This is my updated list from my site. If you know of other good directories please paste up the ones I don't have so I can add them to my list.


http://dir.yahoo.com (http://dir.yahoo.com/) $299
http://www.bluefind.com (http://www.bluefind.com/) $50
http://www.01webdirectory.com (http://www.01webdirectory.com/) $50
http://sbd.bcentral.com (http://sbd.bcentral.com/) $49
http://www.sunsteam.com (http://www.sunsteam.com/) $45
http://www.goguides.org (http://www.goguides.org/) $40
http://www.biz-directory.org $40
http://www.allestra.com (http://www.allestra.com/) $39
http://www.directoryhere.com (http://www.directoryhere.com/) $35
http://www.botw.org (http://www.botw.org/) $30
http://www.indexunlimited.com (http://www.indexunlimited.com/) $29
http://www.123world.com (http://www.123world.com/) $25
http://www.arielis.com (http://www.arielis.com/) $25
http://www.incrawler.com (http://www.incrawler.com/) $25
http://www.uncoverthenet.com (http://www.uncoverthenet.com/) $25
http://www.webatlas.org (http://www.webatlas.org/) $25
http://www.cannylink.com (http://www.cannylink.com/) $20
http://www.rlrouse.com (http://www.rlrouse.com/) $20
http://www.thisisouryear.com (http://www.thisisouryear.com/) $20
http://www.allwebdirectory.com (http://www.allwebdirectory.com/) $15
http://www.1st-spot.net (http://www.1st-spot.net/) $10
http://www.linkopedia.com (http://www.linkopedia.com/) $10
http://www.thisisouryear.com (http://www.thisisouryear.com/) $8
http://www.aroundtheweb.com (http://www.aroundtheweb.com/) $7.50
http://www.searchturtle.com (http://www.searchturtle.com/) $5
http://www.informationoutpost.com (http://www.informationoutpost.com/) $5
http://www.ajdee.com (http://www.ajdee.com/) $2
http://www.skaffe.com (http://www.skaffe.com/) Free/$40
http://www.web-beacon.com (http://www.web-beacon.com/) Free/$40
http://www.joeant.com (http://www.joeant.com/) Free/$40
http://www.gimpsy.com (http://www.gimpsy.com/) Free/$40
http://www.wowdirectory.com (http://www.wowdirectory.com/) Free/$20
http://www.allthebizz.com (http://www.allthebizz.com/) Free
http://www.allthewebsites.org (http://www.allthewebsites.org/) Free
http://www.businessplexus.com (http://www.businessplexus.com/) Free
http://www.direct-o-ry.com (http://www.direct-o-ry.com/) Free
http://www.dmoz.org (http://www.dmoz.org/) Free
http://www.elib.org (http://www.elib.org/) Free
http://www.goguides.org (http://www.goguides.org/) Free
http://www.hedir.com (http://www.hedir.com/) Free
http://www.jayde.com (http://www.jayde.com/) Free
http://www.joeant.com (http://www.joeant.com/) Free
http://www.landoflinks.com (http://www.landoflinks.com/) Free
http://www.netzoning.com (http://www.netzoning.com/) Free
http://www.seekon.com (http://www.seekon.com/) Free
http://www.sevenseek.com (http://www.sevenseek.com/) Free
http://www.sezza.com (http://www.sezza.com/) Free
http://www.skaffe.com (http://www.skaffe.com/) Free
http://www.spheri.com (http://www.spheri.com/) Free
http://www.smallerbizz.com (http://www.smallerbizz.com/) Free
http://www.stormer.net (http://www.stormer.net/) Free
http://www.tygo.com/dir Free
http://www.webworldindex.com (http://www.webworldindex.com/) Free
http://www.worldsiteindex.com (http://www.worldsiteindex.com/) Free
http://www.yeandi.com (http://www.yeandi.com/) Free
http://www.zeal.com (http://www.zeal.com/) Free

Good list! It mostly overlaps with mine but there's a few I need to check out... :)

Here's a bunch more with PR, bls and descrips - http://www.socengine.com/seo/guide/seo-list-of-directories.php

randfish: The URL is bad. I checked out your site and still couldn't find the page. But I did find this list which I had seen before but forgot about it. http://www.internet-search-engines-faq.com/submit-url-free-directory.shtml I think I will raid it this weekend : )

Bob - It's pulling up fine for me, try this link (http://www.socengine.com/seo/guide/seo-list-of-directories.php) and if it still doesn't work, please PM me and I'll try to figure it out. Thanks for the heads up.

