Some time ago i started a general directory, i did some link building and i stuck a unique phpLD template on it... ...and then i completely forgot about it. I did no further link building, i never really paid any attention to how it was possibly doing in the search engines and i only checked every so oftern to see if there were any submissions (for which there were usually quite a few recipricals). Today i thought id take a look a bit more at this general directory as the last few months had seen me working hard for my webmaster directory, in the hope of achieving a PR6 in this latest update and to get oh so close to that #1 spot on Google SERPs for the search term 'webmaster directory'. To shorten this thread i checked my site stats program awstats and saw quite a lot of hits coming google, yahoo and msn. A search for the search phrase 'general directory' confirmed it... my general directory was/is ranked approximately #5 on Google.com, #2 on yahoo and #6 on MSN (unless im going crazy) however only yeilds (currently) a PR2 on the index page. So for you what is most important... PR or SERPs? Ultimately you need the SERPs to bring you the traffic and the PR to make those crucial sales right?
I still can't get over it, i thought to start with it was something caused by the antibiotics im taking lol I think ill see how it comes out on the other side of the PR update... the PR2 was a result of moving it to a new host and a new proper domain (as apposed to subdomain where it started out)...
I am always for PR. If you gimme a choice between #1 spot on every search engine -- and PR7, I would always go for PR7. Search engine traffic are good for improving traffic stats-- but how many of them translate into clients? Anybody has any idea? I will be happy to know that and try to figure out. I'll go for serps only if 15% of the traffic translate into revenue. IMHO - SERPs is for PPC sites --and the most important role of web directories is to help the owners of PPC and other sites to rank high-- not to outrank them for the same keyword/anchor word -- that he would use while listing on your directory. I'll be happy if -- I rank outside 500 but can help a site rank well with only my own network. I would take pride only then.
What would be interesting is to see what the conversion rate for submissions is for the SERP traffic, and then compare it to the conversion rate for submissions that come from other sources. Then when the PR is updated, get the new data (assuming your PR goes up) and compare the 2 data sets. Morty
Did i mention i had a dream last night that my directory went to PR8 in the next update... it was a great dream... until i woke up... dammit... not that im obsessive you understand lol Well recip submissions are highish... paid submissions are very lowish (to say the least, although considering i do bugger all to promote and has a current low PR its not suprising) so i think if the PR gets good, combined with the unique design, deep link mod (yer i saw you looking Rob) and competative pricing... well it could just be a winner... i mean in theory that SERPs has come from somewhere over the last couple of months, so its probable (fingers crossed) that the PR will go that way to...
Exactly and very logical. We just can't get crazy for SERPs like PPC/General shopping sites. Because our earnings are not from Clicks or sales of Goods. We sell SERVICE.
Do you track the conversion rate? How many visitors you get from SERPs and how much submissions from those? I am very interested. Aviva Directory has very low SERPs -but its Alexa is --- and if you check the latest page - I guess Jeff is getting minimum 10 submissions per day. 10x$50=$500/day and without strong SERPs -- SERPs guys gotta be kidding. But yes -- Alive Directory --is different. It has both SERPs and authority. But I don't think there could be much difference in terms of traffic and revenue between the two TOP Bosses among us. So SERPs is really secondary for directories -- unless you intend to use AdSense.
No offense Jhnrang, but are you kidding? Don't get me wrong I love pr just as much as the next guy but if I could get #1 rankings for all of my major keywords then I'm gonna take it. With that many rankings you gonna get some sales and a whole lot of them. PR is only attracting to webmasters and maybe a few others. But there are 1,000's of website owners who buy but know nothing about page rank and therefore if you want their business you need to be on the search engines. I'll take rankings over pr anyday of the week. Seach engines bring traffic and traffic brings sales. The more traffic you get the better chance you have at closing the deal.
Depends if you are after link sales or visitors? I would prefer to be number 1 than have high PR but ideally would like both...
