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Directory submission backlinks = waste of time?

by orvn
29 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Submitting to GENERAL web directories for backlinks usually seems to be a monstrous waste of time.

However, I think local web directories, pointed at a dense geographical area, like say a city, can be somewhat useful.

I'm just wondering if the senior warriors agree with me here.
#backlinks #directory #submission #time #waste
  • Profile picture of the author MichaelParsons
    I'm assuming you do not mean Dmoz.

    Could be a waste depending on the PR of the site in question.
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  • Profile picture of the author jacoben
    i think its still useful,DMOZ its pretty good.
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  • Profile picture of the author maddydp
    Web directories indeed have lost their value. I went for a 2000 directory submission. I never got a single link and no change SERP's. By my experience, i would call its dead.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
      Mass directory submissions tend to be marginal. However I've seen some gains from specialty and select directories.
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    • Profile picture of the author LangeTroels
      Originally Posted by maddydp View Post

      Web directories indeed have lost their value. I went for a 2000 directory submission. I never got a single link and no change SERP's. By my experience, i would call its dead.
      Never got a single link - like in your backlink check software never picked any links up?
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  • Profile picture of the author Millerking
    I never got approved by dmoz
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  • Profile picture of the author mascomasco
    Apart from dmoz,all directory submission doesn't worth the effort it requires from submission to acceptance.Better use of time are other ways-blog commenting,forum links,article,web 2.0 etc
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  • Profile picture of the author @seo
    directory submission still worth. Because backlinks from directories considered more powerful to search engine.
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  • Profile picture of the author McBrett
    @Orvn - I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I still think niche or local directories can be quite beneficial for link building.

    A link is still a link even if it is from a directory.
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    • Profile picture of the author orvn
      Originally Posted by McBrett View Post

      A link is still a link even if it is from a directory
      True, but I think you might be overvaluing link quantity here.

      I submitted over 4,000 links (automatically) for three separate sites. Most of them directories. Namaja's autosubmission tool was also used.

      I got zero results from this ridiculous link quantity (and I later aggregated them into an RSS and repinged too!)
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      • Profile picture of the author scott g
        Originally Posted by orvn View Post

        True, but I think you might be overvaluing link quantity here.

        I submitted over 4,000 links (automatically) for three separate sites. Most of them directories. Namaja's autosubmission tool was also used.

        I got zero results from this ridiculous link quantity (and I later aggregated them into an RSS and repinged too!)
        I'm kind of stuck on this too. I've submitted multiple sites over the years to probably thousands of link directories. I never see them in my backlinks. I never notice any type of forward movement in the SERPs after submissions - It's like I never did anything at all!

        I don't know why I continue to submit to link directories... Maybe because it's super easy and there are FREE tools that will do it for you... and of course there's that Glimmer of hope that I'll get my backlink! LOL!

        All the GOOD directories are tough to get in to - Depending on the subject and content and age of your site.

        The sad thing is I'll probably just keep on submitting to link directories and continue to get null results! Einstein's definition of insanity in action!

        CHEERS!
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        • Profile picture of the author Shaunman
          Good for link diversification, nothing more. My philosophy, if you are building an authority site just pay some SEO company $50 or so to submit to a bunch of different directories and then never think about it again.
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  • Profile picture of the author seovcim
    Hello,

    I think directory submission still works for the getting the backlinks and getting the improvement in the PR of the site this is myth that it is time waste ,if you submit it in the good directory sites than it works well.

    Thanks.....
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  • Profile picture of the author socialbookmark
    I think only high quality directory submission works nowadays and other directories don't worth to consume time for them. Directory submission was a good way when there wasn't any web 2 website. So i only submit my sites to some quality directories and easily ignore rest of them.
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  • Profile picture of the author marketing123
    We''ll for me it's not a waste of time. Why? because it really helps us on our SEO and PR ranking through backlinks that it can produce to our main site. Link submissions are a great help to increase traffic. It depends on how diligently you are doing this kind of technique but for me it's not really a waste of time it is done because of some reasons and everything has it's own purpose so it's your way on how to deal with it!
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  • Profile picture of the author XToni
    Except Dmoz and Yahoo it's a completely WASTE OF TIME.
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  • Profile picture of the author jessyjose123
    Directory submission is definitely useful. It's not a waste of time.
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  • Profile picture of the author nedox
    I found them useful, it just takes lots of them to see some result. They are not valuable, but once you submit your site to significant number of directory's you will see some benefit.
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  • Profile picture of the author RR111
    High PR Directories good for link building...
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  • Profile picture of the author diyakapoor
    If you get approvals then directory submissions are not waste. But this is right that it is hard to get approvals from free directories. So, working with other SEO activities is a better choice.
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    • Profile picture of the author dburk
      Hi orvn,

