Yes, I think a lot of them get penalized for having "PR" in their title, meta tags, description, etc. or link to their directory using "PR" and advertising links for sale on "PR" link directories. This is not the idea behind the page rank and I think that is a major reason for a lot of these directories getting penalized.
BUT even Without being penalized (and Optimizing properly / not using "Black Hat" methods), don't you think it is Very Hard to GET (and especially KEEP) a PR5 on your Original bid directory domain / not Dropped bid directory domain (what scoobby just posted above) than it is to Get-and-Keep a PR1 - PR4?
I agree that it is hard to do, but definitely possible. It has been a learning adventure for me along the way. Directories was really how I got started making money online, and I have moved on to some different adventures since then, but everything I have learned along the way, I have tried to apply to the directories I stared a while ago. I think directories can have their place, but have definitely gotten a bad name over the years. . .
Hey now that wasn't in your salespitch! I'm very satisfied with my SEOptimized Bid Directory though, it's on the first page of google for those keywords and gets quite a fair share of organic traffic.
I, for one, would not quite want to consider bidding on any directory with a domain name which has nothing remotely connected to a directory. It's so obvious it's was a dropped domain and chances are, it'll crash the next round.
A couple of problems I have with bidding directories: • You're not paying for a "review"; you're specifically paying for a position in the listings. That doesn't fly well in today's search engine culture. • Some bid directory owners occasionally offer "specials", where they double your bid. Let's say I have an existing $5 bid and listing. The double-special allows someone to come along and bid $3 and get a $6 position — putting his link ahead of me, but having paid less. That's unfair to the existing customers who are being aced out by the doubling of new customers' bids. Just my two cents.
Yes, I think that's a little unfair to those who have placed bids earlier. The other one I hate is when bid owners change their terms - where previously they state that certain sites are forbidden, now they accept these previously forbidden sites.
xc06 -- Please keep your posts in this thread Informative (NOT Promotional). Is it just me, or have Bid Submissions for Bidding Directories been Down lately (January/2009 specifically)?
BerkshireForum -- Thank you for your kind words, and Welcome Here. Has anyone noticed a decrease in Bid Submissions for their Bidding Directories lately (January/2009)?
mikey1090 and pablopabla -- Thank you for your Feedback. Anyone else notice an unusual decrease (or increase) in Bid Submissions for their Bidding Directories lately (January/2009)? If so, why do you think that is (what do you think is causing it)?
I think everybody is seeing a decrease in bid activity. My thoughts are perhaps the recession has finally caught up with online advertising. One of the first thing companies cut in hard times is advertising.
@ tensmar, the submission rate / traffic appears to be pretty stable on DakBid. You may want to do some extra promotion for your dir.