Hi, I just cannot figure out this question. Why do webmasters invest time and effort in link directories? Eventually, not just one, but some with more than 10 link directories. Personally, I just feel people who comes in to submit links don't really contribute much to clicks on ads. Also, the site don't really drive traffic to you, instead it drives traffic outwards. Thirdly, the value of link directories doesn't seem profitable in any sense (unlike Gizmo). Eventually, if the site is meant to be sold. How much would it really bring in income? So.... why do webmasters still maintain link directories?
Some people use link directories to help them find information. I myself, if I feel the need to find a new webcomic, will often go to one of the online indexes of webcomics. Some of them are sorted well, and make looking for a webcomic that will fit my current reading desires easy. Well made indexes do actually get traffic.
Sounds fair to me, but that still won't really generate much revenue still. The question is, people are really obsessed in making more and more of link directories, but their returns aren't great.
If you make a link directory, the content is already basically created for you. Further, you can use that link directory to give your own sites top billing, and some people might pay you to add their site to your index. The revenue may not be -great- but with enough drops of water, a bucket is filled. To be clear, I haven't made a single index or link farm, or what have you. But I have used a few in the past.
they are easy money if you promote them. and like Josh said, its a good way to help build up your other sites.
Free content is the best content and if you have your directory set up with links to a separate description page for each site it doesn't take long to have thousands of pages created for absolutely nothing while created something useful for you and the webmasters that submit.
Josh: What is a link farm or single index that you are referring to?? Loco.M: That's the question. Promoting them is fine, but where are the revenue coming from? I know I have sold a link so far, but that's about it. It's not like being able to survive on that, as a monthly income. ryquest: yes, pageview do matter, but people search for content, not links to contents.... hmmmm... i don't know.. maybe you are right.
I think the good directories (i am not talking about the best ones!) earn 1000-10000$ per month and i think this will increase by time until google give serious penalties to them to stop the growth (i am not sure that they will do that!). People know the value of a backlink and web directories is the easiest way to to obtain a semi-related backlink... So customers are there and increasing..
I've found benefit with directories for piggybacking their rankings for niche keywords and also for clients wanting reputation management (the directory listing appears for a search for their company name).
single was not connected to index. I meant that I had not created even one site which could be considered an index, or a link farm. A link farm is basically a page that is nothing but a bunch of links. No description, no nothing, used mostly to SEO other pages.
I cant imagine someone earning 1000 let alone 10 000 per month with a link dir. If i dont think they'll bring me any traffic i dont include unless they are strong for my keywords.
and that's exactly what I mean..... so my question is sort of still unanswered. Hmm... can people really earn with Link directories?
I hope I am not getting too confuse. Getting link juice (page rank) is for the people who submitted their sites, but not for webmasters, right? Because, logically speaking page rank depends on the no. of incoming links vs. outgoing links. There are far more outgoing than incoming for web directories. So, how do you get your so-called "link juice"?
When these dirs link to you they are passing "link juice" or "link love" which build your pr. The owners of the dirs dont benefit from this, it's the person who has his link on the dir who does.
Oh yes, the person who submits the site to the directory pays money $$ to the webmaster or the directory owner. The submitter gets one way backlink which gives him the so called link juice or page rank and the webmaster of the directory gets money
schmeetz, I don't quite agree with you. What do I gain from "link juice"? They're not PR right? However, I think aditya's explanation is more logical. What I am curious is, how about those who are offering free link submissions. I'm pretty sure when you look around, there are tonnes of Free Web/Link Submissions...!!! ??? and usually not many people pays to be "featured". So the earning are rather slim.