I am thinking of starting a directory for a niche that I know and enjoy. Has anyone ever posted the links of sites themselves into their directories,and then e mailed the website owner with his password and told him that you have added his link to your directory. I am thinking its a quick way to fill up the directory. The owners of the sites will check up the directory, so it also brings extra traffic to my directory. I think its win win. Is it ok to do this, or is it a type of spamming. It will be a free directory, so it will cost them nothing and their sites will have another link. Let us know what you think.
It is a hand-made directory. Mainly I made it because I wanted to give publicity (and links) to sites that promote certain causes that I support. Yes, I found the sites and wrote the reviews myself. I've gotten a few emails from people who wanted me to add their sites, but none of them were suitable in my opinion, so I didn't add them.
Billybw, did you let the site owners know that you put their site in your directory, and if you did, did they gave any comment, good or bad.
No, I haven't notified any site owners. Initially I thought I might ask them for permission to list their sites, but the fact is that people give links to other sites all the time without notifying or asking permission.
Adding sites on your own is a common activity for directory owners. The only gotcha is that you do not have permission to use a screenshot or picture from their site. Both are protected under copyright laws; though most webmasters don't realize that a screenshot of their site of copyrightable. When I add a site to one of my free directories, the listing is usually at the end of the category and does not include a picture - something of a second class listing. I then email the site owner asking for photo permission and to allow them to request changes/corrections to the description. If I don't hear from them, the listing stays as a second class listing. If they grant permission to use an image, their listing gets upgraded to a general listing and a picture/screenshot is added. Most are happy that I took the time to request permission to use a photo rather than simply take it. Best of all is that they often in turn share my site with others through emails, links on their sites and even forum posts. I do all the work but that also gives me complete control. If I received a letter saying that I was listed on a site and giving me a user name and pass word, I would be very cautious. It would set off the radar that there's a scam somewhere. There's a thread around here somewhere about the merits of requiring registration. The majority here felt that registration often puts off submitters. I rarely, if ever, submit to a directory that requires it. As far as I know, no one has thought my email spam. Make the subject compelling enough for the site owner to look at your email and write the email carefully and you should have no problems. I also make it quite clear in my email that I will remove the listing upon request and that there is no cost to having a listing with or without a picture.
YMC makes some good points. To me, if a directory owner adds listings on his own, it is a sign that he cares about the quality of his directory. I think that this is especially important for paid directories, because personally I don't like to submit to empty categories, since their paucity of content could mean that Google will give them less importance or even exclude them from its index. In other words, I'm more likely to pay for a listing on a page that already has several other listings.
That doesn't seem to be a problem for a lot of sites...Alexa comes to mind...several places use screenies without asking permission.
It would be a nice idea if you could put a comment space so that directories owners can post an appreciation comment or so.
YMC said If I received a letter saying that I was listed on a site and giving me a user name and pass word, I would be very cautious. It would set off the radar that there's a scam somewhere If you explane in your e mail to them what your directory is about, why it would suit them to keep their link in, that you have already reg them and here is their password.They can either take the link out if they want, or edit their details, they have the password to do it. Explane in big letters that it costs them nothing. If they come back in to edit their link, you could have a form asking them if they would like to go on your mailing list, (again they do not have to) I feel if the directory looks well, with plenty of links and it costs them nothing, I feel that they would not mind and would edit, ect ,their ads. I feel on the subject of screen shots of their site, I think I would put it in. Reason being, I think a directory looks very bad without screen shots. I think a lot of guys, in my niche, would not have a clue how to put them on, and I dont think they would bother to find out how to do it. I would do it until someone sue's Alexa
Adding links yourself is what everyone should be doing. Although there's no need to email the owner, is there?
Yes, I do this with this directory. The business gets auto emailed a username/password for them to mod the listing if they wish. And occasionally, I get some grateful owners who link back to the site as a thank you.
I regularly add links to my directory and have recently started sending them an email via the admin panel when I review/edit listings if they have a [mail to] address I can easily find. I also find a few sites link back to me when they find the backlink in their stats.
It tends towards the spammy, so be very careful. You don't have a previous commercial relationship with the website owner, and it comes out of the blue. That said, not everyone will be annoyed at you for it, since almost everyone appreciates a link.
On the flip side, it has the potential to be abused, I have seen the odd directory boasting about category / listing numbers giving an impression that this directory must be popular, charging xyz $ for submission, when 99% of the listing are spoon fed by the owner. Maybe in addition to a categpry dump, there could be a listings dump ? now lets see, when are we able to buy a listings dump? say 1000 listings $10 go on sale.
I'd say there's no problem as long as you don't imply the link is related to your site and it is an endorsement of the site and not listed maliciously. Fortunately directories which add sites themselves are usually the better ones and Webmasters would not have a problem with being included. However I have been unhappy finding my directory linked to spammy sites I wouldn't endorse. http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/LinkLaw
Adding sites to a paid directory: Don't you think that opens you up to the accusation of favoritism or unfair competition? Why should I pay for a listing when you gave one to my competitor for free? My directories are free and I rarely add true commercial sites on my own. The sites I add are informational and not sales related. (BTW, I don't count a monetized site as commercial.) Site owner editing: Seems like that would make a great way to have a directory full of spammy, poorly written listings. You might review the entry when it's new but do you plan on monitoring each and every edit too? A listings dump? hmm, I saw one of those in action the other day. They did such a bad job of it that some incorrect code actually showed the site they stole from; uhm, I mean borrowed, all of the listings from. I had found it curious how such a new site could have so many listings - quite easy if you steal them. lol Selling them? Now that's an interesting business model, might have to look into that. j/k