too many directories?

[conceptsti]

I was recently checking back links for some of my competitors and they seem to have 70% directories and the rest 30% are ad words that are showing up as back links. some of them are 90% directories.

I was holding back on submitting to directories since 25% of my links are directories

but Will having more directories hurt my rankings? or do they just count as regular links?

has anyone been penalize by Google for have too many directories links?

[ctabuk]

Directories are fine - providing the Anchor Text is relevant. You need to point the links at the right pages.
Check your competitors links by doing a very simple "theirsite" then link to where they do - But try to make your keywords even better than theirs.

[SEMSpot]

In my experience i have never seen Google or any other engine penalize you for having your website listed in to many directories. They are nothing more then links back to your site with a short description so there is no problem if you have thousands of different directories linking to your site. Now if you go out and get thousands of new backlinks in a few days then that could raise a red flag with google, so just be careful as to the amount of new links you have going to your site.

[ArthurKay]

There's nothing wrong with submitting your site to many directories, though SEMSpot raises a good point about creating too many too quickly (thousands within days).

But ask yourself this question... are these directory sites going to bring you any traffic? Probably not, unless they are very specific to your site. You could spend your time more wisely by writing press releases, writing a blog, or creating new content to drive traffic to your site.

[JohneeMac]

You cant get penalised for incoming links.

Think about it, whats to stop anyone from getting a competitors site banned by getting a bunch of poor links to link to their site? The search engines are smarter than this.

Outgoing links is a different matter - big difference though : you are in control of them.

[Peter Rowe]

hi ctabuk

how do you do a "theirsite"

[songtexte32]

No way. More is better, of cource quality is important too, but LESS is always the second path

[khurramali]

One good tip is to search for incoming directory and website links to your competitors.

Then go out and submit your website to all those directories, plus contact the websites that link to your competition.

Try working on some "link bait". Search this forum if you want to know more about it.

[coolguy27]

I was recently checking back links for some of my competitors and they seem to have 70% directories and the rest 30% are ad words that are showing up as back links. some of them are 90% directories.

I was holding back on submitting to directories since 25% of my links are directories

but Will having more directories hurt my rankings? or do they just count as regular links?

has anyone been penalize by Google for have too many directories links?

Directories are a good one way link which will not hurt your rankings.. As long as it is not reciprocal link directories... Good and quality directory are good backlinks....:D

No one by the way have been penalize by Google by having too much directories... As long as you put it in the right category.. But if you put it in unrelated category surely it will hurt your rankings...

[martty]

But if you put it in unrelated category surely it will hurt your rankings...How will it do that?