Some People Just Don’t Know How to Categorize Their Link

Even though I post this referring to others, I think that I might also be included in this "category." I have seen that it is rather important to categorize correctly, but what are your suggestions. Any tips to help make managing this part of the process easier? Also, what are the actual consequences of doing this the wrong way?

 

Loss of Relevancy is the major consequence. A directory that loses relevancy, loses the chance to be called quality. To be relevant a directory must categorise sites correctly. Rather than lump same site-types together (like forums for example), you put them in their respective niche. e.g. You wouldn't put a gardening forum in a category like Internet > Forums, it should be listed under something like Home & Garden > Gardening. If you are building a directory over time, you need to move listings quite a lot as categories grow and their relevancy becomes too broad.

What do I mean by that... Well something like Automotive can get a lot of different types of listings within it as a category. In that sort of instance you need to break things down into subcategories like parts and accessories, vehicle rentals, etc. Otherwise you have just a mish mash of websites listed broadly under the automotive banner.

So the key is relevancy and factoring this into how you build the directory. A directory can always get its relevancy back, by reconfiguring categories and the sites listed within them, to ensure the best possible "on topic" content for that category. Sounds like work? It is.

 

That is why Google keep udpating their algo to prevent this flooding spam over the web.

 

There are no shortcuts with this one. Like Dan said it's simply a matter of taking the time to continually tighten your category structure. Since you said in another thread you have a new site, don't worry too much about this yet - other than things like the gardening forum example that should be done from day one. As your categories grow, look them over for common topics and split these into a new subcategory. It will move listings from a page that is hopefully indexed and has a bit of PR to a scoreless one,but it will also lead to having a directory that is easier to use for both submitters and browsers.

If you don't bother to re-categorize as you go along...

* People are going to be less likely to submit when they see that their listing will appear among a jumble of 1,000 other loosely related listings.

* Google and the other search engines won't be able to define what the page is about and will send you fewer non-submitters.

* You lose the SEO opportunities created by having pages that are more easily defined.

* You diminish the credibility of your own site.