Directory Lists are a Joke

Directory ListsAnd most webmasters just don’t get it.

They flock to these lists like moths to a flame and wonder why they get nothing in return but a bunch of spam in their inbox, or links that are never indexed by the search engines.

Well, let’s take a look at the directory lists’ characteristics and we might see why it’s a waste of time submitting to the so called directories listed there.

The first thing I notice about these lists is the rush by the owner to list every new “directory” that’s mentioned on some webmaster forum or that’s submitted to them.

There’s no consideration given to the quality of the directory by the list owner, and as long as it has a functioning script that doesn’t return a 404 error, it makes the grade. It’s not a numbers game, but there are those who want to stroke their ego by claiming they have the largest list out there.

Then there’s the “high PageRank” directory lists that add every new directory slapped up on dropped or hijacked domains with foolbar PageRank. These link pimps are after every dollar they can squeeze out of the unsuspecting webmaster before Google dumps the PR display in the toolbar.

The directory list owners’ could care less that they’re doing nothing more than helping these jerks to scam everyone they can. When the toolbar PageRank disappears, so does the so called directory.

If the PageRank lasts long enough for them to post some quick earnings statistics, you’ll probably see these useless directories for sale over at Flippa.com and across several webmaster forums in an attempt to turn a quick buck before the toolbar goes grey.

Another waste of time is adding every dot info directory domain that someone throws up using a free script, free template and shared hosting where they have 50 or more similar directories. You already know once the domain name registration renewal comes up it’s going to get dumped.

Directory lists sorted by PageRank. Worthless metric for a directory list, especially those where you find “new PR6 directories” on recently dropped domains.

I’ve a feeling that very few directory list owners have a real clue as to what a directory really is. A website that provides a form where anyone can submit some information about a website and get a link is not a directory. It’s a hyperlink landfill at best, and more likely a cesspool of misplaced and incorrectly categorized spam.

Want to see a decent directory list? Check out the list that Dan has put together at InfoVilesilencer; it’s well categorized, the directories listed all meet some basic criteria that a directory should meet before it’s even called a directory, much less added to a list.

8 comments

  1. Bob Lord’s avatar

    Every word in this article is completely and utterly true. Unfortunately it is also true that directory owners must list their directory on these rubbish lists to increase traffic and submissions. InfoVilesilencer’s list produces traffic and submissions there is no doubt about it, and it produces good traffic from knowledgeable webmasters, unfortunately so do other lists.

    It sucks but a directory still needs to have its name on the rubbish lists. It is just something a directory owner must do and I have no idea how to get around it.

    I think that webmasters should be given some acknowledgment that they can discern the better directories from the .info and dropped domains. Mind you, if you acknowledge that, then the directory list owners should also be able to make the same distinction.

    Just something else I don’t know the solution to, although I musing on having a reviewed list of directory lists on a site I have. But that wouldn’t make a difference either.

  2. Michele’s avatar

    I lay the blame on the submitters to these dropped domain directories. It’s downright comical when you know what the domains were originally used for. My favorite was the one using a site for a study on some weird disease.

    You see over and over again in announcement forums where someone opens their brand new PR whatever directory on some strange domain. Someone outs them for fake PR and no standards and yet, you still see the morons coming along and posting “Great directory, submitted a few, thanks!”

    My guess would be that as long as folks think they can monetize really poor content, these low-end directories will provide them with a place to get backlinks, even if those backlinks are only short lived.

    I’m optimistic that the changes being made by Google will make the poor content sites worthless and in turn make these spam-fest directories truly worthless too.

  3. Fuzzuck’s avatar

    As long as there’s a demand by those who are desperate for any link the practice of trying to capitalize on PR will continue. It would be a good thing if expired domains’ PR were automatically set to PR0 and the previous links ignored. 😉

  4. fastreplies@shaw.ca’s avatar

    No you’re f*cking joke.

    First your mindless brain made stupid assumption and when I posted opposite opinion supported by example and by the facts, you have had no guts to publish it.

    Well jerk, I dare you to post my opinion about you.

  5. Fuzzuck’s avatar

    Gotta love your public display of pure ignorance. Ever consider that someone may not have had the opportunity to review/approve your prior comment before spouting off about it? Odd that you feel the need to use two separate addresses and websites – are you that desperate for a couple of crappy links?

  6. Wallace’s avatar

    Though I submitted my directory to the list you mentioned above,
    I never trust any directory list particularly those that spotlight and sort by PR…

  7. Laura’s avatar

    I submitted my site to the IV list and was greatly disappointed. Even months after submitting to that list very few of my submissions have even been reviewed. Or if they have been reviewed, they were declined or deleted. This is when I decided to use a different list and my results have been much better.

    Sadly the lists you degrade in your post are far more effective then the IV list. Half the directory owners in the IV list don’t even review submissions unless they are paid. The rest of the directories take a long time to review. At least with new directories, fake pagerank or not, they actually review and approve the submissions in a timely manner.

    I’m not sure what your issue is with “pagerank” but those of us that have been submitting our sites to directories for years understand the value of a backlink vs having our submissions deleted. And the IV list may look great but produces very little backlinks. New directories don’t have tens of thousands of submissions ahead of mine to be reviewed.

  8. Fuzzuck’s avatar

    Most don’t understand the value of a quality backlink and are willing to settle for links with little or no value. Do you really think that all of these new “directories” offer you anything of value?

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