The Perfect Directory

Hi,

I'm currently developing my own Directory from scratch. My question is what do you look for in the perfect directory.

Currently the directory has standard and premium listings (premium allows 4 links to your site) and each listing has its own page as well.

Apart from pr and SEO friendly pages, what other nice to haves could anyone suggest.

 

The "perfect directory", hm?

One of the things I have learned from reading this forum and others is that what is perfect for some is far from perfect for others.

So some questions - who are you building it for primarily? As a listing service for webmasters in order to improve their rankings in the search engines? As an unbiased resource for websurfers to find what they want?

Are you going to list sites, or pages, or a combination of both?

Are you trying to appeal to a small niche, or build the world's greatest, biggest general directory?

I think that in a lot of ways, what makes up a perfect directory can only be answered when you have the answers to these in your mind. Trying to build something to satisfy all of them is not going to be easy (if it is even possible).

 

That's about it. Unless you're going to actually send traffic.

 

You can ad biz cards.

 

I have to 2nd traffic. seo friendly is secondary to me and PR insignificant. So if you can pull off a directory that actually starts getting visitors, re-visitors and survives due to its own quality, I'm game. Otherwise ... I would probably not even bother submitting if it was free.

 

Directories need traffic and to do that they need links and *unique content*. I guess the perfect directory has human edited link text/descriptions. This is important for search engine traffic, because most link submissions are duplicate content with all other directories listing the same text.

 

one thing i always find annoying about directories, is searching endlessly to find the damn "submit site" link

 

I honestly think the one most important thing about a directory is editorial control. Too many directories list any site that can find the 'submit site' button; I'd rather see a directory a quarter of the size with links that are that much more carefully vetted.

 

simple design and fast page download

 

My perfect web directory would have these features:

- unique design/layout
- easy to navigate, good functionality
- paid and free submissions
- NOT have loads of adsense ads on each page
- quality of listings have to be good
- NO redirects for the listing urls
- about 10 listings per page
- traffic


I believe the more important things is traffic.
Personally I think the next big thing in the directory business is niche-directories.

Is directory already finished? Please keep us updated with your directory project.

 

If you are making directory you must keep section for latest or new listing as this page will goes on changing and new contents will be coming. Google like this ...

 

Just addition to what they have said.. your directory must have some good features like site good search, features ads or some current news.

 

I was thinking of letting users add 2 descriptions so i can keep the pages changing. Would this be a good idea. Also possibly links embedded into the description content.