Randfish: Ya it working ok now. Nice list! Makes my list look lame. I'll raid your list this weekend too LOL.

www.biz-directory.com should be www.biz-directory.org

seomike: Thanks correction made!

Sevenseek is $40.
goguides is $39.95 rolled over to PPC

Just finished reading two huge post by SEO Book and Anthony Parsons and other experts on directories.
http://www.posttrades.com/forum/about286.html

There is also a discussion on 302 redirect links counting or not.

Hi Debbie, maybe you can sift through and pick out the ones posted there that haven't already been posted here in the prerious posts.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of problems with 302 redirects.

DebbieSEO: Nice link. I will try to go over them and add them up to my orginal post this weekend.

Marcia: I know I am a bit stupit but where is the link to add a entry and where does it say it cost $40 on Sevenseek?

Does anyone have a list of directories which offer anchor text links?

IMO it is fine to get directory links, as they will add a bit to your PR, but they will not do much for your rankings unless they offer parsable anchor text links.

Hi Mel -

Try this link:
http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=2783

:)

Thanks Brian but those lists have no information on directories which offer anchor text links as opposed to URL links or cgi links or redirects or......


My point is that while any valid link will add some increment to your PR, most directory links do not do much at all for your rankings.

The thread lists some key resources that do exactly that - my own list at Platinax for starters, plus Anthony Parson's directory, and Randfish's lists. All make for different approaches to the issue of directory lists useful for SEO, in terms of anchor text and PR being parsed.

Here are a few more:

www.greenstalk.com
www.blintz.com

Here is another one to add
Put My Finger
http://www.putmyfinger.co.uk
listing free

LOL. Presented in smell-o-vision. :eek:

The list at Strongest Links here http://www.strongestlinks.com/directories.php can be sorted by any column and is updated monthly. Much more information is available on each directory if you click on the 'info' link next to it.

Everyone: I am looking for the same thing Mel is looking for. A directory that will let you list you products with the product names in the anchor text. If you know of these kinds of directores please note them.

Mel: Check out Shane over at http://www.uncoverthenet.com/ I understand he is doing this. I have an email into him as I have 3 new sites I am promoting that I am going to put into all the directores and something where the key phrases can be put into the anchor text would be a nice thing.

I am looking for the same thing Mel is looking for. A directory that will let you list you products with the product names in the anchor text.
There are some - but I would have thought the main SEO benefit of directories was increasing IP linkage and possible "expert document" format (as discussed in Hilltop).

There might be such an effect Brian, but will it have any effect on your rankings?

Well, there's the basic theory - but there's always room for change in the practical results. :)

Personally, I'd be worried that directories that make a point of allowing keyword weighted anchor text, are ones that are not going to offer linkage benefits over the longer term.

If they all start doing it maybe. But time will tell.

We have never promoted it but if you look at the majority of the business submissions at WoW they are listed like this “Correct Title: relevant anchor text”
We started doing this because it helps the directory as well as the submitter. It clearly defines the topic content to the search engines and brings impressive search engine results. Our editing team is encouraged to add anchor text to sites that have titles that do not define what the business or service is or offers.

Hi,

I would like to suggest Linksgiving.com, which is a searchable directory of user-submitted favorite websites, online since 2001. It is search engine friendly and has a 6PR.

Website owners are now allowed to list their site as a sponsor in the directory at the top of a chosen category for US $24 (yearly).
Note that the fee is for a sponsor site listing, not a normal listing, so it is quite low.

As you list your site as a sponsor, there is more freedom to choose the text for the site title, although it is not possible to use promotional language.

Linksgiving.com features English, German and Italian sites.

Regards,
Alberto

http://www.linksgiving.com

Does anyone have a list of directories which offer anchor text links?

IMO it is fine to get directory links, as they will add a bit to your PR, but they will not do much for your rankings unless they offer parsable anchor text links.