Well Marlin --I am not really kidding. It is a very well thought after reasoning. Google is giving much more importance to authority sites with its new algo--and trying to put most authority sites on top of serps results. How do I get PR7? Links from high PR sites --Right? Without links from high PR sites -- I could never achieve it. And high PR sites = 80% of them Authority sites. I get more votes from authority sites -- I become authority myself. Simple logic. All these high PR links will automatically PUT me on top of SERPs for my choosen anchors. So SERPs is easier than PR. Some of our collegues --who have multiple PR9/8 links pointing towards their directories can vouch for that. They are having GREAT GREAT SERPs -- but except www.excellentguide.com - nobody could go beyond PR6. Being an SEO expert yourself - I hope you understand Why I am craving for PR7. Because it will automatically put me on top-- due to those high PR links. I hope you won't report me to Matt Cutts - isn't why G is trying to stop Paid Links --because one can easily manipulate SERPs? But ask www.business.com -- to go for PR8 and they will not get it. Because my CRAZY brain --suspects Google manually monitors sites of PR7+
jhnrang: Will not disagree with the logic you have laid out. But let me point this out, what happens if you do get slamed for getting high pr links from unrelated sites or because it is obvious that you paid for those links? Those links become worthless and the result is a drop in pr and a drop in pr will mean a drop in sales because you will have nothing else to fall back on. Search engine rankings can make up for any pr lose that may occur in the future. I would take those things into consideration before I started shooting for pr only.
Isn't that why you SEO guys are there? Seriously -- yes --your point is valid. But on the other hand -- thats the challenge to find the best link. Matt Cutts is certainly aware of searchengineguide.com and all the sites listed there. I read on his blog about mentioning seoroundtable too ( hahahah--be careful --Matt Knows yar Index) -- but as they are related --thats very fine. Those are advertisements --on related sites --no problem. Thats why I say -- I want PR not SERPs. Because you can achieve serps with 7/8 PR8 paid links -- but you can't achieve PR with those links -as they might get devalued and pass NO JUICE. I hope you understand why I am preferring PR than SERPs. SERPs are not for us--Directories.
I don't think I would want to pay submit to a site that only cares about pr. I want to submit my site to a directory that is trying hard to get real traffic from serps so maybe I can get referral traffic to my site and buy products or push me up in the serps as well. From reading these threads it seems like one can buy higher pr pretty easily. What will my site gain from submitting to a "bought" high pr site that gets no traffic or search engine saturation? Just pr? What will that do for me? I sell herbs. What about all the other potential submitters that are non-directories that want to be listed on a directory that "provides" for them. I want an incentive to renew next year. I won't renew for a pr number but I will renew for traffic or a strong site that I feel is pushing me up in the serps. I was told also to be careful not to submit to a high pr site without careful checking since maybe they just bought the high pr with no real strength to the site to do anything for me.
Please read the posts again. I said in the process of trying to get high PR -- a directory will automatically gain very very high SERPs. SERPs is easy if you have deep pocket and a relatively old site-- PR is very difficult.
I'm not worried about this, if I wanted a high pr link I would not have bought this one at the cost in which I am paying to advertise there. Some links are worth more than just pr. Show me a site which ranks for a high powered keyword based on pr alone. Well then, May the PR be with you .
Lol --mate - I was kidding. Surely --that site is not just for PR --I know. But I could not affrod as he cited me $350/m If you really like to talk about it --lets do it in private. You can please add me either on MSN or YM -- Haha -- I'll be extremely happy to keep my PR -- though after I got one PR8 link -G released my site out of SandBox (kidding-- anybody please do not report me to Matt)
Till now I thought the PR is more important and worked for PR mainly. But in the last two months and now my directory ranks very high for some keywords that are related to the listings and when I realized that I feel happy because 90% of the people coming to my directory by searching a term and reaching to the detail page of a listing clicks the link of the listing. But I think the SERPs for my deserved keywords are reacting opposite to my actions. I was on #23 on google.com for link directory a week ago and I decided to make it better and started to work for the term link directory. But today when I checked it, I realized that I am on the 6th-7th page. On the other hand, I never worked for paid link directory but I am the #4 on google.com for this keyword. To sum up, SERP is something that may suprise you and PR is a little bit more certain to get or not. Let's get PR for submission rates and SERPs for providing traffic to the link owners. Getting links for the deep pages may be a good movement for both.