We have a PR 5 free directory with PR5 subcategory and PR 3 detail page. I agree with malcolm, I have not seen many free web directory promoted well, and many of them using a expired domain with some PR and selling sitewide link, then starting anther free one. But all is free, we could not claim that they should promote the free directory, and what you want is a back link.
I still think being on the first page of a paid directories category with 5 other listings is more valuable than being on page 6 of a free directory with 20, 30 or 40 other listings. If the category has a decent description and meta tags then you will do much better in the first scenerio. That is very rare. Yes this is very true, it goes back to the adage you get what you pay for. That is one of the biggest problem facing the directory industry right now, shady characters scamming folks for a few quick bucks. There are quite a few of them right here on DP.
IMO if you are behind getting high PR just by free directory submission then forget it, just directory will not help you, you will also have to concentrate on other link building tactics. On to the topic : Paid directory may not work for you now for gaining PR as Google is getting rude with such link trade business and will not help you for PR.
Again, a bad directory is the same whether free or paid. I have seen quite a few paid directories where categories are one giant list with no pagination at all. Generalizing the quality of directories by whether or not they are free or paid seems to have become someone's idea of the latest great way to market paid directories. Some of you need to go and read up a bit more on business and marketing and learn that running down your competition will only hurt you own business in the long run. And those of you saying free directory owners don't promote and spend money - how exactly do you know what they do or don't spend? Surely, just because fellow directory owners don't spend their advertising dollars with many of you, doesn't mean they don't spend their money and time elsewhere.
Good joke afther doing many submissions + submiting over 400+ sites i can tell you free webdirectorys submisios helps a lot
Very true, but - in general, I've observed that the majority of free directories have little if any editorial integrity and are likely to approve the majority of the free submissions as is, especially when the primary motivation is paid featured or site wide listings. Little if any attention is given to the submitted titles and descriptions or even categorization. While the same can be said for some paid directories, this is more prevelant with free directories. Niche directories seem to be about the best regardless if they're paid or free.
You can reach easily PR5 with only free ones. Done this many times although I didn't check if someone linked to me natural way .... Edit : Oh I just looked that thread on v7n forums .... you can buy that I don't
iatbm perhaps you could list a few of the many sites you have gotten to PR5 with free directory submissions, that way I could search the backlinks and be a little more enlightened. thanks
Agreed. That's why I specified with good editorial control. That many listings should prompt the editors to expand and refine the category structure.
I used silencer, addurl.nu and some other free lists you stumble upon here on dp ad submitted to dirs posted here on dp I don't do submissions anymore ... I just rather make new sites like in factory with a time that would go for dir submissions...
But you would probably end up so deep from the home page that it will take months (if ever) to get page rank. I don't think free directories are useless but I don't think there are that many that offer much in value. In case I am wrong I am going to start a new thread right now so folks can list good free directories.
The quality of a directories links are important, their PR is not. I am glad so many people focus on PR though, makes it easier to out-rank you guys.
Free directories will not harm you, as long as you know the basics of SEO and put the right descriptions, anchor text and put your link in a related category. It will help a bit
I remember when getting a free link in Dmoz (plus clones) could get your website to PR6. The same category page today is PR4, and probably won't boost you over PR2 on its own. Free listings won't get you any significant PR any more. But what they will get you is anchor text and (hopefully) themed links. That's if you get listed on a page with decent categorisation, rather than amongst several hundred listings all on the vague category of "Business" or "Entertainment". I don't think free vs. paid should be the main issue here: it's more a case of editorial control vs. FFA. Because it's when a directory is FFA that you can abandon all hope of direct traffic, and most hope of any SERPs benefit (unless your website happens to be listed first in a top category, and even then...).