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Web Directories and Their Rise and Fall

By: Martha Franklin

Search engine optimization firms know the benefits that registering clients in popular directories can bring. Link building via directory submission has been one of the mainstays of the SEO business for years, but today there is increased uncertainty over the future of this once highly useful form of optimization. First, a brief history of web time-

From the dawn of time (the early 90’s in web terms), listing in directories was an excellent method to get visitors to your website. Directories like Yahoo prospered and could charge large fees for firms to list with them. The web grew, directories grew, websites grew and everything was fine. Then everything changed - The search engine was born!

Search engines took over the web, and Search Engine Optimization was born. It may interest you to know that the first recorded mention of the term Search Engine Optimization was in a message posted on Usnet on July 26th 1997. It is highly ironic that whilst the search engine was destroying the directory, the Search Engine Optimization community would breathe new life into the concept. The missing part of the puzzle was Google.

Google arrived in 1998 and introduced the concept of Page Rank. Most people think that Page Rank refers to the rank of a page, which is an reasonable misconception. According to Google it is actually named after one of its founders - Larry Page. The concept of Page Rank (where a site improves its position in Google by obtaining links from other sites) soon became very popular. Many other search engines incorporated the concept into their algorithms.

SEOs had previously concentrated on usage of ‘on page’ keyword optimization methods. They needed to adapt fast to the new Page Rank concept and get inbound links for their customers. There were loads of methods for obtaining inbound links, from link-exchanges, to blogging, to link purchasing. One of the simplest and quickest ways was to list their clients in directories. SEOs and directories walked hand in hand into a golden future.

It’s a bit manipulative isn’t it? The web should be natural said Google. These Search Engine Optimization firms are listing clients in directories for the wrong reasons. Some of these directories have hardly any human visitors but have large amounts of firms listed. Even worse, people are paying to get listed in these directories. It’s not natural usage. We are being manipulated said Google, and we must stop it! So this is what they did.

September 1st 2005 Google Guy Matt Cutts stated in his blog “Google does consider buying text links for Page Rank purposes to be outside our quality guidelines” and “Google has a variety of algorithmic methods of detecting such links”.

Nothing appeared to happen for a while, but then a few of the directories that offered paid links started having no visible Page Rank on their internal pages. This was true even of directories that offered free links, but on the same page had paid featured listings. Bad news for those people who followed Google’s webmaster guidelines and got free links, but far worse for those who paid for them and ended up with nothing!

As well as punishing paid links, search engines have also enhanced their detection of web sites that link to what are regarded as bad neighborhoods (low quality spam filled sites). Many of the directories that are not properly managed end up with low quality listings and as a result search engines discriminate against them.

Since the birth of search engines the fortunes of Search Engine Optimization firms and directories have been solidly, inextricably linked, but if Google doesn’t like directories anymore, these back-links won’t be any good. It’s all not true. Google loves directories. In Google’s webmaster guidelines it says - when your site is ready:

“Submit your site to relevant directories such as the Open Directory Project and Yahoo!, as well as to other industry-specific expert sites.”
Google still likes directories it just doesn’t like those that are poor quality listings and those that sell links. After all how can Google discriminate against directories when it has one on its site (Google Directory).

How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Directory. The significant thing with directory submissions is to maximize your efforts by listing your clients in the right directories. You need to list your clients websites in directories that are free of charge and high quality (human edited).

A good place to start with directory submission is the Open Directory Project. This is the largest directory to submit your clients’ websites to. This is a long term strategy. Each section is human edited by volunteers and acceptance times vary dramatically. It has been know for sites in smaller categories to wait for a year or more to be accepted! Another large directory is Yahoo.com which will cost you $299 to list in. If you work in markets outside the US you can often get listed for free. Yahoo.co.uk is now free for UK firms in the majority of categories. Again there can be a long wait before applicants are put live.
Don’t ignore the benefits of local directories. Listing in directories for your state or country can provide very positive benefits, both in terms of Search Engine Optimization and finding local customers such as the Canadian Regional Directory. Also look at regional niche directories that not only find local customers but also customers in particular industries.

There are a couple of great web sites for finding suitable directories such as Top Directories and Vilesilencer. The Top Directories site provides loads of useful information on directories including their Page Rank and the change in page rank at the last update. There are also details on submission times, gathered from user feedback. Vilesilencer provides huge lists of categorized web directories including a handy download of directories in Excel spreadsheet format.

Maximizing your effort by selecting the right directories should ensure that the time spent writing directory submissions adds the maximum benefit to your business. This is true not only in terms of human visits, but also with regard to Search Engine Optimization.

Article Source: http://www.thecaymanhost.com/articles

The authors is interests include directory development and Currys

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