SEM Tycoon

**Lpspider** · 07-02-2006, 11:10 PM

Well, as many of you know there are several thousand directories out there... is there a market or a reason for me (or anyone for that matter) to make our own?

**sitedesigner** · 07-02-2006, 11:27 PM

I would only think there would be a good reason for you to make your own directory if you can promote it, get it ranked high in search engines, and make something unique about it.

**beley** · 07-03-2006, 12:59 AM

I think a niche directory could be well received. It would be very difficult (if not impossible) to get a general directory to compete with the big guys unless you had serious funding.

**Lpspider** · 07-03-2006, 01:10 AM

I was thinking about using one as a tool for my own site... allow other sites and sponsored listings, but use it to promote my own websites. Thoughts?

**Zalaki** · 07-03-2006, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lpspider

I was thinking about using one as a tool for my own site... allow other sites and sponsored listings, but use it to promote my own websites. Thoughts?

Normally i go to high up sites.. get to know the owner their on the forums become freinds and wam in no time if the guy/girl is cool you got yourself free advertising :P i did that 3 times worked like a charm.. but im still freinds with them lol

**Hawaii SEO** · 07-03-2006, 06:27 AM

You can install one of many PHP Directory scripts on your website or a sub-domain as an automated links page. People can pay you for a one-way link or a free reciprocal link. If you promote it as a specialty directory, it might be used as bait for people searching for appropriate links in your category or niche.

**freetraff** · 07-03-2006, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beley

I think a niche directory could be well received. It would be very difficult (if not impossible) to get a general directory to compete with the big guys unless you had serious funding.

I also think that the time for niche directories is not over. If you have something of value to offer in the niche and can handle the people's interest, and HELP them with your directory = you have a big future.

**Muhammad Haris** · 07-03-2006, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freetraff

I also think that the time for niche directories is not over. If you have something of value to offer in the niche and can handle the people's interest, and HELP them with your directory = you have a big future.

Exactly, I had seen several directories just based on one topic such as gaming,counter strike or recipes or even barbecue recipes so niche directories are preety helpful to the users and easy to build!

**Payton** · 07-04-2006, 04:07 PM

It's difficult to promote, I have one directory site just sitting around doing nothing. If you're not actively promoting it, it's not something that just keeps growing by itself unless you're ranked really high in the search engines I don't think.

**imported_dvduval** · 07-08-2006, 10:11 PM

Once places like info.vilesilencer.com start listing your directory, you'll automatically get listed on a number of other sites. Once you do a little promoting and build your pagerank, there is no reason you can't make a couple hundred dollars per month on your directory. Getting a PageRank 6+ directory going can be some serious money, but even a 4 or 5 brings in some regular income.

**Hawaii SEO** · 07-09-2006, 09:48 PM

Wow!

Tell us more Dvduval

**imported_dvduval** · 07-11-2006, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaii SEO

Wow!

Tell us more Dvduval

Ok, once you get your directory to a PR 4 or better, there is a nice program the Text Link Brokers offers that allows you to add their links for $5 each, and they usually give you at least 10-20/month. Add that to some adsense income and some featured links, and its not hard to get $200 plus per month pretty quickly.

**Hawaii SEO** · 07-11-2006, 03:44 PM

Thanks Dave!

I read your post about directories on Thread Watch. (Great Post)
http://www.threadwatch.org/node/7303

It seems that maintaining quality by being selective about who is included is one of the keys to success.

I am about to launch a new (and large) Niche directory.
My plan is for me and my wife to do massive amounts of data entry ourselves for a few months to seed the directory with quality listings before we even try to promote it.

The thought is to include the top 20% in each area of the nich for free and use this to attract the other 80% who will need to pay or reciprocate with a link.

(Yes... we realise this could be a very looong term plan)
I was also planning to integrate the article and news product you offer as well as a Blog about the niche and feature recent entries to the directory. (At least 2 but possibly 3 link opportunities.)

I don't think there will be much movement until it reaches a critical mass. (Empty directories are useless.)

But anyway... That's our plan. I'm new to this, so it's probably not the best plan.

Do you have any advice on how to market it after it reaches the point of critical mass? It will likely be of great quality because we put a lot of effort into seeding it but it will likely have a PR-0 because it's new.

Any advise on what Not to do would also be helpful.

Thanks,
Dave.

**Steve_G** · 07-11-2006, 05:59 PM

I would say that unless it's some sort of original niche directory, you won't have much luck.

Then again, I've never tried.

**Hawaii SEO** · 07-11-2006, 06:32 PM

It's not an "original" ideal at all but (IMO) the existing directories that I've found absolutely suck. Zero authority listings with hundreds of MFA listings, ads, and more ads, etc. (You get the point)

Another reason why we think they suck is because we are experts on the niche and whoever is operating the existing directories obviously knows nothing about the subject.

In my opinion... If you are not at least some sort of expert on a niche, you are unlikely to have success with a niche directory. Experts who come to your niche directory should be impressed with the quality of listings & even find something new. (This, after all, is your target audience) I believe this is the first place to start.

I need to learn the next steps and helpful advice from people who have done this successfully.

Thanks,
Dave.

**Pidea** · 07-12-2006, 09:23 AM

I'm playing with a general directory (ALinksDirectory.com) at the moment using Davids excellent script and I have to say that I'm not expecting the site to turn a profit for some considerable time.

The key seems to be promotion and to that end I've put together a list of around 100 directories. Trouble is then, which ones do you submit to ?

I've come up with a way of sorting them based on the pagerank and number of backlinks that they have in Google, Yahoo and MSN compared to the biggest directory of them all DMOZ !

Using this method I can then sort then according to the probable traffic that they will generate and can target them from the top down. Now submitting my sites to drectories is a lot more logical than it was before !

**imported_ipodman** · 07-12-2006, 12:27 PM

Hi,

As long as you can offer a directory which is unique then give it a go! Otherwise don't do it! Like you say there are many directories why make another one? Make it unique and you will do well

-Dan

**imported_mill** · 07-12-2006, 01:30 PM

Again I have to say if the Directory is revolving around a niche and screens all submitted sites then your directory will definitely flourish. The rpoblem with hundreds of these directories is they accept any incoming link that they can get their hands on. I have an idea for a directory that I think would fly, but would need a good designer/script maker to get er done.

But you definitely can still make money on directories as long as you keep all the crap out.

**RedMatrix** · 07-16-2006, 03:21 AM

I made a general directory a month ago because I could eventually sell it. I skinned it myself, but just started promoting it. I have made zilch from it, though.

http://www.listgrind.com Go figure eh?

**imported_dvduval** · 07-17-2006, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedMatrix

I made a general directory a month ago because I could eventually sell it. I skinned it myself, but just started promoting it. I have made zilch from it, though.

http://www.listgrind.com Go figure eh?

That is a nice skin.

I wanted to note that once you attain a PR 4, you can get in the Text Link Broker program and earn $5/link.
http://www.textlinkbrokers.com/myl_program.html

As the person above mention, it takes a few months to get going. You need pagerank and traffic like any other site BUT sometimes it is a "little" easier because there are a lot of people out there that either maintain lists of directories or regularly submit to the directories, so as long as you advertise a little, its not to terribly difficult to get started.