8 replies to this topic

[PatrickGer]

I'm putting together a niche directory, that I want to put on my friend's website to attract links. There is a true need for this on the web, so Id like to fill it and have it serve as 'linkbait' (without any kind of negative connotation) for his website.

What I'm wondering however is this:

If the page clearly states that this is a directory, could it be that google won't c ount inbound links that particular page will attract? It's very relevant (so anchor text for example shouldn't be an issue) and truly useful to the overall niche....but maybe the fact that it's a directory will make big G not want it to help the overall site?

Anyone have experience with hosting a niche directory on a website as linkbait?

thanks!

[chrishirst]

A lot of work for none to very little gain.

If you are building the directory AS A RESOURCE, then do so, building for attracting links? FORGET IT! You'll spend more time deleting crap

[Jill]

If the page clearly states that this is a directory, could it be that google won't c ount inbound links that particular page will attract? It's very relevant (so anchor text for example shouldn't be an issue) and truly useful to the overall niche....but maybe the fact that it's a directory will make big G not want it to help the overall site?

I don't understand your premise. What is it about a directory that you think Google wouldn't like?

[PatrickGer]

If you are building the directory AS A RESOURCE, then do so, building for attracting links? FORGET IT! You'll spend more time deleting crap

Can you not build a directory as a resource, and in order to attract links with that resource? Considering the reply to my other post, I feel like mentioning that I understand that the search engines follow people. If a bunch of people with good websites in the niche find the directory useful enough to link to it (as in to show it to their audience), the SEs will follow that signal (or well should). I am not building a directory that is of no use to anyone..thinking it will magically attract links without adding value to anyone..

However, the directory will not be able to attract visitors that will turn into customers directly..I made a thread about this a week or two ago, and was told that it was perfectly okay to do that to help with rankings/links..by some of the other mods (it was the example of someone selling tulips in a certain location, having content on flowers other than tulips that is of interest to people worldwide...). Do you disagree with their views on this? Or do you assume Im trying to build a directory, not understanding that the directory has to be truly useful to someone to attract links?

(Im really a bit c onfused and dont understand your point, because I perfectly agree with you that search engines follow people, etc...)


Oh..and why would I spend more time deleting crap? It's not gonna be a "submit your site here" directory, but Im searching out the sites myself. One could also call it a carefully selected list of relevant sites (but thats semantics, I guess..)

@Jill:

Actually I hadnt even considered that, but then I stumbled upon a post on the webmasterworld homepage where someone asked that question (as he was building a directory for an e-com. site basically as linkbait (withouth the neg. connotation)).

It made me wonder - wait a second...google discounts this, google discounts that (for good reason), maybe they have something against directories (that serve as linkbait), too.

Of course this wouldnt make much sense, if the directory is useful enough to attract links from many decent websites (that google likes and ranks)...so I was just wondering.

In that WMW thread, some people suggested something along the lines "you better dont call it DIRECTORY"...of course those people might not have a clue :-) - your opinion is that a niche directory that is useful enough to attract great links, should also help the overall site's rankings..if I understood you correctly?

thanks!

Edited by PatrickGer, 14 August 2010 - 08:49 AM.

[Jill]

There's no black and white.

Nobody can out and out say that Google doesn't like directories. (Well they can say it, but it won't make it true.)

You need to stop thinking black and white and start thinking (as Chrishirst has been trying to tell you) about what people will like and won't like.

If people will like it Google will too. End of story.

[PatrickGer]

I think I completely understand that search engines follow people. And, I would never try to build a directory hoping it will attract links without people liking it (if that was chrishirst's point the other thread). Of course the directory must be useful to a certain group of people online...and there must be another group of webmasters willing to share that content with those people (which would equal links)...there's a true need (for people) for that directory, which Im trying to fill.

I was simply wondering if, maybe there's some kind of exception / filter, if Google understands the content is a directory. If I understand you right, then you would say "Nope, such an exception does not exist", right?

There's no black and white.

Nobody can out and out say that Google doesn't like directories. (Well they can say it, but it won't make it true.)

You need to stop thinking black and white and start thinking (as Chrishirst has been trying to tell you) about what people will like and won't like.

If people will like it Google will too. End of story.

[Jill]

I was simply wondering if, maybe there's some kind of exception / filter, if Google understands the content is a directory.

There's not one that I know about. Often it seems they even love directories over other types of sites.

[PatrickGer]

There's not one that I know about. Often it seems they even love directories over other types of sites.

Oh, I think I'll keep that in mind and maybe create more directories in the future! lol j/k thanks for the reply, once again

[chrishirst]

Google "likes" GOOD pages, and it matters not whether those pages are on blogs, forums, link directories, ecommerce sites, hobby sites, vanity sites or whatever.
The kind of people who whinge about Google "not liking directories" are the ones who throw up yet another copy of PHPld, change a few colours, seed it with a bunch of junk sites, then sell "valuable SEO friendly links" to all and sundry. Oh and prattle on endlessly about "Class C IPs" even though IP classing was discontinued in 1993!