Don't Waste Your Time with Web Directories!

February 23rd, 2007, 10:02 am

I don't know if I have already talked about this in this website or not but I have to say it once again because I see some of the posts encourage webmasters to submit their websites to a huge number of web directories.

I don't have time to explain more but when most of the backlinks are from a kind of websites, link web directories or article directories, your website will be penalized by Google, Yahoo and MSN. Only a few of web directories does worth trying. Forget about the others.

February 25th, 2007, 2:34 am

What you say is right, if site submitted to directories that are low grade directories or directoires that are poor or banned by google can harm your listing. But good directoires can increase your PR dramatically, especially if Keywords are used in Title text.

I always suggest submit your site to High PR directories, if possible PR1 and above. Whey PR1 and above? Simple that means google has given some recognition to those directories.

By the way Google doesn't penalizeses link back from Goodl directories.

February 25th, 2007, 5:46 am

I don't think inbound links will ever hurt you.
Just tha some links are devalued and would not do much to help you.

In some cases, niche directories are good for targetted traffic.

February 26th, 2007, 2:41 am

If you submit the same link to the directories. Most of them become filtered and your site won't get backlinks. If you are looking fo profit - you should use unique anchors for links.

February 26th, 2007, 12:23 pm

solidghost wrote:

I don't think inbound links will ever hurt you.
Just tha some links are devalued and would not do much to help you.

In some cases, niche directories are good for targetted traffic.

Inbound links can hurt if they are from what Google considers a "bad neighborhood".

If you're submitting to any directories, begin with those that have highest PR first, and work your way down. You'll also want to look for directories that are search engine friendly, and don't slap a "nofollow" on your text link.

And yes, you will want to vary your link text and description text. If every link pointing to your site uses the exact same description, it doesn't look like natural links, and may receive a lower value for the link. Write up at least 4 or 5 keyword rich phrases that are also human friendly, and alternate through them as you submit. More phrases (many more) would be much better! And be sure to PROOFREAD! Why put in the time and effort if you haven't proofread your work!

February 26th, 2007, 2:02 pm

Thanks for the information Gimmie. I didn't know you should vary your link text and description text. I dont remember submitting link text, is that the title name?

February 26th, 2007, 2:59 pm

Yup - the "link text" is the title.

Example - in my siggy, this is the link text: "Get Cheap Domains at blah blah blah..."

and this is the URL that text points to: http://links.gimmemydomains.com

Also, the description text you use helps the page your link resides on to be more relevant to your niche and your best keywords.

February 26th, 2007, 3:09 pm

solidghost wrote:

I don't think inbound links will ever hurt you.

You are correct, inbound links will never hurt a site; even if they dont help at all

February 26th, 2007, 8:10 pm

"Inbound links can hurt if they are from what Google considers a "bad neighborhood".

That is not true! If you read Google's own words, they know you cannot control who links to your website. If that was the case, we could all put our competition out of business by putting them in blacklisted directories.

One thing I learned in forums is don't believe everything you read. Read it on Google first before you get wrong advice: http://www.google.com/support/webmaster ... swer=35769

February 26th, 2007, 11:21 pm

I think submitting your site to directories may not contribute lot in your site page rank but same time it will not affect adversely to your site's page rank. There are many directories which are there in the net from long time but do not have any Google page rank. These types of directories add no value to your site as a back link. So I think page rank is also one of the main factors which site owner need to consider.

Site owner should also take care about approval many times approval is so late so site owner may not remember any thing about that submission. So I think submission time is very much important.


Thanks

February 27th, 2007, 1:55 am

Inbound links can never hurt you. If it does, then won't it be easy to abuse this? Just link your competitor from every known "bad neighbourhood" you can find.

February 27th, 2007, 2:44 am

Vahid wrote:

I don't know if I have already talked about this in this website or not but I have to say it once again because I see some of the posts encourage webmasters to submit their websites to a huge number of web directories.

I don't have time to explain more but when most of the backlinks are from a kind of websites, link web directories or article directories, your website will be penalized by Google, Yahoo and MSN. Only a few of web directories does worth trying. Forget about the others.

wow, your a douchebag. its a good think us great masters that are actually trying, putting effort and spending money to make it big have less bags like you to deal with submitting there worthless directories to our sites that we have worked on so much.

[vetofunk]

February 27th, 2007, 2:23 pm

lakelandprinting wrote:

"Inbound links can hurt if they are from what Google considers a "bad neighborhood".

That is not true! If you read Google's own words, they know you cannot control who links to your website. If that was the case, we could all put our competition out of business by putting them in blacklisted directories.

One thing I learned in forums is don't believe everything you read. Read it on Google first before you get wrong advice: http://www.google.com/support/webmaster ... swer=35769

Exactly.

February 28th, 2007, 3:09 am

Samuraii wrote:

If you submit the same link to the directories. Most of them become filtered and your site won't get backlinks. If you are looking fo profit - you should use unique anchors for links.

You can use unique title for each directory submission (which is not possible given there are 1000s of directories available) but always make sure you have your keyword in Title and try to submit it to level just below the top, deeper you go you, lower the pr for the page. For example I'm submitting to PR5 , PR5 is for index page, now click on internet it will have approx. PR4 and deeper you go PR keeps reducing. Caution never submit on top , but jus one category lower, but not deep enough. Advantage : Can get backlink from good PR | Disadvantage : Directory owner may not approve it (MAY NOT).

Regards

March 1st, 2007, 11:19 am

Thanks for the correction and the link to Google's policies. This is their statement from the page you sent:

Quote:

Don't participate in link schemes designed to increase your site's ranking or PageRank. In particular, avoid links to web spammers or "bad neighborhoods" on the web, as your own ranking may be affected adversely by those links.

So it looks like inbound links won't hurt you. Outbound links to bad sites may.
Please disregard my previous misstatement.