Are many directories being filtered out?

[Johan007]

Are many directories being filtered out for ranking because I am seeing less and less of them in back links analysis using Google? I know Google hides many back links so why are they hidden?

Are hidden back links counted in the ranking? (I am sure some of them are counted if not all of them)

[Marketing Guy]

Yeh they will be counted even if hidden (that's the point - the good, unique ones tend to be hidden - that way they remain good and unique as your competitors don't copy you).

But I do think directories have been heavily discounted this year (not all of course). I've seem quite a broad selection of clients on directory-only link building not moving much in the SERPs and seeing very little change in PR (and we're talking about PR2/3/4 sites, so it doesn't take a lot to shift PR - hell, I've launched sites with 1 link that have gone in at PR5).

Potentially some directories have been filtered out completely, but I think the majority just mean less than they did before.

It makes sense that Google would target and devalue "easy" sources of links - directories, article sites, PR sites, blog comments, forums, etc - what value do these links have (if you consider them as "votes" for a site) if they give out links to everyone and anyone? No value at all.

MG

[John Scott]

I think we had a good discussion about this earlier. ....

*Going off to find the thread*

[John Scott]

Found it:

http://www.v7n.com/forums/showthread...259#post237259

[John Scott]

Originally Posted by Johan007

Are many directories being filtered out for ranking because I am seeing less and less of them in back links analysis using Google? I know Google hides many back links so why are they hidden?

Are hidden back links counted in the ranking? (I am sure some of them are counted if not all of them)

Johan, I'm impressed with your knowledge of SEO. You've been a member here a for over two years and I never recalled you being this insightful. Seeing how you're so into SEO, why not set up a website to test SEO theories? It seems you have the energy to do so, and you might end up making some break-throughs.

Having said that, I think you should know that Google's baclinks are for entertainment purposes only. They mean absolutely nothing.

If you really want to see whether or not a page is counting as a link, put some bogus word in the anchor text link on the page, like "Puffnile", then wait, and see if the page you linked to with that anchor text shows up for "Puffnile", without that word appearing on the page.

[sknydave]

That was an excellent read. Thanks

[Johan007]

Well I have done some but the results are inconclusive thus my forum post.I find it difficult to gather enough test data to make my theories credible.

I found that directory submission into one or two directories with (PR5/4) does get the site spidered however the effect on ranking is inconclusive because the pages would only rank for unique phrases and words. Getting listed in more directories had little effect on ranking but these pages contained such low PR it may not be an effect of "directory filtering" at all.

The test site has not been submitted to high back linked directories like SevenSeek or Dmoz.

I used to think that non visible Google back links are either useless or on the other level very credible… however the very credible sources do sometimes show up eventually and then I question if credible links are filtered.

[Marketing Guy]

It could also be a mixture of crap + credible being filtered though. Google aren't stupid - I think they have designed their algo to play the political game as much as the pure tech game. Hell, Overture mess around with keywords given from their KW suggestion tool - no reason Google don't play the same games.

[I, Brian]

I've heard suggestions from a couple of people that Jagger was especially harsh on sites whose *main* source of links was directory listings.

Even if devalued, personally I'm all for directory listings, especially the bigger ones - I have an article listing personal recommendations and resources here:
http://www.platinax.co.uk/18-web-directories/

However, directories as *a part" not *apart* from a general SEO campaign.

[Johan007]

In the end Google has doNE an outstanding job leaving SEO people with very little to do than to collect low hanging fruit. The power seems to have been given back to the people who run website… with bias towards marketing people to create hype and working relationships that generates very high quality back links in a naturally way. Marketing people and designers work on site architecture and follow standards in mark-up, accessibility and usability. Content authors provide compelling editorial or programmers and site designers provide unique or competitive service.

There is nothing left for SEO people other than low hanging fruit.

[I, Brian]

Bingo.

[Marketing Guy]

Roll on the rise of the Search Engine Marketers!