I'm curious...

[myx20]

I'm curious...

"And stop adding links to directories! Google started devaluing those earlier this year!"

I read this (the quoted sentence) forum post stating that we should stop submitting our site to directories because Google started devaluing it...

Is this true? Your answer will be appreciated. Thanks!

[janeth]

I've noticed in the last year when submitting sites to directories we do not see an increase in traffic or rankings.

However, with that being said, several people have told me that submitting sites to niche directories has helped in ranking and traffic.

Directories have always been a problem that Google and the other search engines were going to have to address sooner or later.

[Dubbya]

If it's a nice clean directory and the link is free, I'll take it.

If I'll gain motivated customers through IBL's from a reputable niche directory and my competitors are listed there, I'll pay for a listing and make some sales.

Either way, if all Google is going to do is filter them out, it's not going to hurt.

.02

[janeth]

Originally Posted by Dubbya

If it's a nice clean directory and the link is free, I'll take it.

If I'll gain motivated customers through IBL's from a reputable niche directory and my competitors are listed there, I'll pay for a listing and make some sales.

Either way, if all Google is going to do is filter them out, it's not going to hurt.

.02

If you spend all day submitting sites to directories and none of them count then I would say you do lose something, you lose a day's worth of work.

And time you could've spent doing something else.

Just my two cents.

[advancedmerchant]

I would view it as any other IBL. Worth having, even paying for if it is real cheap. The directories are just no longer a "Milestone" in your SEO.

As with anything else having the extra IBL's will add some "juice", but it is long overdue for directories like DMOZ to be devalued.

[villageloop]

Are you checking the Page Rank of the directories that you submit to?

I would natrually assume that this will influence the ability to enhance your own.

And even if the PR is high today. Is the directory following best practices? If not, you can bet that sooner or later they will be devalued. A directory, by its own being, consists of pages of outbound links. My understanding is that this will lessen the importance of a site, since the majority of content is not thier own or original.

[RichAtVNS]

All I have to say is I submitted my site to a vortal (vertical portal/directory) 3 weeks ago, was accepted by the editor and have received 10 solid leads amounting to over $100,000 in contracts.

So do I care what google does with the directory links on page rank.... There are other good reasons to do it anyhow.

[cbosleeds]

I have to admit that I've cut my own directory submissions down dramatically for any campaign I undertake now. There are just so many better and niche linking opportunities out there from sources with more recognised and reliable efficacy. The thing with web directories is that there are literally tens of thousands of free ones out there, and they really serve very little purpose these days - they aren't a focus for online communities, they aren't used by anyone as directories, and are generally only visited by people chasing a link. Niche directories might be slightly different, but one thing for certain is that, if they are not already worth less as linking opportunities such a demotion is in the post, and who wants to get links that are going to depreciate rather than appreciate in value.

That doesn't mean that I'm not off to check out Vortal right now! What's the URL for it btw?

[RichAtVNS]

Originally Posted by janeth

If you spend all day submitting sites to directories and none of them count then I would say you do lose something, you lose a day's worth of work.

And time you could've spent doing something else.

Just my two cents.

The last entry was a response to this comment Judith

[janeth]

Originally Posted by RichAtVNS

The last entry was a response to this comment Judith

Had you taken the time to read my first post you would know that I had addressed that.

I said I had not seen that and then at the bottom left the text Just My Two Cents.

If you are not aware of what that means let me know and I'll explain it to you.

[ron angel]

Originally Posted by cbosleeds

I have to admit that I've cut my own directory submissions down dramatically for any campaign I undertake now. There are just so many better and niche linking opportunities out there from sources with more recognised and reliable efficacy. The thing with web directories is that there are literally tens of thousands of free ones out there, and they really serve very little purpose these days - they aren't a focus for online communities, they aren't used by anyone as directories, and are generally only visited by people chasing a link. Niche directories might be slightly different, but one thing for certain is that, if they are not already worth less as linking opportunities such a demotion is in the post, and who wants to get links that are going to depreciate rather than appreciate in value.

That doesn't mean that I'm not off to check out Vortal right now! What's the URL for it btw?

Looking at my site logs I get hardly if not any traffic from directories.If the entry is free I will always go for it (any advertising is good advertising) also it brings(even if no body clicks on it) incoming links to the site therefore increasing page rank.

[myx20]

Originally Posted by janeth

I've noticed in the last year when submitting sites to directories we do not see an increase in traffic or rankings.

However, with that being said, several people have told me that submitting sites to niche directories has helped in ranking and traffic.

Directories have always been a problem that Google and the other search engines were going to have to address sooner or later.

So what do you mean? Does directory submission doesn't help your site anymore? Thanks.

[janeth]

Originally Posted by myx20

So what do you mean? Does directory submission doesn't help your site anymore? Thanks.

I hit the from time to time just to do it but no, I've not seen it help any.

[edhan]

Basically in my personal opinion, it boils down to some good and some bad directories. If you are submitting to good targetted directories that are related to your products or services, then it will help you in the near future. But if you are using those free submission directories that are completely not related or being used by spammers then time is wasted for trying.

That's life. There is always some things good and some things bad. Problem will be we have to take time and effort to find those good ones and you will be able to harvest your crops (just like a farmer planting seeds and later gets the fruits).

[myx20]

Originally Posted by janeth

I hit the from time to time just to do it but no, I've not seen it help any.

Originally Posted by edhan

Basically in my personal opinion, it boils down to some good and some bad directories. If you are submitting to good targetted directories that are related to your products or services, then it will help you in the near future. But if you are using those free submission directories that are completely not related or being used by spammers then time is wasted for trying.

That's life. There is always some things good and some things bad. Problem will be we have to take time and effort to find those good ones and you will be able to harvest your crops (just like a farmer planting seeds and later gets the fruits).

Very well said guys... thanks for your answers.

[Azher Memon]

I think its working as i have recently done it for my blog and got good exposure. but i also heard that Google removing directory from its index which are doing reciprocal or selling link space.