Does accepting free submissions hurt paid submissions??

[olddocks]

Is it true? does accepting free submissions hurt paid submissions? I am not sure about that?

I currently run a nice PR4 directory and i do accept free submissions along with paid ones. I wouldnt say no to paid ones as these are the lifeline of my directory.

Ironically, does putting a stop for free submission would hurt your popularity?

Suggestions please !!!!

[John Scott]

does accepting free submissions hurt paid submissions?

Yes, oh yes.

[Rezo]

Ye it does, unfortunatelly I run one directory, wich had 200 submissions/day when is was free and up to 300 uniques per day when it was free and now when it's just 1.99 I get none submissions for a while. Strange.

[olddocks]

for me as of now, i do accept both free submissions and paid submissions. our editors dont accept sites easily and we have strict guidelines for free ones. we charge $9.95 for express ones.

i do get some decent paid submissions as well. that is why i have not stopped free submissions entirely. since my directory s pr4 and about 5 months old, i am thinking of accepting free ones atleast for a year so that my traffic wont get hurt.

[-MGS-]

Hi,

Well. Why pay when you can get a free listing? You pay for quality. So if someone is paying to get listed they expect to be listed next to quality sites.

I would not accept free submissions along side paid. Pick one or the other they will not work together!

Just me view

-Dan
Directory-Owners.Com

[stoner3221]

Accepting free submission in no way hurts paid submission. In fact offering free submission can greatly enhance the quality of a directory. You get many free submissions of very good quality in non-commercial areas you just won’t get with paid submission. In order to develop a directory fully free submission is almost essential.

[John Scott]

Stoner, I gotta disagree with you there. Sure, it does enhance the quality of the directory in that you get to list more sites, sites that editors might not come across otherwise, but I think it hurts the profitability. In my experience, if people think that there's a chance they will get approved free of charge, they don't bother paying in the hopes that they will get in for free.

Just my

[WhatiFind]

Well Stoner has a point there; Accepting high quality websites into your directory for free will only benefit the directory. But on the other hand what you mentioned John about people not paying if they don't have to you've got a point there aswel.

At my webdirectory (dirspace) I currently offer free submission for non-profit and educational website, but for some reason people can't read and submit commercial website to the free section of the directory trying to get in for free. ppfff.. A well I'll start deleting a few more

[Pozzy]

It really depends on how organized your directory is, and in what categories people are looking to buy. Free submission with hurt paid submission if a certain category is very clustered.

[stoner3221]

Originally Posted by JohnScott

Stoner, I gotta disagree with you there. Sure, it does enhance the quality of the directory in that you get to list more sites, sites that editors might not come across otherwise, but I think it hurts the profitability. In my experience, if people think that there's a chance they will get approved free of charge, they don't bother paying in the hopes that they will get in for free.

Just my

John,
I agree offering free submission can put a dent in your pocket but with me I weigh the value of the additional quality content to be more valuable then the loss of submission income.

[webzenstar]

The are millions of web directories available and most have a mixed model of free / paid options.

The reason is simple: web site owners will pay for the "perceived value" of any given web directory so if you're just starting out, it may be somehow difficult to impose a listing fee.

[olddocks]

well stoner and scott made some fine points here.

what i have seen is accepting paid submissions hurt some non popular categories to grow, say for in arts,society etc.. But again i got people taking paid options. as far as i am concerned i not looking for nice money to be made keeping directory fully paid one, but atleast looking forward in building a quality directory.