Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It?

five-texans · 08-10-2009, 04:14 PM

I am getting ready to renew my $299 Yahoo Directory listing for the 4th year. I am trying to determine if it is worth renewing.

I am not sure how much influence it has on Google?

I am not sure how much influence it has on Yahoo?

My listings in Yahoo for my keywords are fairly poor. For my top 3 keywords I am #14, #59, and #24.

I am #1 and #2 on other keywords in Yahoo, but I'm also #1 and #2 in Google for those same keywords.

But, I'm just curious what the Yahoo Directory means today, 2009, as opposed to what it meant to get listed in 2006 when I first got listed.

Thanks,

Rich

five-texans · 08-10-2009, 08:09 PM

Two observations I have made about the Yahoo Directory:

1) I wanted to follow up with my question. I realize PageRank is not the primary indicator of the status of a site, but it still is at least some indication of what is going on.

How come the Yahoo directory home page is a PR0?

The sub-directory pages have PR0 rank as well.

Not much PR juice flowing from those pages these days.

2) None of the top 5 listings in the Google serps for my primary keyword are listed in the Yahoo Directory.

I am therefore concluding that it may not be worthwhile to spend the $300 on renewing my Yahoo Directory listing... keep my $300 and either invest it in another area of my business or blow it on something like Cowboy football tickets.

Any followup opinions would be appreciated, but I am more or less thinking out loud at this point.

bestofcuba · 08-10-2009, 08:28 PM

I'm not sure it's worth it. I've submitted to DMOZ and also to other directories with high page ranks. Some of them are even free to submit. I think you would get the same quality backlinks from those.

morry · 08-11-2009, 09:04 AM

I think it's worth it if the site you're submitting is making a lot of money and is something you want seen as an authority. If it's just a crap site, then it's not. I don't work for google, but surely a link from a site like yahoo has gotta give you some extra google love.

Sean

seojr · 08-11-2009, 05:39 PM

Paid juice like definete links treated more seriously when site submitting to directories such as Yahoo are priceless - maintain your rank and make it harder for your competitors to ever knock you off

cashcow · 08-11-2009, 06:20 PM

I had a couple of sites that had paid Yahoo directory listings and when I did not renew them it had absolutely no effect on traffic or rankings.

This was a couple of years ago though, not sure if things would be different now and I think it probably depends on the other links you have comeing in.

Lee

Ron Killian · 08-11-2009, 06:32 PM

I've never heard of any one seeing great success with Yahoo paid inclusion. Or they are keeping the secret

I remember being listed in Yahoo's directory years back when it was free, was great traffic, but that was before Google came around.

I would wonder, does any one even use directories any more? I am thinking not many.

freelistfool · 08-11-2009, 06:33 PM

It probably helps, however, you might get better value by submitting to several directories at a lower price than simply using Yahoo. I'd start with directories in your niche.

One thing I would do is track the number of hits and conversions you get from Yahoo. If the conversions pay for themselves or even come close I'd keep the listing for the clicks without regard for the SEO value.

five-texans · 08-11-2009, 08:49 PM

I realize this is a pretty generic question and you need to know the answers to several variables before you can answer the question properly.

I chose not to renew my Yahoo Directory for $299. Here are my reasons:

1) I have had it for 3 years now, and have seen little affect in traffic or ranking because of it... in Google or Yahoo.

2) Only 2 of the 10 sites on page 1 of Google for my primary keyword is in the directory, even though it is a pretty competitive niche.

3) I have an established ecommerce site that has lots of backlinks from many different sources. This was not true when I first got the listing, so it may have helped more in the beginning than is necessary now.

4) I believe the directory itself is not as influential as it was several years ago. If it was still a high PR site with high PR interior pages, I might consider that. After all, it breaks down to only about $25 a month in cost to pay for this kind of backlink. But, I don't feel it's the same as it used to be.

300 bucks is 300 bucks. Money is not the issue. If you're going to run a serious ecommerce site, you have to be willing to pay. But, after 3 full years, I don't feel its worth it to pay Yahoo the 300 bucks just because I have in the past.

If any of my variables were different, I may believe differently. But, there are other ways to get authority links with PR than to resubmit to Yahoo.

08-10-2009, 08:28 PM	#3
bestofcuba Active Warrior Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 56 Thanks: 4 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Social Networking	Re: Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It? I'm not sure it's worth it. I've submitted to DMOZ and also to other directories with high page ranks. Some of them are even free to submit. I think you would get the same quality backlinks from those.

