Google Webmaster Guidelines change

[andrewkeet]

Hello.

1. Have other relevant sites link to yours.
2. Submit your site to relevant directories such as the Open Directory Project and Yahoo!, as well as to other industry-specific expert sites.

Has been removed from Google Webmaster Guidelines.

Is this the end of directories ?.

Thank You.

[RosieD]

I wouldn't be at all surprised given how over used a tactic directories are. I would be more concerned if they no longer count link backs to your site-was that removed too?

[jabo]

^^hopefully not.... so are you guys going to stop submitting to directories?

[sofomor]

They are already irrelevant. Talking about the free ones which make you wait 4-6 months. Imagine waiting for a SINGLE LINK for that period. SMO (social media optimization) could be intelligently used to gain more grounds.

Thank you

[littlegiant]

"Have other relevant sites link to yours."

I didn't hear about this one being removed either but it seems that it has. That might not be a bad thing because I think link whoring is getting way out of hand.

[cbosleeds]

Google only ever recommended specifically the big expedited directory services anyway. One train of thought is that Google has removed this from the guidelines because it goes without saying that you should submit to the bigger directories and relevant directories these days.

Of course no one actually really uses these directories to find information, so the real value must be in the link and thereby goes the problem. On the one hand the directories aren't providing useful information, just links. On the other hand, it could be argued that they are being squeezed out as the SEs have the monopoly on the way information is stored and served up.

Anyway, DMOZ is worth a hell of a lot less than it used to be, and is practically just another link these days, a far cry from when it used to be touted around as a silver bullet for getting seen online.

Personally i don't set too much store by this change to the guidelines as there is more than one way to interpret it, and without more concrete information I won't be making any assumptions.

[incrediblehelp]

It's about time. Both of those sent the wrong message to newbies

[deepsand]

Only a patient & watchful eye will tell.

[govindseo]

hi,
always submit your site in relevant category it's right way of directory submission.

Thanks!

[madjohn]

DMOZ has been looked upon as less and less a 'noted resource' for some time now. I have no faith in it and the people who "run" it.

Plus, like cbosleeds and jan says, all directories are pretty much link factories now and viewed as get-link-quick schemes hunted after by newbie web marketers etc.

[NetGal]

I think they changed a lot of things lately, since my sites are all over the place!

[RichAtVNS]

Originally Posted by cbosleeds

Of course no one actually really uses these directories to find information, so the real value must be in the link and thereby goes the problem.

Are you kidding? Vortels (vertical industry portals - know as DIRECTORIES) are the easiest way to find information and many programmers and engineers (who think logically and use them) are angry that yahoo removed it from there system a few years ago.

Personally I use the
Ornamental concrete directory
Mold makers directory
Yahoo Yellow Pages
and a bunch of other ones that are still around.

It is a way to find businesses and relevant information by a category easily drilling down, with out having to come up with KEYWORDS that owner of a website or business may or may not have come up with and a search engine algorithm may or may not have identiified!

SEARCH ENGINES LIKE GOOGLE HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN YOU NOT FINDING YOUR INFORMATION QUICKLY BY DRILLING DOWN TO IT. because they don't derive as much revenue and THEY DON'T HAVE TO SPEND ON COMPETENT EDITORS/LIBRARIANS.

Now adays it takes forever to find MSDS and USE information on products and materials because keywords and SEO get in the way.....
Give me a directory any day of the week if it is monitored and edited!!!!!

[jawn_tech]

Best case scenario for directories -- submit to directories that are known to have 'good' traffic -- that is, traffic comprised of people who are using the directory for what it's intended for, to find websites pertaining to their interest (that they couldn't otherwise find through a search engine).

[kgun]

Originally Posted by andrewkeet

Hello.

1. Have other relevant sites link to yours.
2. Submit your site to relevant directories such as the Open Directory Project and Yahoo!, as well as to other industry-specific expert sites.

Has been removed from Google Webmaster Guidelines.

Is this the end of directories ?.

Thank You.

Or the start of the revenge of mininets?

How Mininets Can Compete with the Top Ranked Sites

http://www.sellwhatyouknow.com/dynamiclinking.pdf

Originally Posted by sofomor

They are already irrelevant. Talking about the free ones which make you wait 4-6 months. Imagine waiting for a SINGLE LINK for that period. SMO (social media optimization) could be intelligently used to gain more grounds.

Thank you

Why not a single answer

Search relevance, trust and meaningless SERP's

to this important post?

Related subject:
Pay per static brand link a better solution for professional publishers.

I am sure there is nothing som SE's fear more than good human ordered, ranked and collected links. Perhaps not Google, since no SE can compete with Google's speed. In addition since I personally regard Google as "a SE for Wikipedia" (The meta SE Clusty is better here IMO), Google can not be afraid of Wikipedia. And that also indicates that (IB)Links's are still the most important aspect of Google's SE algorithm. Difficult to make a better model.

[sugitha]

Submit your sites only on relevant categories that's helpful to get traffic.

[virtualtraveller]

My question is, if you submit to as many directories as you can (all with a category relevant to your sites) do you think it will get you penalised. I don't see how Google can do this since there's nothing wrong with promoting your site on the assumption that people find you via directories, and how can google really tell which ones are good and which ones not, other than ibl/PR.

We've identified about 1000 directories, and offer a service to submit to all, by hand, about 70% would work for most sites, and about 70% of that number eventually validate the link (mopnths later). I've done so with my sites and seen no adverse reaction.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by virtualtraveller

My question is, if you submit to as many directories as you can (all with a category relevant to your sites) do you think it will get you penalised.

No.

Google will simply discount the IBL value of those deemed to be non-authoritative.

The true measure of a directory's value should be the traffic generated.

[innominds]

Leaving some directories, most of them in the filed are just link treasures. They work on the basis of PR. Correct me, if I'm wrong.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by innominds

Leaving some directories, most of them in the filed are just link treasures. They work on the basis of PR. Correct me, if I'm wrong.

1) Many have no PR to pass.

2) Of those that might, most are not deemed authoritative, with the result that their PR is discounted.

To repeat, the true measure of a directory's value should be the traffic generated.

[2fk]

Why will it be the end of the niche related directory submission? Google is not the only search engine available and yahoo do consider directories as IBL...Google don't show all the links to your site that's why the directories are not visible they do only shows those quality links compared to yahoo..

[google junky]

The smart SEO link strategy was to only add your link to directories that were relevant.
Even if an SEO link strategy wasn't part of the plan and you were just wanting to lead traffic to your site anyway.
I don't see that this changes anything whether Google uses it or loses it.

Just don't be silly enough to add your link on sites that aren't relevant to yours and call it a day.
its a no-brainer

[sofomor]

by deepsand: No.

Google will simply discount the IBL value of those deemed to be non-authoritative.

The true measure of a directory's value should be the traffic generated.

Agree!