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Are link directories next to get hit?

by problemchild
32 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Thinking of submitting to some link directories, but don't want to get crushed by Google down the road. These sites were safe in the Penguin update. Any idea how long they will be safe?
#directories #hit #link
  • Profile picture of the author VinRFP
    Hey ProblemChild (great screen name, I love that movie),

    It's doubtful that link directories are going to ever get hit. They have been around forever.

    What you should be concerned about is what kind of directory you are using. Don't buy any services that submits your site to directories. You may get 1000 links out of a service like that, but it's likely that the quality of those links are going to be worthless.

    Instead, take some time to search for directories that are specifically related to your niche. These will be A LOT more valuable to you and will show Google that you're not pointing spammy links to your site in case they ever give you a manual review.

    Also, don't be suckered into paying for inclusion to directories. This is a worthless practice more times than not.
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  • Profile picture of the author nik0
    Banned
    Make sure you add your link to relevant directories or to nationwide things like Yelp, Superpages, Yahoo and such. That are directories but it's more like Yellowpages really.

    Yelp and Superpages and others rank very well on their own. And the more links you have from sites that rank high for your keyword, the higher your site will rank, it's written down in Google's Patents. So relevant directories that have power from theirselve are still very valuable for SEO.
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    • Profile picture of the author Holiooo
      Does anybody know good directories?
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  • Profile picture of the author TheProgrammer
    LOL this is called "Upcoming Penguin Phobia"
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    • Profile picture of the author paulgl
      I guess I gotta slow down on this one.

      But man, link directories being hit? This is 2012,
      soon to be 2013. Link directories have been out
      of style since at least 2004. Maybe earlier.

      When you start bringing up old crapola and penguin,
      we have really gone off the deep end.

      Paul
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      • Profile picture of the author gearmonkey
        Originally Posted by paulgl View Post

        I guess I gotta slow down on this one.

        But man, link directories being hit? This is 2012,
        soon to be 2013. Link directories have been out
        of style since at least 2004. Maybe earlier.

        When you start bringing up old crapola and penguin,
        we have really gone off the deep end.

        Paul
        I think it was 2006 when link directories got hit, but they did still help a bit. Probably more than profile links that never got indexed.

        But yeah, I agree.
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        • Profile picture of the author mosthost
          Originally Posted by gearmonkey View Post

          I think it was 2006 when link directories got hit, but they did still help a bit. Probably more than profile links that never got indexed.

          But yeah, I agree.
          Link directories have been targeted before and reduced in value. That said, it's completely incorrect to say they don't have any value.

          For low competition or local-style keywords, a few decent directory listings is all you need to rank. They aren't the 'be all and end all' of links these days, but what is?

          Of course 'auto approve' directories are moronic and probably will be totally deindexed.
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          • Profile picture of the author VinRFP
            Originally Posted by new2d View Post

            L
            O
            L
            First off, I know that Google is deindexing low-quality directories. They are deindexing low-quality EVERYTHING. However, there are, and will continue to be, niche and industry directories that provide a ton of relevant juice when applied correctly. You need to go out and actively seek these types of directories. Based on your statement, I'm not even sure you have ever seen what I'm talking about.

            Originally Posted by new2d View Post

            This is bad logic.
            Making blanket statements like this continues to create misinformation that causes newbies to become confused. Google would never just go out and "nuke" an entire category of website. There are plenty of extremely useful directories for just about every niche/industry that provides value to the end user. Google would never deindex something of that quality. As webmasters/SEO's, we need to find these valuable websites and find a way to creatively place our link on them.

            Try to add something useful to the conversation before you post next time, k? Being negative and providing half-truths is not helping anyone.
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            • Profile picture of the author retsek
              Originally Posted by VinRFP View Post

              Google would never just go out and "nuke" an entire category of website.
              Your honor, I cite the case of Google v. co.cc; wherein on July 1st last year Google de-indexed all said co.cc domains.
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              • Profile picture of the author mosthost
                Originally Posted by retsek View Post

                Your honor, I cite the case of Google v. co.cc; wherein on July 1st last year Google de-indexed all said co.cc domains.
                It hurt their traffic, too. They have an Alexa 'N/A.' Not much traffic for hosting 12 million domains!

                WAIT, there are 65 million of those pages indexed.
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                • Profile picture of the author retsek
                  Originally Posted by mosthost View Post

                  WAIT, there are 65 million of those pages indexed.
                  Well the owner of co.cc complained bitterly and drew comparisons with blogspot.com, so they probably rolled it back.

                  At the time though, all the domains were completely de-indexed. Just evidence that Google would take broad action like that against a category of websites - both innocent and guilty included.
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    • Profile picture of the author problemchild
      Originally Posted by TheProgrammer View Post

      LOL this is called "Upcoming Penguin Phobia"
      You said it! I'm completely phobic about every single thing I do now. I'm convinced one small thing I do could tank my sites even more.

      Right now, I have no directory links. I notice that my main two competitors have a ton, although their directory links are paid in really, really bad directories. It looks like they hired one of those directory submission services. AND they're ranking higher than me.

      I am not talking about those, I'm talking about related, relevant, high PR directory submissions that I will do myself. Never, never trust anyone else with your SEO!

