Directory Links, Are They Crap

Have you submitted a site to lots of directories lately? Go ahead go on over to DirectoryCritic,com and submit a site be it a favorite of yours or an ecommerce site. Go ahead I will wait.
Ok, your back. While you were out getting links, did you experience deja vu quite a lot. Directories can be easily created using a directory script, and often times the owners make little to no alterations to make the directory unique. As if it is not bad enough that the few templates are everywhere, the category database is everywhere as well.

Its not only me that sees this problem. In a DirectoryCritic Blog post Link Farm Clone Directories

says that characteristics of Clone Directories include:

• Loads of directories on the same IPs
• Directories that have obviously had no effort at all put into them (some don’t even have a template or don’t even have the logo changed – how hard is it?)
• Category clones (basically cloning a populated directory)

Directory Uniqueness

• What I look for in a good unique directory includes but not limited to changes to template if it is a popular template.
• Categories should also be edited, especially if the directory starts out using a category database.
• Add other features to the directory like articles, advertising opportunities, about us pages, contests, a directory blog, a directory forum, etc…
• Add text to the sub-pages as well as the home page. I have just started doing this to Pixelheadonline. Adding text can be as simple as adding a little paragraph of text to describe the category. It can also include the adding of articles.

Future of Directory Links

With all the clones out on the net, I believe that quality directories will become something that will be sought after. This will include directories that have not only a home page that is indexed in the search engines, but also has the majority of its sub-pages cached. When site owners start to have their site rankings hurt by using these bad linking neighborhoods, good directories will be in even higher demand.

Am I right? What do you think will happen to directories in the future? Will they go the way of the FFA (Free For All) pages?

Written by Pixelhead on July 9th, 2007 with 17 comments.
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