Just thought I would note: www.spheri.com and www.frequentlyasked.info does however, 'if' on review the title anchor is a list of 'keyphrases' and/or repeated in description the anchor will be replaced with domain name or company name.

One or the other... not both.

Remark about search turtle. They have this requirement on the site

You must post an address, or phone number to be considered for addition into Search Turtle. Our Editors check every few months and will remove websites that remove contact information.
I could not find a phone number or address for them on their site, and was required to provide company name, etc in order to submit their form - so I didn't.

A woman would have to be crazy to have contact information like that on a website, particularly someone with children at home. Some do, but then again some people don't lock their doors or close their windows at night either. Neither do men really want such information made public if they're homebased, which many are; nor should they.

http://www.itnerd.com
Offers free site listing :)

itnerd, thanks but those links are all redirected through a script. What we're discussing here are directories that will provide links that help with rankings.

Personal plug...

Allows anchor text: www.RubberStamped.org $25.00
Just launched. Much promotion planned for 2005...

Personal plug...

Allows anchor text: www.RubberStamped.org $25.00
Just launched. Much promotion planned for 2005...

Thats a nice looking site. Best of luck to you!

>> rubberstamped

Yeap - good luck and I'm sure that'll be one worth keeping an eye on

Thanks for your kind words :) Already proving popular, which is great.

Real estate related directory for real estate agents if anyone is interested - www.localrealestateconnection.com

Feel free to submit to http://www.netexposure.com.au/ - an Australian Web Directory. Submission is currently free. Although this is a Regional Directory I will accept submissions from foreign sites which in some way target Australians, especially if it's a quality resource.

Cheers,
David

dcristo: Nice interface Dave. I added up my site and give you a link on my seocompany.ca/directory/top-web-directories.html page. What will the change be when you get things going.

This is my updated list from my site. If you know of other good directories please paste up the ones I don't have so I can add them to my list.


Hi Bobmutch

Can you add my site (www.favouritelink.com) its free to submit website

thanks

TommyC: Currenty your directory has PR3 and seems to have no PR on the category pages, has alot of affiliate ads in the categories, seems to lack alot of categories and has adult pictures one click away from your home page. Basically I don't put any directories in my list that I wouldn't add my site to.

TommyC: Currenty your directory has PR3 and seems to have no PR on the category pages, has alot of affiliate ads in the categories, seems to lack alot of categories and has adult pictures one click away from your home page. Basically I don't put any directories in my list that I wouldn't add my site to.

Ditto. Also, all of the outbound links that I looked at seem to be redirected through some sort of php click counting scheme, and appear that they won't either transmit PageRank or anchor text benefits.

My list has changed some. I have added a few new good ones and hammered some that are not quality in my opinion. I have noted the PR change on those that have chanced. Here is my revised list.

For all the PR hound types. uncoverthenet.com picked up a PR7 his first PR round which is very good. This goes to show that it pays to get in quality directories even when they are at PR0.

The only PR0 for charge directory in my list this time around is webatlas.org which is due to a mess up on a redirect. webatlas is giving 5 links per sub with different anchor text and URLs for $37.

allwebdirectory.com and wowdirectory.com both give 5 and 6 links.


