Umdum has been in existence for almost a year now and over the course of the past 10 months or so, we’ve received a lot of feedback from Umdum customers. Our goal is to maintain a quality web directory which offers value to both the searcher and the sites which list themselves within Umdum. We feel that with a successful launch, top notch design, and editorial guidelines which have resulted in us denying 15% of the sites which were not fit for a quality web directory, we are coming close to achieving this goal. Now, building up to the one year milestone, I’d like to ask DigitalPoint users two questions; 1. What do you consider a quality web directory? 2. What changes would you make to better Umdum.com? Be honest, be critical, be yourself.
Loren, with all the knowledge you have and the great stuff you write at Search Engine Journal, the only thing I'd like to see or could be improved is some action in the Umdum Blog.
Umdum has been a great web directory from its launch. Maby a few sugestions: - The featured categories currently show throughout the directory the same categories, it would be great if it shows some top categories from sub categories from which top category you are in.. (does it make sense, no..) okay let's see for instance in top category internet choose 6 sub categories to show on the right hand side, for instance, blogs, searching the web, domain names, web directories, blog search and social networks. - Make us your homepage doesn't work in FF - create a robots.txt where you disallow all add pages, this will increase internal pagerank flow and decrease supplemental results. - 2006 > 2007 - Put the text "Umdum Web Directory ~ Humanity at work!" in a image, only producing duplicate content in a search engine - At some categories (in FF) the sponsered results jump in to the right ruining the design. (sending you a screenshot) - Imo, the sponsered links should be another colour to attract more attention, this way you will sell more sponsered links. - I'll send you a PM, because you still have a few links waiting at dirspace.com.. Great directory! Good luck running and promoting!
Indeed its an excellent, clean looking site - although to be perfectly honest i don't think i've ever heard or visited before (maybe ive been living in a bubble for the last 12 months). Obviously you've got a quality site there, a nice custom template so id say your next step is to really promote. Perhaps sponsor a template or two, get yourself seen in some relational blogs, by some sitewide links on up and coming directories to get that added exposure or even write an informative article on a specific subject within the industry. Quite simply - get your directory seen!
i think these are great suggestions.... in addition, i like your right vertical menu buttons, which stand out as well as your logo, which is stylishly designed. if u don't mind me clarifying one point, cld someone explain the robots.txt point to me and how it affects internal page rank?
http://www.shoemoney.com/2007/02/01/welcome-february-i-love-new-months/ , http://www.seobook.com/archives/002098.shtml and http://www.wagerank.com/2007/writing-a-good-robotstxt/
Overall good directory with nice interface. Here are some of the suggestions that might help. 1. A little improvement in your colors would make graphics more appealing. i would always give so much importance to color combination. 2. I noticed that your sponsored links are no different from the standard links appearing below except it appears on top. I would rather change it to something different with colors to make it unique. This would prompt more sponsors to signup. 3. Give option for anchored deep links in your directory. Again this would invite more signups. Keep up the good work.
Hello... I like it and always have as its a nice simple design.. but reminds me of romows directory a little for some reason.. Improvements you should consider is adding the 3-5 link mod to better help your submitters and so the price is equal to the price of submittion or inclusion, as its a tad high in my opinion. This will also help you distance yourself from the regular directories that dont offer all they can.... Just my 2 cents is all mothing more... regardless wish you success thx malcolm
your directory is pr6, and that is really great! i like the method of your navigation, as the buttons are big, your visitors will never get confused. for improvements to your directory i suggest the following things: 1) get to pr7, then your directory will also be among the alive/aviva which are discussed always. 2) get more traffic, try the ppc campaigns. i think your design is absolutely fine, there is not much work to be done!
I think everything is fine --really good quality web directory. May be installinng An0n's deeplinks MOD could add more value you can offer to clients. Best of luck
I think a common misconception is that EVERY directory uses PHPLD. Umdum doesn't use PHPLD so I don't think and am pretty sure his deeplinks mod would not work. There are other scripts out there guys.
if he gets it custom coded wouldn't you think it will increase the value of this directory ?? just a suggestion.. ur design is awesome especially ur logo .. keep it like this and good luck with the site... maybe add an affiliate program.
Im sure thier is others... the deep links was made by anon first for phpld and it offers other options as well like the abuiltiy to have 5 different options in payments and other little perks... lets be honest anymore its.... wow... great idea how can i copy that... As myself and someone were chatting on messenger "haters hate" "thieves will Steal" and In the end it only brings us closer together...ahhh the ever growing internet. thx malcolm
I'm having my Site Sift directory redesigned and will be having deeplinks mod and we would see how it can be modified to a more efficient with script re writing.
One suggestion might be if you can limit the number of listings per category page. I think the way is it now, all are shown on one page.
I liked template. Very clean and unique. I (and search engines) like keyword rich urls which is missing and probably will not be fixed. You might consider adding screenshots of some links which make your directory richer in terms of look. Good luck.