Web Directories

**mantasx** · 04-16-2010, 11:56 PM

So I read they are.. I also read their a waste of time as most search engines don't even count them for back links. I even heard, they could hurt your page rank! I am considering dedicating some good time to submit my site to some of those Web Directories, but before I waste time I wanted to see what others think.

My question is, has anyone here on these forums, have submitted to Web Directories? If so, have you seen any good back links from these? Any resulting traffic?
By the number of threads, considering the quantities of different directories, it looks as if many people would use them.
However, I wanted to hear webmaster-talk member's input on this.

**AndreyW** · 04-19-2010, 04:46 AM

I am not SEO expert but in my view the link building secret is to be selective. Try and submit to only quality human edited directories that are within your niche and preferably have your targeted keyword in the domain and certainly in the Title tag of the category page you are submitting to.Especially with caution should treat catalogues whose sections consist of a chain of pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... 999. Such structures are not indexed in depth. The depth of indexing of chains depends on the Page Rank-and on top of the chain.Worse is if you link to the site moves from page to page. For example, because adding new links and new. In this case, the search engine will index the link, but the potential visitor to this page link coming from the search engine will find other content on the page as desired has already moved. So I think that too many of directories are effective.
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**mantasx** · 04-20-2010, 09:24 AM

Thanks for the reply Andreyw, have you had any experience of your own, that web directories would build back links on to your site?

**kunkun** · 04-21-2010, 02:46 AM

Web Directories are effective for site. Directory submission is not time wasting but it is helpful for your site bank links.

**janecooke** · 04-21-2010, 03:31 AM

It comes down to choosing the right directories. The submission process itself is almost mechanical. The main task is choosing the directory which suits your niche, has good traffic, passes link value and so forth. It need not be free, but the price should justify the visitors and conversions you get.

**jvmills** · 04-23-2010, 12:14 PM

I think that submitting to some reasonable quality directories will help your site get noticed, help a new site bed in and achieve a "natural" looking back link profile.

I have never paid to submit a site, but then I don't really have the budget on the sort of sites I work on. There are some good paid ones such as Best of The Web, but there are loads of decent enough free ones that give you link juice.

I always submit a site to DMOZ and usually to Hot Frog if applicable. I then will search for directories related to that site's niche and submit a few more times.

Slow and laborious but link building is a patient game!

**mantasx** · 04-23-2010, 02:28 PM

Thanks for the replies!
I have been submiting my site to a few directories already. Spend two hours and got 39 directories done. jvmills, you are right about laborious work..
Hopefully, I'm not wasting my time and will see some back links.

**Arabule** · 04-26-2010, 04:47 AM

This article will help you understand more about directories and will answer your question:

Quote:

The practice of website directory submission and web link directory site url submission is not a decision to be made lightly. In web composition and promoting the website, search engine techniques demand active link promotion. The need for differentiation between quality web directories and non quality web directories is a business decision that has long lasting consequences. The spam free web directories that exist today may change soon and become commercial, degrading the value of the submission and the quality of the link association with that site.

The early web directories had little competition. They stood for the first compilations of web data and correlation that helped knit the internet together. But as more and more savvy webmasters capitalized on the relative links web directories provided, webmasters of web directories capped the exposure their new link building members could derive by placing limits on the adding links. This made adding web links risky due to the possibility that the changing nature of the web directory after the webmaster's initial visit could subject the link owner to unfavorable traffic or non-complementary link and content associations.

There is also risk in establishing a link to an unknown web directory since in the short term the entire web directory could be a drawback for your web link and certainly a negative feature of your site's own link directory is an exchange is asked.And the consequences of submitting to these types of directories rises if they become held in contempt by the search engine optimization formulas or abuse their programming.

Responsible webmasters must strategically distinguish between quality directories and non quality and think that submitting to all web directories would help promoting gaining traffic, back links and ranking better in search engines which is a huge mistake. Some webmasters may think that all web directories are no longer helpful in promoting their web sites and think that submitting to all web directories will negatively affect their web ranking in search engines. This thinking is erroneous, while the particular quality of the web directory.

After search engine optimization experience and placement of links in web directories for domain promotion, two types of directories have emerged. Now there are quality and non quality (spam free) directories. Submitting a web site link to quality web directories will help promote the web site by providing it with quality back links which will help it rank better in search engines. The linked site will help the web site gain natural sources of traffic along with the link's traffic source.

The submittal of the website link to disorganized, unpopular, or unfocused web directories will affect a web site negatively. There will be a decrease in rank in the search engines, losing natural traffic from search engines and may lead to complete ban of your web site in the long term.

Quality web directories have to be search engine friendly. Such sites only accept and list quality SEO websites rich in content and information, Real quality sources of websites are selectively linked to provide an optimum experience for visitors. They have a good rank in the SERP (Search Engines Result Pages). They reject spam or non quality web sites and thus provide pure positive source results.

Less than premium choice websites usually have non optimized web site. They accept and list all kind of links and web sites, including under construction pages and non planned websites, and doesn't give a value for quality or non quality web sites. They don't have any ranking in SERP. They don't last long due to lack of interest and traffic, and only remain online until they get banned or deleted. So, excluding all web directories at polar opposites of quality and in between is like excluding any possibility of success in SEO. Getting better rank in search engines and thinking that all web directories are a key feature in SEO is a huge mistake.

You have to analyze the potential web directory, distinguish between the two types of directories, submit only to quality directories and avoid the non quality directories. In short, premium SEO web directories offer maximum results directed at your target demographic with no effort on your part except to submit your site for inclusion. These directories are among the most effective marketing tools on the internet.

Source: http://arabule.com/articles/quality-...ctories-6.html

**bbdirect** · 05-01-2010, 05:41 PM

Web directories are useful if they have editorial hat really moderate the links that are submitted to them regardless if it is paid or not.

**TheMoneyExpress** · 05-04-2010, 07:36 AM

Thanks for the information guys.

**RashmiP** · 05-04-2010, 10:39 AM

Yes, directory posting does matter, specially submitting in relevant and niche websites.

**jayseo** · 05-04-2010, 12:40 PM

Thanks to all providing huge information about web directories.

**rockleeman** · 05-11-2010, 10:03 PM

Yea it's definitely best to have as many links around as possible...my website directory is my signature...y'know Just to get your site linked

**rypher21** · 05-13-2010, 01:29 AM

web directories is still good to use..posting in right category, relevant to your site..

**benicio** · 05-13-2010, 11:35 AM

its still good though. just intend or create another page for reciprocal links.

**rockleeman** · 05-14-2010, 10:57 PM

Also..there are other ranking systems that look for back linking to determine a websites rank..if you have below a certain alexa rank i wont even visit your site

**akki45** · 05-19-2010, 01:41 AM

Directory submission is a part of off page SEO. So you can utilize it. Yes, of course don't spend much time for that. But regular posting in some good directories with high PR can be worthwhile for your site.

**junosama** · 05-21-2010, 12:07 AM

My vote is yes they are.

**mimamo** · 05-25-2010, 12:43 PM

As far as I know, Google only puts value on the best directories, which manually approved every website

**leahmc1977** · 05-26-2010, 11:38 PM

Directory submission is still good. Make sure to submit your site to directory websites with good PR and you should choose the right niche for your site.