individuals can try to make the sector a better place by making good on their opportunities.

I agree that nobody can change the past - we can try to make the future better though even in small ways. One step at a time.

Revenge - Get even - Grrrr - LOL - I don't recall ever being angry enough at someone that I wanted to go get revenge... I don't think any of the productive posts in this thread mentioned one thing in anger or promoted seeking revenge upon anyone. Guess I can only speak for myself but the there is only one person I see talking about revenge and getting even. Others are putting forth ideas for as to how we may improve going forward just like yourself. You have a good idea in education and others have some ideas worth pursuing also. All of us may not agree on each and every one, but we don't have to.

Never said that I did not like your suggestion. In fact I think most have been pretty opened minded in discussing what has been proposed. With your suggestion I did say it would good for directory owners to educate themselves. Just pointed out there are different areas to educate oneself in and it may not have to be learning to code.

Well everyone can have their own point of view on that one too

I would actually prefer you stayed and contributed to the thread, but...

 

OK, so let's focus on the education aspects of this conversation. There's been a number of ideas posted and I mention the first for completeness only as we all know it's a waste of time.

1. Educate the owners of junk directories into making a quality site. Been there, done that, didn't work.
2. Educate aspiring directory owners as to how to make a quality site.
3. Make high quality resources/directories that will be hard to ignore and will make everything else a weak imitation.
4. Provide directory owners and/or their programming staffs with a place to share concepts, ideas and assist each other with coding.
5. Educate the submitters why it is not in their best interests to submit to poor directories
6. Educate submitters why they should submit to directories and what are reasonable things they should expect in return.
7. Educate through some sort of quality seal.

Perhaps we could use this list as a basis to start drafting details for each of the ideas and add to the list as we come up with things.

 

I also think it is best to forget about trying to teach the owners of junk directories to change their way..they won't.
I am also not sure how much support this project really has to get something underway.
Why not along with YMC's list why don't we start to put together a list of names of who wants to contribute (time, resources and finances) to get an idea of who is serious to go further than talking about it

I agree with swedal in regards to learning how to code etc
I know where pipes is coming from but as swedal I see my role more about taking my ideas and then paying people with the skills to implement them.
It's simply not feasible (for me at least) to be competent in every aspect of a directory (especially when you either have more than directory, a very popular directory or more than one project)
These type of resources could still be included but I think the main focus should be more about educating submitters and directory owners as to how to run a directory properly rather than how to actually code, work with databases etc

TBH I am still not 100% sure how successful it is going to be to educate submitters and directory owners.
Submitters want as much as they can get with their money..this includes the use of their own titles and descriptions.
This will be something you will not support but unfortunately there are a lot of directories which do.
What are the advantages these webmasters can expect after changing their guidelines (with the possibility of losing revenue)
Can anyone show that there are obvious benefits with not accepting submissions in this way because to get webmasters to change they will want to know.
I have always advocated for unique descriptions for example but I have seen so many cases of other directories accepting submitters information without consequence.
Part of the education process will need to involve studies showing the advantages of running a directory with strict guidelines for the good of the directory not the submitter but unfortunately from what I have seen I don't have a lot of confidence in the results.

 

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned or discussed in great detail, but how about looking at it from a different direction? Where are these spam directories getting their traffic/links from? Well, here's the stats for a new directory I've launched (less than a month old, so not much search engine traffic etc)

The large majority of that traffic is from directory lists. If all the directory list owners decided not to list spam directories (which is relatively easy to check), then the problem would fade. Dan does it with his directory list at info.vilesilencer.com, and his directory list is awesome because of it.

But then, it's easy to talk.

 

I agree with Snowblind. A good start would be to have a tougher standards for new directories being announced here on DP.

 

Thanks that I have started a project like SEO, but I'm still learning how to get Backlinks best quality, high PageRank and traffic visitors with high quality. now

 

These points look like good candidates for wiki articles.

 

The owner is the one who make money from you, you visited his websites but are u sure that somebody searching for your website ? I don't think so..you'd better focus on SEO.

 

and so this goes no further than some suggestions and becomes a place for people to bump their post count with unrelated posts (yea sunisa and yessica)

not one post from all the other directory owners who frequent these forums but are happy to drop links to their directory lists and scripts at every opportunity..
not one post from all the people I see moaning there's nothing on these forums of interest anymore..same old threads blah blah..not one post..

 

yes the same ol same ol, there was some talk of a new forum a little while back, maybe that with some of the ideas here and it might get of the ground.

a wheelbarrow full of idea's will not move unless someone picks it up and walks with it, again it seems ike talk.

 

Personally I think this thread has already accomplished some things. It has brought some attention to many issues, it has some owners thinking in ways of improving not only how they do things but in how they might improve the community. Just maybe it will cause some change in how some of us operate.

With the idea for a directory organization of some sort. I am fully willing to participate in it as much as my time permits.

@discover - I reported those spammy posts. Hopefully a mod will do something about it. I did volunteer to help moderate this section but it sounds like they are not looking for volunteers. The answer was report the spam - been doing that for months with no effect though.

 

I wish I had your optimism because despite the effort I think nothing has and will change.
webmasters don't seem to have the time or the will to do something.

the moderation is terrible on this forum sometimes
I don't see how people are still allowed to post thanks for the link etc in the solicitations section for example
where are all the bans?

 

This thread and discussing the topic is a waste of time.

There is no way directory owners will stop offering free directories as this is the way they are able to generate revenue. They offer free directory scripts so users purchase the paid one with more features.

If you already own a directory continue to promote it but IMO creating additional ones is a waste of time for now

 

I totally agree...for me anyway there's much better ways to utilize my time

 

That is the most positive post i have read in ages, a step in the right direction, well done mikey / mods