11 replies to this topic

[ScottHoff]

Ok. I've done a little reading through the forum thus far. I saw the suggested directories. They seem to have decent page rankings (somewhere around 5).

Is it standard for the directories to charge you to be listed? I was a bit surprised.

Does charging us make them more or less credible?

I don't want to waste company money but if it's a good return on investment, then we could consider it.

[Jill]

Paying *could* make them more credible, but only if they don't take every site that pays. In other words, they need to be discriminating.

[ScottHoff]

If you were to go to an outside company like yourself, would the SEO company submit your site to these types of directories? Would that be included in the base cost?

[LeloPaul]

Google's position is basically this:

It's good with them if a directory charges (such as Yahoo) so long as the payment is for review of the submission, not a guaranteed link in the directory.

Lots of little directories (little in terms of traffic) offer free listings (which they may or may not ever get around to adding) versus a paid listing (which is to speed up the review process). Many of these are quality backlinks, and worth the small review fees IMO.

[gert]

Sometimes, free directories are just not enough to get to the top for highly competitive keywords, so paid directories are very often well worth the money.

[povidiu]

Be careful, link paying is a banned technique in Google, If someone report your link as paid link can ban you. Try to read the blog of Matt Cutts (chief of spam department at Google).

[tomsk]

Be careful, link paying is a banned technique in Google, If someone report your link as paid link can ban you. Try to read the blog of Matt Cutts (chief of spam department at Google).

Povidiu you may want to read Matts blogs also as what you have answered here and the original question are 2 different items.

As Jill mentioned

Paying *could* make them more credible

[webdeveloper02]

I'm not very sure whether it's a banned technique. So many webmsters are there who buy links for their site. Yes, it's true instead of buying links if you can generate them through hard work then that would be great!

[SelfMade]

First time I have heard someone say "paying for links could make them more credible"???

Paying for links diffrentiates from the "accepted" description of genuine. IMO.

Google comes through and says "oh look! what a great link...but er..he paid for it...anyone can do that..nah not good enough mate"

[Jill]

I didn't say paying for links make them more credible.

Paying to be reviewed and then subsequently getting accepted into a directory, could make those links more credible.

[insom]

There are many free directories, just google (free directory list)
Then you need to filter them out via:
- pagerank - (google likes the directory)
- ipaddress (so that they are unique)
- no reciprocal link

[Scottie]

Over the long haul, I think general directories are a waste.

I run a couple of directories myself and they are fantastic- great rankings and traffic and they send real business to my listing companies. I get a lot of "thank yous" and "it's really worth it" from people who list with me.

But they are pretty great because they are focused- unless you run a business in that niche, you can't get listed. And if you did, it wouldn't help you because people who come to my directory aren't looking for your site if you aren't in that business.

It's a whole different mindset to think about buying advertising on an industry site as opposed to "getting a PR5 link." Find a directory that specializes in your industry and definitely list there. If there isn't one, consider making one but don't get greedy and start letting in every site that submits- it must be focused.