I simply think that unless and until it gives right information to people who are searching it for.. it is fine...more than fine to create as many as pathways to the information flow.. and I think thats what internet is about.. But If there is no Quality and Simply waste the time, it will be dumped soon...
And thats why editorial integrity should carry far more weight than all the marketing hype on this and other forums. Why not a list of participating directory masters who ask users to crit and challenge the profiles of the sites they include? Look at the deadbeats that have floated to the top of this pile. They consider it to be beneath their dignity to respond to any citicism. They know tomorrows another day and they just sit it out. and we keep coming back to this question. What is quality?
You got it in one here and bravo for standing up to them. Problem here is half of these so called 'masters' that have to use your phrase, 'floated to the top' haven't got a clue. You know the old saying in my country, 'shit floats'. That Association of Web Directory Owners is apparently ready to get started now, maybe they'll bring some sense into the game, this is unless they've been dull enough to invite the 'floaters', if so then we're all doomed
Everyone should be allowed and open to creating their own directory and trying to get a percentage of the directory market
Workshop i enjoy your posts, and your endovours to help new people etc. but this whole doom n gloom bit is wearing me out, The customer will decide who stays and who goes, the good provider will adapt and change to the industry / customer needs, and i feel by doing ( not talking about doing ) would hold a higher benifit than continually trying to push the Doom Barrow. Re what is quality ? there is no measure, we all see things different from each other so in that there are no wrongs or rights. For me i look at a site from the customers point of view, and ask myself is the site well presented, does it catch my attention in the first 30 seconds ( or do i simply want to move on ), and would i feel confortable spending my money there for the percieved return on my money. I would be interested in views on quality ?
Where do you see doom and gloom? To the contrary I am talking about change. When I started out I was also that customer you are talking about. The problem we have here is whats called vested interest. We have allowed this industry to get bent out of shape by the Big Mouth Crew and if you havent noticed, Google is now cracking the whip. Why didnt we do more? Why didnt we challenge these issues when they first started rearing their ugly heads? Its time to get real. Time to get positive and move on. That much we agree on.
If we read the votes its pretty conclusive that people think that niche directories are the way to go, I tend to agree.
I vote #1 - not that my oppinion really matters in the grand scheme of things, but I would think that with so many, using the same script, having similar layouts, having similar sites submitted...that they would start to get seen as duplicate content by google.
I think the “market†will as always take care of it's own. General directories are a lot of work, that will weed out a lot of them. As for Google, do not think they will be a problem other than the continuous veiled threats of link selling for PR. But will they ever really do anything? Who knows. Directories though are needed for links as long as that is the way sites are indexed and ranked. The quality of the links will vary of course, but until the basic criteria changes, the need will persist. The demand for directories and those that people choose to submit to will sort it all out. I welcome all newcomers (directories) as an evolving process of growing the industry. The poll is to leading. So I will not vote. Number 2 is the closest, but only if Google was left out. The only way you are going to push Google is by gaming it's system. Not everyone tries to do that. Many just build their directories because they enjoy them
They are already doing something and have been for quite some time. Some people seem to be operating under the mistaken impression that the paid links issue is something new for Google, a new initiative., something they are working on. It's nothing of the kind. The now famous or infamous Matt Cutts post and the "report paid links" page was simply the latest salvo, stepping up the pace a bit. No. First, Google doesn't need directories to find pages to index. Second, to the extent that Google discounts links in directories, or in certain types of directories, as artificially affecting Google rankings and continues to discount such links, the majority of those directories will (or already have) become pointless except to those who still believe buying the links will confer some benefit and of course to the seller who takes their money.
With many popular directories being penalized (apparently) by Google after I started this thread, I'm curious as to how many of the people who voted "No" would now change their vote to either "Yes" or "Maybe" if I started the exact same poll today.
I was not aware Google spent their time penalizing directories.. Do you have any specific evidence of this?
I don't think such topics should even be considered. Why shouldn't Webmasters create more directories? I think it is up to each individual to consider this idea, if you are prepared to make a quality web directory why not? Meti
Plenty. Read the other threads--even Aviva has been penalized. Aviva no longer appears in a search for "aviva directory." If that is not some sort of penalty, I don't know what is. Many other directories are now in the same boat.