      The fact that a backlink is from a directory, or some other type of website, has nothing to do with whether it is valuable or not. There are certainly many directories that are excellent for backlinks and many, many more that are completely worthless. Don't get hung up on whether or not it is a directory, instead focus on whether or not the page where you place your links can provide targeted traffic. Any directory that provides targeted traffic is worthwhile and any directory that doesn't is useless.

      If you want good results from directories then choose good directories. I think if you look at those directories you received no benefit from you will see they are from sites that have virtually no traffic to the directory pages and they are probably loaded with spammy sites. Those type of pages are devalued by search engines and carry no weight in SERP rankings.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jhonson
    Directory submission is still work.
    it gets quality back links and it is a best way to increase PR and website traffic...
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  • Profile picture of the author wllmdavis8
    Backlinks are important in attaining a high ranking on Google and that one of the best ways to build backlinks is to submit to web directories.

    In my opinion the way to the fastest directory submissions is not to bother. Instead, spend your time getting links on the websites that your target audience use. You get the benefit of a link that counts and you may even get some traffic (which you certainly never get from a directory).
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    • Profile picture of the author dburk
      Originally Posted by wllmdavis8 View Post

      Backlinks are important in attaining a high ranking on Google and that one of the best ways to build backlinks is to submit to web directories.

      In my opinion the way to the fastest directory submissions is not to bother. Instead, spend your time getting links on the websites that your target audience use. You get the benefit of a link that counts and you may even get some traffic (which you certainly never get from a directory).
      Hi wllmdavis8,

      I have to disagree somewhat with your assertion. A website directory listing can be quite effective, it all depends on the directory. You seem to be making an over-generalization. While some directories are worthless and some are quite valuable. The fact that it is a direcoty has absolutely nothing to do with whether it is worthwhile, or not.


      If I used your logic for directories, with websites in general, then I could also conclude that since backlinks from some websites are indeed worthless getting backlinks from websites would be worthless. That would be wrong for the precise same reasons that your assertions about directories are wrong.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jordan Kovats
    To anyone that thinks it still works, I would love to see a screenshot of you inbound links from your Webmaster tools. As others have said, DMOZ and Yahoo seem to be the only worthwhile ones. I have submitted to 100's manually in the past...zip, zero, zilch, nada...traffic or inbound links.
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    • Profile picture of the author dburk
      Originally Posted by theseoguys View Post

      To anyone that thinks it still works, I would love to see a screenshot of you inbound links from your Webmaster tools. As others have said, DMOZ and Yahoo seem to be the only worthwhile ones. I have submitted to 100's manually in the past...zip, zero, zilch, nada...traffic or inbound links.
      Hi theseoguys,

      Stop submitting to worthless directories. There are plenty of worthwhile directories besides DMOZ and Yahoo. In fact I don't even bother with those two any more.

      I won't list the good ones here since there are way too many spammers on this board.
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  • Profile picture of the author pjman
    Completely useless. Anyone who thinks different is out of their mind or just trying to trick you to buy their service.
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  • Profile picture of the author Melonhead
    Wow! We seem to be really polarized in our opinions on this topic!

    I'll add my own 2 cents here just to confuse you even further.

    If you have a new site that has no back links then getting some links from authority trusted Directories that Google still crawls often is a great way to get started.There is only a handful of those left in my opinion.

    dmoz.org
    Yahoo! Business Directory
    business.com

    Will provide you with some much needed traffic and link juice especially if your keyword is in the domain name.

    Google has devalued the importance of using this technique due in part to the large number of spammy directories that get no traffic.
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  • Profile picture of the author headsbrains
    It's all about quality control and it starts with a correct submission. Submit correctly to your favorite directory and it will pay dividends in the future.
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