      But I don't know if it is going to bite me later. Or if it will even help.
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  • Profile picture of the author retsek
    Like many things in SEO quality is better than quantity.

    Those "Submit to 1,000 Directories" type things have been dead for a while like Paul says.

    while...

    Quality directories like Yahoo, DMOZ and a few others remain great links to get.
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    • Profile picture of the author Hearn
      Originally Posted by retsek View Post

      Like many things in SEO quality is better than quantity.

      Those "Submit to 1,000 Directories" type things have been dead for a while like Paul says.

      while...

      Quality directories like Yahoo, DMOZ and a few others remain great links to get.
      Except Yahoo is expensive and DMOZ...

      Seo quality is better but I don't see how is this relevant since we are talking about directories.
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      • Profile picture of the author retsek
        Originally Posted by Hearn View Post

        Except Yahoo is expensive and DMOZ...

        Seo quality is better but I don't see how is this relevant since we are talking about directories.
        English is not my first language either. You should try harder.
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  • Profile picture of the author mosthost
    There are still plenty of web directories that pass muster. Don't be fooled by those who sell rival services.

    A few well placed directory links is always a good practice for rankings.
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  • Profile picture of the author eurekapsycrille
    Even if they hit by Penguin or not, they still have less value when it comes to SERP rankings. Few ones could help, but most of them are not that valuable in the present time.
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  • Profile picture of the author wolfmmiii
    I've already seen articles on other forums discussing the notion that some directories (lower-quality ones) may have already been removed from the index. To be honest, removing crappy directories from the index isn't a bad idea. Much of the lower quality ones consist of spam, primarily anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author minisite
    Auto approved and low quality directories might be on their way out. But those directories that are moderated and maintained regularly by their webmasters will do just fine.
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    • Profile picture of the author wolfmmiii
      Originally Posted by minisite View Post

      Auto approved and low quality directories might be on their way out. But those directories that are moderated and maintained regularly by their webmasters will do just fine.
      Yep. I agree. This wouldn't be a bad thing either.
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  • Profile picture of the author warriorsaroj
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    • Profile picture of the author minisite
      Originally Posted by warriorsaroj View Post

      Just link your site to niche theme and nothing bad will happen.
      This type of backlinking will always benefit a website. The only problem is finding specific niche related websites and getting backlinks from it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Magento developer
    I think if google upgrade this penguin update sure it will get affected.
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  • Profile picture of the author diyakapoor
    Submit your website in some good high PR directories, which having relevant themes as per your website's theme. Don't submit in poor and irrelevant directories
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  • Profile picture of the author bswanson
    Matt Cutts has specifically said that directories are an "OK" source of getting links, as long as they are relevant and of sufficient "quality".

    However, he has gone on record saying that paid-only directories are against Google's guidlines, and there was a point in time in which all directories that only allowed paid submissions either had to offer a "free without reciprocal" option, or faced being de-indexed.

    This doesn't make much sense to me personally considering Yahoo's directory is one of the largest and most respected directories and is paid-only, yet seems to do just fine.
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  • Profile picture of the author EvcRo
    the directories in examples are part of a network that sells bulk links, check how many links in it, a handfull. Probably all those links are found exactly the same in other directories on same ip.

    Directories with many reviewed links, edited, will increase their value a lot. Especially the free directories
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  • Profile picture of the author LotsofQuestions
    Originally Posted by problemchild View Post

    Thinking of submitting to some link directories, but don't want to get crushed by Google down the road. These sites were safe in the Penguin update. Any idea how long they will be safe?

    I have a message from google right now telling me to take directory links down and they even specified links. I only submitted to 49 directory link sites and they told me to take every single one of them down before they will reindex my websites. So I feel the worst for you if you have been submitting to them or anyone for that matter.


    M
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    • Profile picture of the author EvcRo
      Originally Posted by LotsofQuestions View Post

      I have a message from google right now telling me to take directory links down and they even specified links. I only submitted to 49 directory link sites and they told me to take every single one of them down before they will reindex my websites. So I feel the worst for you if you have been submitting to them or anyone for that matter.


      M
      Google telling you exactly what links to take down ?! You must be a world first or matt cuts relative.
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      • Profile picture of the author mosthost
        Originally Posted by EvcRo View Post

        Google telling you exactly what links to take down ?! You must be a world first or matt cuts relative.
        Or a BS artist. Your choice
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  • Profile picture of the author mosthost
    Most of you should quit linking altogether. Your sites can't handle it.
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  • Profile picture of the author seospecial
    Whatever you do, I would suggest you to just go easy for building up links from directory sites for a couple of weeks now. Never know, the penguin update might have some last minute corrections to be updated and some more directories will get outdated.
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  • Profile picture of the author charto911
    god bless you all because the majority of you here need a LOT of help. The second comment on the thread about them being around for ever is neglecting the idea that forums have also been around for ever as well as web logs so that commentary holds 0 merit IMO.

    Think about not what will get hit and have phobia but be proactive in your marketing efforts and create compelling content that will drive you traffic instead of hiding in a corner from white and black creatures
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  • Profile picture of the author ttdub
    Directories will never go away, but they have taken a hit from all these submitters because Google can tell when they're used. Never use a submitter. Do it manually or hire someone to do it manually for you.
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