08-11-2009, 09:04 AM	#4
morry HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia. Posts: 183 Thanks: 12 Thanked 77 Times in 18 Posts	Re: Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It? I think it's worth it if the site you're submitting is making a lot of money and is something you want seen as an authority. If it's just a crap site, then it's not. I don't work for google, but surely a link from a site like yahoo has gotta give you some extra google love. Sean

08-11-2009, 06:20 PM	#6
cashcow Lee Dobbins War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: , , . Posts: 2,681 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 540 Thanked 736 Times in 520 Posts Social Networking	Re: Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It? I had a couple of sites that had paid Yahoo directory listings and when I did not renew them it had absolutely no effect on traffic or rankings. This was a couple of years ago though, not sure if things would be different now and I think it probably depends on the other links you have comeing in. Lee
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08-11-2009, 06:32 PM	#7
Ron Killian Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Arkansas, USA. Posts: 1,518 Blog Entries: 17 Thanks: 86 Thanked 124 Times in 98 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It? I've never heard of any one seeing great success with Yahoo paid inclusion. Or they are keeping the secret I remember being listed in Yahoo's directory years back when it was free, was great traffic, but that was before Google came around. I would wonder, does any one even use directories any more? I am thinking not many.
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08-11-2009, 06:33 PM	#8
freelistfool Warrior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It? It probably helps, however, you might get better value by submitting to several directories at a lower price than simply using Yahoo. I'd start with directories in your niche. One thing I would do is track the number of hits and conversions you get from Yahoo. If the conversions pay for themselves or even come close I'd keep the listing for the clicks without regard for the SEO value.
	Increase your Search Engine Rankings with Free Web Directories. Search for Directories by PR, Traffic, Price, Niche, Value, and more.

08-10-2009, 04:14 PM	#1
five-texans Warrior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 13 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It? I am getting ready to renew my $299 Yahoo Directory listing for the 4th year. I am trying to determine if it is worth renewing. I am not sure how much influence it has on Google? I am not sure how much influence it has on Yahoo? My listings in Yahoo for my keywords are fairly poor. For my top 3 keywords I am #14, #59, and #24. I am #1 and #2 on other keywords in Yahoo, but I'm also #1 and #2 in Google for those same keywords. But, I'm just curious what the Yahoo Directory means today, 2009, as opposed to what it meant to get listed in 2006 when I first got listed. Thanks, Rich

08-10-2009, 08:09 PM	#2
five-texans Warrior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 13 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It? Two observations I have made about the Yahoo Directory: 1) I wanted to follow up with my question. I realize PageRank is not the primary indicator of the status of a site, but it still is at least some indication of what is going on. How come the Yahoo directory home page is a PR0? The sub-directory pages have PR0 rank as well. Not much PR juice flowing from those pages these days. 2) None of the top 5 listings in the Google serps for my primary keyword are listed in the Yahoo Directory. I am therefore concluding that it may not be worthwhile to spend the $300 on renewing my Yahoo Directory listing... keep my $300 and either invest it in another area of my business or blow it on something like Cowboy football tickets. Any followup opinions would be appreciated, but I am more or less thinking out loud at this point.

08-11-2009, 05:39 PM	#5
seojr Warrior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Google Keywords Tool, Google Estimator Tool Posts: 16 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It? Paid juice like definete links treated more seriously when site submitting to directories such as Yahoo are priceless - maintain your rank and make it harder for your competitors to ever knock you off

08-11-2009, 08:49 PM	#9
five-texans Warrior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 13 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Is The $299 Yahoo Directory Worth It? I realize this is a pretty generic question and you need to know the answers to several variables before you can answer the question properly. I chose not to renew my Yahoo Directory for $299. Here are my reasons: 1) I have had it for 3 years now, and have seen little affect in traffic or ranking because of it... in Google or Yahoo. 2) Only 2 of the 10 sites on page 1 of Google for my primary keyword is in the directory, even though it is a pretty competitive niche. 3) I have an established ecommerce site that has lots of backlinks from many different sources. This was not true when I first got the listing, so it may have helped more in the beginning than is necessary now. 4) I believe the directory itself is not as influential as it was several years ago. If it was still a high PR site with high PR interior pages, I might consider that. After all, it breaks down to only about $25 a month in cost to pay for this kind of backlink. But, I don't feel it's the same as it used to be. 300 bucks is 300 bucks. Money is not the issue. If you're going to run a serious ecommerce site, you have to be willing to pay. But, after 3 full years, I don't feel its worth it to pay Yahoo the 300 bucks just because I have in the past. If any of my variables were different, I may believe differently. But, there are other ways to get authority links with PR than to resubmit to Yahoo.