What is the best way to get links started for new niche directory.

Hi. I am starting a small construction industry directory site (I know you are thinking "please not another one")
But I want to try something different than what I have been doing. I was wondering if I should ad some listings myself to get things started?
And also would it be considered spam or good marketing to email websites in
my niche industry about the directory or just not a good idea to email at all?
Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Adding sites yourself is always a great way to get things rolling. Listing authoritative sites also raises your own sites authority status.

 

Agreed 100%. I opened a directory few months back --I opened a directory and opened for free submission. But had to stop it shorty due to SPAMs. I also didn't get enough time to list sites myself. Most categories that remained empty got NO PR --and categories which had listing got decent PR.

 

I agree, just do a search on google for some your categories, for example: do a search for "Health" and then add some of the top sites that you find.

 

Thanks for the suggestions so far. As far as spam links go, will being in a small niche industry generally give me more, less, or just as much as a general directory?

 

Buddy --here is the advice.
SPAMMERS do not care what your niche is --they will keep bomabarding the sexy/nude/gambling sites through their automated submission softwares and asume that you will list them.

 

Yes you yourself start adding some listings..
But if you feel pain, just announce your directory here http://forums.digitalpoint.com/forumdisplay.php?f=65 and wait few hours/day and you will just need to approve links

 

Thanks for the heads up, That kind of spam had not even crossed my mind. On a side note, do you get any problems with malicious emails ans such?

 

Probably less in terms of sheer volume, but more in terms of the % that qualify as spam. General directories definitely get more submissions, but their looser listing criteria means that more of those links will be appropriate.

I run niche directories, but the submissions people try to make don't reflect that at all. There are a lot people out there who seem to think that India and America are part of Britain, and they keep submitting these sites to my UK directory.