www.bluefind.com/ (http://www.bluefind.com/) $50/PR8
www.01webdirectory.com/ (http://www.01webdirectory.com/) $50/PR5
sbd.bcentral.com/ (http://sbd.bcentral.com/) $49/PR7 (-1PR)
www.sunsteam.com/ (http://www.sunsteam.com/) $45/PR5 (-1PR)
www.netzoning.com/ (http://www.netzoning.com/) Free/PR4
www.goguides.org/ (http://www.goguides.org/) $40/PR6 (-1PR)
www.sevenseek.com/ (http://www.sevenseek.com/) $40/PR7
www.allestra.com/ (http://www.allestra.com/) $39/PR5
www.webatlas.org/ (http://www.webatlas.org/) $37/5 links per sub/PR0
www.directoryhere.com/ (http://www.directoryhere.com/) $35/PR3 (-2PR)
www.botw.org/ (http://www.botw.org/) $30/PR7
www.indexunlimited.com/ (http://www.indexunlimited.com/) $29/PR5 (-1PR)
www.123world.com/ (http://www.123world.com/) $25/PR6 (+1PR)
www.arielis.com/ (http://www.arielis.com/) $25/PR5
www.incrawler.com/ (http://www.incrawler.com/) $25/PR6
www.uncoverthenet.com/ (http://www.uncoverthenet.com/) $25/PR7 (+7PR)
www.ajdee.com/ (http://www.ajdee.com/) $1/$25/PR5
www.cannylink.com/ (http://www.cannylink.com/) $20/PR5 (-1PR)
www.rlrouse.com/ (http://www.rlrouse.com/) $20/PR6
www.thisisouryear.com/ (http://www.thisisouryear.com/) $20/PR6
www.allwebdirectory.com/ (http://www.allwebdirectory.com/) $15/5 links per sub/PR4
www.linkopedia.com/ (http://www.linkopedia.com/) $10/PR5 (-1PR)
www.aroundtheweb.com/ (http://www.aroundtheweb.com/) $15/PR5
www.browse8.com/ (http://www.browse8.com/) $10/PR3 (+3PR)
www.searchturtle.com/ (http://www.searchturtle.com/) $5/sc/PR5 (-1PR)
www.informationoutpost.com/ (http://www.informationoutpost.com/) $5/PR6
dir.yahoo.com/ (http://dir.yahoo.com/) free/$299/PR9 (+1PR)
www.elib.org/ (http://www.elib.org/) Free/$40/PR7
www.gimpsy.com/ (http://www.gimpsy.com/) Free/$40/PR6
www.joeant.com/ (http://www.joeant.com/) Free/$40/PR6
www.skaffe.com/ (http://www.skaffe.com/) Free/$40/PR5 (-1PR)
www.web-beacon.com/ (http://www.web-beacon.com/) Free/$40/PR5
www.webworldindex.com/ (http://www.webworldindex.com/) Free/$25/PR6
www.tygo.com/dir/ (http://www.tygo.com/dir/) Free/$20/PR6
www.wowdirectory.com/ (http://www.wowdirectory.com/) Free/$20/6 links per sub/PR6
www.dirone.com/ (http://www.dirone.com/) Free/$15/PR6
www.allthebizz.com/ (http://www.allthebizz.com/) Free/$10/PR5
www.smallerbizz.com/ (http://www.smallerbizz.com/) Free/$10/PR5/PR4 (-1PR)
www.worldsiteindex.com/ (http://www.worldsiteindex.com/) Free/$10/PR4
www.yeandi.com/ (http://www.yeandi.com/) Free/$10/PR5/
www.allthewebsites.org/ (http://www.allthewebsites.org/) Free/PR5
www.businessplexus.com/ (http://www.businessplexus.com/) Free/PR3 (-1PR)
www.direct-o-ry.com/ (http://www.direct-o-ry.com/) Free/PR4 (+1PR)
www.dmoz.org/ (http://www.dmoz.org/) Free/PR9
www.greenstalk.com/ (http://www.greenstalk.com/) Free/PR5
www.hedir.com/ (http://www.hedir.com/) Free/PR4
www.jayde.com/ (http://www.jayde.com/) Free/PR7
www.landoflinks.com/ (http://www.landoflinks.com/) Free/PR5
www.netexposure.com.au/ (http://www.netexposure.com.au/) Free/PR0
www.seekon.com/ (http://www.seekon.com/) Free/PR2
www.sezza.com/ (http://www.sezza.com/) Free/PR4
www.spheri.com/ (http://www.spheri.com/) Free/PR5
www.stormer.net/ (http://www.stormer.net/) Free/PR5
www.wowyellowpages.com/ (http://www.wowyellowpages.com/) Free/$20/PR4 (+4PR)
www.zeal.com/ (http://www.zeal.com/) Free/PR8 (+1PR)

Originally Posted by bobmutch
TommyC: Currenty your directory has PR3 and seems to have no PR on the category pages, has alot of affiliate ads in the categories, seems to lack alot of categories and has adult pictures one click away from your home page. Basically I don't put any directories in my list that I wouldn't add my site to.
With that list you "just" posted, your statement seems to be slightly contradictive to some of those directories you posted.

You also have left out a few more. Many of those I would "never" submit to even if they were free.

My two cents.

Let me add however that I'm the only one in here with two red marks, so don't trust what I might have to say. :)

Hit me again please.

