What’s the point of directories?

[mxracer170]

Don’t get me wrong I submit my site to directories the same as everyone else, but lately I’ve been thinking what’s the point? Directories have helped me get really good rankings for such a young site but that’s about it. My point is. If I’m looking to buy a pair of pink flip-flops which am I more likely to do? Go to Dmoz or the Yahoo directory and search around in hundreds of sub-categories till I find a site that might sell pink flip-flops. Or option 2, go to google or yahoo and do a search for pink flip-flops. Who actually uses these directories to find anything? Until I got involved in SEO I didn’t what Dmoz was.

[Ar3d]

its a good way of gaining backlinks and it help a lot for your keyword ranking specially for Google ranking.

[Mihai]

Originally Posted by Ar3d

its a good way of gaining backlinks and it help a lot for your keyword ranking specially for Google ranking.

It greatly depends to the quality of the directory, number of links on the page where your link was placed and some other factors.

Link directories are many times link farms. There are very few quality links directories out there.

[coolguy27]

Originally Posted by Mihai

It greatly depends to the quality of the directory, number of links on the page where your link was placed and some other factors.

Link directories are many times link farms. There are very few quality links directories out there.

There are lots of quality link directories ... You can search it from Google or other SEs...I have my own collections of quality link directories...As I have search for it...

[Mihai]

Originally Posted by coolguy27

There are lots of quality link directories ... You can search it from Google or other SEs...I have my own collections of quality link directories...As I have search for it...

I work with over 2000 link directories too and have filtered them out of about 7000 others. Still, I not consider them quality. Anyway, link directory submission is just the first steps in a successful SEO which anybody can do so I will not debate too much on this. Cheers!

[Natural Elements]

Originally Posted by Mihai

It greatly depends to the quality of the directory, number of links on the page where your link was placed and some other factors.

Link directories are many times link farms. There are very few quality links directories out there.

I don't need to link on free directories anymore, they list my site automatically, bad or good? What can I do about this? As John mentionned, linking to tons of directories will dilute the power.

Even if you are listed on reputable directories, some guys will copy the listing on their own directories farm, what can you do about that if they are thousands? go after them?

[John Scott]

Originally Posted by mxracer170

Directories have helped me get really good rankings for such a young site but that’s about it.

You answered your own question.

[zagu060807]

Originally Posted by mxracer170

Don’t get me wrong I submit my site to directories the same as everyone else, but lately I’ve been thinking what’s the point? Directories have helped me get really good rankings for such a young site but that’s about it. My point is. If I’m looking to buy a pair of pink flip-flops which am I more likely to do? Go to Dmoz or the Yahoo directory and search around in hundreds of sub-categories till I find a site that might sell pink flip-flops. Or option 2, go to google or yahoo and do a search for pink flip-flops. Who actually uses these directories to find anything? Until I got involved in SEO I didn’t what Dmoz was.

Directories are made for backlinks and a little traffic, second, some uses directories to look for sites that is suitable for them. DMOZ is one of the biggest directories in the web wherein if your site is listed, you may get a higher chance of getting higher ranks and traffic from Google SE.

[mxracer170]

How many people actually use them vs. a search engine? If I'm shopping for anything I'd go to a search engine first. That's what I meant. I know they help rankings but does anyone actually get a decent amount of traffic from them (including Dmoz)?

[Natural Elements]

Originally Posted by mxracer170

How many people actually use them vs. a search engine? If I'm shopping for anything I'd go to a search engine first. That's what I meant. I know they help rankings but does anyone actually get a decent amount of traffic from them (including Dmoz)?

Like John said on another post "Traffic doesn't come from directory categories - it comes from people searching the directory."

This is very true, a good directory will rank high with your title anchor on search engines, so if you are shopping and looking something specific on SE, you've got a better chance to find either the main site or directories title anchor link. For example my site is not ranking high on a particular keyword, perhaps a directory display my title anchor, which could be a targeted title anchor I don't use on my site.

Traffic from directories helps a little, I cannot say it is huge.

I can tell you, almost all my customers come from search engines.

[peter_d]

It will be different for every site.

For example, directories often show up well in the regional SERPs. It's a lot easier, and much cheaper, to list in those directories rather than compete for the ranking.

What is a "decent" amount of traffic? A few clicks a year might be better value than paying for those same clicks on PPC.

I blogged about it here: http://blog.v7n.com/2007/07/30/are-d...es-worthwhile/

[poksa]

Originally Posted by peter_d

It will be different for every site.

For example, directories often show up well in the regional SERPs. It's a lot easier, and much cheaper, to list in those directories rather than compete for the ranking.

What is a "decent" amount of traffic? A few clicks a year might be better value than paying for those same clicks on PPC.

I blogged about it here: http://blog.v7n.com/2007/07/30/are-d...es-worthwhile/

I agree with you sir...
In SEO we must have give more attention to our Conversion...

but Submitting to directories is the first thing you can do to help your site
to gain traffic, after you totally build your stable traffic, I'm sure that the conversion you want is the next...

although we must have to work out the contents of our site and In bound links...

[tdd1984]

Directory rock man! Directories are seo well almost lol, links in general are seo, but directories a great source for links, and blogs . Just keep promoting just make sure you get listed in some quality directories.

[mauiman]

I think the value of backlinks via listings in quality directories has been established. If you're not convinced by your own experience or by the comments all over Webmaster forums... then I'll let others try to make that case.

A lot of people rightly question the usefulness of directories and whether or not the traffic is going to amount to anything of value to the advertisers (listings).

First - value for the advertisers:
I think the value to an online retailer of flip flops, to go along with your search example, is going to be almost 100% the SEO value in helping the flip flop retailer in the SERPs so when people do search for "pink flip flops for guys" their site will show up further ahead in the results.

In addition to being an important place to be for regional oriented sites I believe listings can be of great value in vertical industries when business people browse through business categories and directories reviewing the companies listed. The value of a new partnership or gaining a new supplier or client can be of tremendous value over the lifetime of that new relationship. So I believe the value of listings depends in large part on the type of business or organization.

Second - value for visitors:
Again it depends a lot on the quality of the directory (quantity of listings, quality of listings, ease of use) AND whose doing to browsing. One new relationship can be worth every dollar invested in every directory.

Granted, many directories offer too few listings to be of great use to visitors, but when you consider that most visitors are there because they're either considering a listing themselves OR as a result of spotting a competitor, vendor, or client's listing on a search result I think the case for making the investment can be easily made.

I hope this helps explain why many smart businesses (online and offline) continue to invest in directories despite the relatively light traffic.

Cheers
P.S. I assume you're a guy mxracer because of the way you're slamming your head against your desk! A girl wouldn't risk having a bad hair day....

[elena29]

Web Link Directories bring a small amount of traffic and a definitive amount of PR juice, depending on the quality and PR of the link directory itself.

[SeLFiE_12]

directories help you to improve your link popularity by submitting your site to it...and by using your targeted keywords as your anchor text you might get better rankings for such keywords...

[poksa]

Originally Posted by SeLFiE_12

directories help you to improve your link popularity by submitting your site to it...and by using your targeted keywords as your anchor text you might get better rankings for such keywords...

Yep, directories are the first thing to get a one way link....

But by submitting to directories they list your site through the information that you submitted to them... most commonly they list your "TITLE TAG"...

I don't remember any directories that you will input your own anchor text...