Why do directory backlinks carry any weight?

Why do directory backlinks carry any weight? Does anyone actually use a directory to find a website? Personally, when I'm looking for something I try Google and Yahoo! and if I don't find it, I figure it doesn't exist.

With the millions of directories out there for the sole purpose of providing backlinks... why do the search engines give these links any weight at all.

 

A web directory can be a compilation of many things. Out of my directories, www.frogengine.com counts the most for backlinks. It has a forum, content, blog etc. and many other directories are also coded uniquely with mods not everyone has. People do find my directory for a variety of keywords, often categories linked for keywords related to sites listed, others come thru the forum or blog.

 

Cos if for example you searched Google for uk mast climbing and scaffolding The first link would be a site from my directory, not a direct site:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=uk+mast+climbing+and+scaffolding&btnG=Search

 

But what value does that offer the user? The actual site ranks second to the directory listing on your site. Many search terms are like that... you have to wade through directories and scapper sites to get to what you're looking for.

 

Hi Kerry -

Since Google started PR-- THING- Directories have become good business and since we BRIBE Matt Cutts --he has declared on 12th May that Directories can charge some Fee for Reviewing websites
I don't have answer for your second question.

 

man, you made me laugh...

 

Thanks mate. But I think --the unswer to Kerry's question lies in the IRONY of my joke

 

Yep in that case, but you can find links to urls on page 1 of Google via a directory link where the actual site isn't ranked.

 

But wouldn't the actual site rank if it didn't have to compete with SEO experts who have directories?

I admit I've played the game, submitting to various directories in hopes of a boost in SERPs...

 

Directories should be used as a supplement to your backlinks campaign, not the sole provider.

 

I think the majority of directories especially with a low pr don't carry a lot of weight. The top directories such as Dmoz, yahoo and best of the web carry the most weight for 3 reasons I think. First of all the high pagerank. Secondly they top directories are very selective on what sites they accept and the search engines know that. Finally top directories especially the three I just listed have been around a long time and their links are trusted by the search engines.

 

Directory backlinks do give weight. why? because directories are websites too. they advertise, the build up, some have unique content, some are even verticals. Search engines give these links weight because they are saying "thank you", thank you for at least trying to get your website out there...

Remember! relevant and good search results are great, but when there is no competition, there is no money. When there is a lot of competition, there is money because its hard to get on top, thats why people start paying for AdWords.... To make competition, we need new sites in search results, new sites need links. The easiest way to get links is from directories.

 

The answer is really quite simple ... search engines NEED directories that feed links to the web crawlers. Directories are high protien spider food with a constant supply of new content.

Directories provide thousands of links that are not found anywhere else on the Internet, and the more often you add to your site the more frequently robots will visit. Those pesky critters are even crawling my submit queue before I can get the sites approved.

Directories are not a "special case", the same software is used to index all sites regardless of content or structure. You can also bet the search engines grade pages by how well link text and descriptions match the destination, the same as it would from any other site.

Sometimes we forget what it was like trying to get that first website indexed. Not everyone is an SEO expert, I remember it took weeks to get that site crawled ... when I finally got it listed in a directory.
What a Noob I was way back when.

I once read that 30% of the sites are never indexed by the search engines ... because the sites are never linked.

By the way I don't think there are millions of directories ... tens of thousands ... sure.

 

FWIW, on my website I average 10 visitors each day from directories. That's at least some minor "weight". It's about 1% of my traffic, but not to be sneezed at.

 

it depends on how good / niche the directory is actually. I do get some traffic from some niche directories

 

Great line!
Love it!
rep for that one