Bob, you've got browse8 listed as free. I'd never heard of that one, so I went to take a look. As far as I can tell, they offer three submission options:
Normal: $9.95
Sponsored: $25/90 Days
Sitewide Text Ad: $399/30 Days

If they have a free submission page, could you post a link to it?

<added>NetZoning appears to charge $40.

ihelpyou: "With that list you "just" posted, your statement seems to be slightly contradictive to some of those directories you posted."

Doug thanks for pointing that out I think that is a good point pos rep to you on this one, I will try to be a bit more clear so you can see where I am coming from!

Personally when I look at a directory there are a number of things I look at. Cost of placement, homepage PR, PR in the category pages, adult material, quality of construction of site and quanity of ads on the site are the main ones. Based on the above items I make a decision if it is a good directory for me. Note that is for me. Not for you Doug, just for me. If it is good for me then I recommend it to others.

Now just so I will not be accused of being an PR hound I will comment on why I look at the PR. PR will give you an idea on the number of inbound links. PR in the categories gives you an idea of the linking structure and if there are deep links. So I can tell alot about a site just from the PR that it has on the home page.

For me adult material and especially pictures of unmodestly dressed people in a directory is very unprofessional and for me being a religious person is an automatically no. In fact there are some SEO forums I will not post or visit regularly because the avatars are so unprofessional. I will give your forum a plus there Doug. I would give you more pos rep but I can't give you more than one boost at a time and even if I could I don't want to get messages from Liz for back slapping :)

Quality of construction of the site is another think I look at. Also the number and type of advertizing that is in the directory. So some of the sites may rank poorly in some areas and better in others. So I am not saying that I would not get a link from a directory based on their PR0. I always have PR0 sites on my list. I have 2 PR0 sites on my list and they are both very well constructed netexposure.com.au and webatlas.org and I am recommending them both.

There are even a few directories in my list that could use some help in the quality of the web site construction. So directories in my list that have quite a few ads. But when they have adult material or rate quite low on a majority of the items I have listed I don't add my site to them nor to I recommend them to others.

I hope this takes care of the "slightly contradictive" ideas that came to your mind.

As far as having left some out I would suggest you take the time to list them here for us. If they are quality I will add them to my page on my business site and reconment them to all my clients. What directories do you like Doug?

qwerty: Thanks! I made those changes on my page seocompany.ca/directory/top-web-directories.html and made them above also. You have a list of good additions that are not in my list?

I have a list of 90 or so, all of them free, but I think they're mostly covered over the course of this thread. And besides, I don't keep track of their PR, so I'm not sure how useful it would be for me to post them.

oh no, I would not wish to give my secrets away. LOL

But anyway, I know of at least one directory you posted that "does" promote adult material. A link to adult is right on the very front page, which then leads to a category of se xually explicit websites.

Check the front pages and you will find it.

I also look at how much emphasis a directory is giving on the importance of the directory to webmasters. That's easily seen, and usually right off the bat. If the directory gives me the impression that it gives more weight to webmasters OR search engines than it gives to it's very own users who might find it, then I avoid it completely. Nothing else needs to be looked at. I could care less about the PR as that don't pertain at all.

ihelpyou: Ahhhhhhhhhh, come on Doug. You need to show us how you get all these high rankings with out buying links and doing reciprocal links and all these other "spammy" things. This way everyone will see the light and realize that links are not important and do things the right way.

You can PM me the offending site if you like.

Well PR is a refection of number and quality of inbound links. While PR many not important, the number and quality of links that PR tells us are there is imporant. I would be suprised to find a SEO type white, black or grey that doesn't think links are important.

I would agree that it is important that a directory can be navigated easily, that the search function is top notch.

qwerty: Would you mind pm'ing them to me and I will take a peek a boo at them.

I'll post them, but I don't have time to go through this thread and pull out the ones that are already mentioned, so the list is going to be longer than it ought to be.

01 Web Directory (http://www.01webdirectory.com/)
Aardvark Business Directory (http://www.aardvarkbusiness.net/)
AbiLogic (http://www.abilogic.com/)
A Business Resource (http://www.abusinessresource.com/)
Agada (http://www.agada.info/web-directory/)
Ainda Bem (http://www.aindabem.com.br/directory/)
All the Bizz (http://www.allthebizz.com/)
All.info (http://all.info/)
Amfibi (http://www.amfibi.com/)
Amray (http://www.amray.com/)
Andilinks (http://www.andilinks.com/)
Around the Web (http://www.aroundtheweb.com/)
Beamed (http://www.beamed.com/search/)
Best of the Web (http://botw.org/)
BizHwy (http://www.bizhwy.com/)
BizWeb (http://www.bizweb.com/)
Burf (http://www.burf.com/)
Business Digests (http://www.businessdigests.com/index.html)
BusinessSeek (http://www.businessseek.biz/)
Buzzle (http://www.buzzle.com/index.asp)
CanLinks (http://www.canlinks.net/)
Chiff (http://www.chiff.com/)
Cipinet (http://www.cipinet.com/)
ClearLead (http://www.clearleadinc.com/)
Cool Grandma (http://www.coolgrandma.com/odp/directory.php)
Curry Guide (http://web.curryguide.com/)
Direct-O-ry (http://www.direct-o-ry.com/)
Directory General (http://www.directorygeneral.com/)
Directory Gold (http://www.directorygold.com/)
Earth Station 9 (http://www.earthstation9.com/)
ExactSeek (http://exactseek.com/)
Ezilon (http://www.ezilon.com/)
Family Friendly Sites (http://www.familyfriendlysites.com/FamilyFriendly/default.asp)
FindHound (http://www.findhound.com/)
Gasta (http://www.gasta.co.uk/)
GeniusFind (http://www.geniusfind.com/)
Gimpsy (http://www.gimpsy.com/)
Greenstalk (http://www.greenstalk.com/)
Hedir (http://www.hedir.com/)
Highforce (http://www.highforce.net/)
Homerweb (http://web.homerweb.com:8080/)
Hypermaze (http://www.hypermaze.com/)
IllumiRate (http://www.illumirate.com/IllumiRate/index.cfm)
Index Unlimited (http://www.indexunlimited.com/)
InfoProbe (http://www.infoprobe.net/)
Infotiger (http://www.infotiger.com/)
InfoWebWorld (http://www.infowebworld.com/)
InoFirma (http://www.inofirma.ru/)
IntelSeek (http://www.intelseek.com/default.asp)
Internet Public Library (http://www.ipl.org/)
Itzalist (http://www.itzalist.com/)
Jayde (http://www.jayde.com/)
Josh's Sanctum (http://www.josh.nu/)
Jupon (http://www.jupon.co.uk/)
Katakombe (http://www.katakombe.com/directory/)
KillerInfo (http://www.killerinfo.com/)
KnowBe (http://knowbe.com/)
KwikGoblin (http://www.kwikgoblin.com/)
Land of Links (http://www.landoflinks.com/)
Linkopedia (http://www.linkopedia.com/)
Listings United States (http://listingsus.com/)
Look (http://www.look.com/)
MavicaNet (http://www.mavicanet.com/directory/eng/) (link is to English version)
MixCat (http://www.mixcat.com/)
Nerd Wide Web (http://www.nerdworld.com/ww_template.html)
NetAddition (http://www.netaddition.com/links/)
Objects Directory (http://www.objectsdirectory.com/)
On a Mission (http://www.onamission.com/)
One Big Directory (http://www.onebigdirectory.com/)
One Mission (http://www.onemission.com/d.pl)
Orange Pages (http://www.cantufind.com/) (aka "cantufind")
OSY (http://www.osy-directory.com/)
Pedsters Planet (http://www.pedsters-planet.co.uk/)
Please Retrieve (http://www.pleaseretrieve.com/)
Poddys (http://www.poddys.com/)
Qango (http://www.qango.com/)
ReQuest (http://www.re-quest.net/index.htm)
SearchFolk (http://www.searchfolk.com/)
Search Site (http://www.the-search-site.com/directory.asp)
Search-O-Rama (http://search-o-rama.com/Default.asp)
Search Sight (http://searchsight.com/)
Search the Web (http://www.searchtheweb.com/)
SearchWho (http://www.searchwho.com/)
SearchWords (http://www.searchwords.com/)
SeekOn (http://www.seekon.com/)
Sezza (http://www.sezza.com/)
Site Directory (http://www.site-directory.org/)
Smaller Bizz (http://www.smallerbizz.com/)
SmartLinks (http://www.smartlinks.org/)
SoMuch (http://www.somuch.com/Default.asp)
SplatSearch (http://www.splatsearch.com/)
Splendes (http://www.splendes.com/)
Stop@ (http://search.stopat.com/StopAt/)
SuperLinks (http://www.superlinksdirectory.com/)
SuperPromo (http://superpromo.com/)
SuperSearch (http://www.supersearch.such.info/)
The Directory Site (http://www.thedirectorysite.com/)
The Directory (http://www.thedirectory.8k.com/)
The Everywhere Pages (http://www.theeverywherepages.com/index.cfm)
Top Search Net (http://www2.topsearchnet.com/)
True Search (http://www.truesearch.com/)
Try America (http://www.tryamerica.com/)
TurnPike Emporium (http://www.turnpike.net/directory.html)
TYGO (http://www.tygo.com/)
UrgentClick (http://www.urgentclick.com/free_directory.html)
VXBox (http://www.vxbox.com/)
Walhello (http://www.walhello.com/)
Web World Index (http://www.webworldindex.com/)
WebbieWorld (http://www.webbieworld.com/ww/)
WebGeezer (http://www.webgeezer.org/)
WebmasterFind (http://www.webmasterfind.com/)
WebResourceIndex (http://www.webresourceindex.com/)
Webs 411 (http://www.webs411.com/)
WebSavvy (http://www.websavvy.cc/) (soon to be accepting new submissions)
WebSquash (http://websquash.com/)
Who's Who on the Web (http://www.whoswhoontheweb.com/)
WorldWideWub (http://www.worldwidewub.org/wub/)
WorldHot (http://www.worldhot.com/)
WotBox (http://www.wotbox.com/)
Wow Directory (http://www.wowdirectory.com/)
WWW Riot (http://www.dxpnet.com/riot/)
WWW Virtual Library (http://www.vlib.org/)
WWW Women (http://www.wwwomen.com/)
Xoron (http://www.xoron.com/)
Yeandi (http://www.yeandi.com/index.asp)
Zeal (http://www.zeal.com/)
Zeezo (http://www.zeezo.com/)

And Directories of Directories:
Directory Archives (http://www.directoryarchives.com/)
Directory List (http://www.directorylist.org/)
dmole (http://www.dmole.org/)
Grackelfish (http://www.grackelfish.com/)
ISEDB (http://www.isedb.com/)
seo2seo (http://www.seo2seo.com/)
SeoPros Directory List (http://www.seopros.org/search/dirlist.asp)
Search Engine Guide (http://www.searchengineguide.com/searchengines.html)
The Search Engine Directory (http://www.the-search-engine-directory.com/)

qwerty: Hey great I will go though them and see what is good and add it up to my list. Thanks!

Yeah... it's mine - Really ugly and narrow, pretty darn new, but has very good SE characteristics (PR passer, every page connects to every page, static pages, pay listing allows anchor text and 3 additional links to internal pages of your site).

Not pushing or promoting much yet, but I'd appreciate any SE related technical input offered (other than it's ugly...LOL)

VerticalDirectories (http://www.verticaldirectories.com)

jbgilbert: Well you have a start of a good directory. I am sure you be making changes and make it "pretty". I added my site up and added you to my top web directories!

Bobmutch -- thanks for the note. Where would I see your list of top directories?

As far a making VerticalDirectories (http://www.verticaldirectories.com) "pretty", it's not in my plans at the moment.

My concentration is on constructing a series of "vertical" directories that are "different", have things to offer than most directories don't and are super SE friendly.

Please take a closer look at the "construction" of the directory and make any comments (all comments are helpful). Here are a few things that I have done that I feel are very unique:

- Each vertical is topic specific. This allows me to use CSS and simple bulleted lists to connect every page to every page in each vertical making sure PR gets passed very well.

- The priority submission gets people 4 links (the home page and 3 internal pages all with keyword rich anchor text).

Again, comments are welcome, but please don't remind me of how ugly it is...lol

Hey everyone.... good list going on here and I was wondering why my directory was not on that list?

Maybe you guys can check it out. It's still a little new launched in October 2004. It is a paid inclusion directory but provides good text links... no redirect stuff.

So is it the fact my directory needs to have more promotion to get the word out? Why am I not on "the list?" I would love to here your feed back. :)

BTW, it's www.site-sift.com

BTW, it's www.site-sift.com
I think you might have been left off some of the older lists because your directory is somewhat new.

I have been seeing you have been doing a good bit of link building and you are surely on my list ;)

The list I posted is only of directories that offer a free submission option, so that cut you out. As far as paid directories go, I have to admit to being very conservative. I don't recommend them to clients until they've been around for a while and have demonstrated some real value (which I define as clickthroughs more than showing up in a link search).

>demonstrated some real value

I am a bit more aggressive and list in quite a large # of directories. compared to many other link generation techniques, directory submission is fast and cheap.

I do not mind buying a couple links that fade out. In a sense all types of advertising will grow or fade, but sometimes you get greater value by buying right out of the gate (at a potentially lower price) and being there longer too. I just figure the price of some of the links that will fade into the total cost.

If you can get about 50 - 100 links for $2,000 it stands a good chance that those 50 - 100 links will have some effect on relevancy scores in most engines.

With average AdWords click costs being around 50 cents that $2,000 would be about 4,000 visitors. 4,000 visitors sounds like a ton, but some sites I have get thousands of visitors per day based primarily on SEO.

I think you might have been left off some of the older lists because your directory is somewhat new.

I have been seeing you have been doing a good bit of link building and you are surely on my list ;)

Thanks seobook! I did notice we were on your list just curious why we haven't been added to more list. Our homepage is a PR6 and most of our subpages are PR5 & PR4 and we are adding quality sites everyday.

As far as link building goes most of our advertisments didn't even go up until the last week of Dec. and we add advertising to Site-Sift all the time.

smindsrt: I thought I had added your site for some reason. Not sure why I didn't. Anyway it is in my list now.
www.site-sift.com/ (http://www.site-sift.com/) $25/add site or pages/PR6


jbgilbert: My list of directories is at http://www.seocompany.ca/directory/top-web-directories.html

smindsrt: I thought I had added your site for some reason. Not sure why I didn't. Anyway it is in my list now.
www.site-sift.com/ (http://www.site-sift.com/) $25/add site or pages/PR6



Thanks Bob!

Thanks for adding to your list. :)

I have received several emails from people who submitted to the directory early on and now see Site-Sift as a link in their backlinks with decent PR. So far it's been really good feedback. I also think in the future people will feel even better as the directory grows in both the quality and advertising.

Please consider submitting to:
http://www.buying-directory.com PR 5 Free!
Best regards,
Arius

It looks like a reciprocal link is required. Is that correct?

Yes a reciprocal link is the ideal.
If not just put:
<the home URL listed two posts ago> as the link back.

arius: What about a category for website design, search engine optimization and marketing, website promotion? I couldn't seem to find one.

This may be a bit off topic for this thread, and, if so mods should feel free to break it off... but I'm noticing a lot of new directories described here are at kind of a turning point, where they're just beginning to build up listings.

If they add a lot of empty categories, they perhaps run into the kind of dupe page issues that result in getting dropping from an engine, as has been discussed elsewhere. Most empty pages in a given directory are pretty much alike.

If they simply dump all their listings into main categories, they're perhaps initially giving their listers more PR and looking more full; but, if they continue to do this, in the long run they're going to start looking like unedited free-for-alls.

I'd suggest adding subcats as the listings grow and keeping things organized. It gives the directory pages better usability, more focus for ranking on their own, perhaps gives a contextual link boost, and definitely presents an image of a directory that really cares about being a directory. This applies to a lot of the new directories I see.

I'd suggest adding subcats as the listings grow and keeping things organized. It gives the directory pages better usability, more focus for ranking on their own, perhaps gives a contextual link boost, and definitely presents an image of a directory that really cares about being a directory. This applies to a lot of the new directories I see.

I think you have made some great points. Having a great deal of empty categories would put the searcher off, having said that, you dont want too few as you dont look like a viable directory. Ive aimed to have a good balance on http://www.netexposure.com.au

Very good point - I've worked on two dir's (one at a SE) and empty categories are, well, a brilliant way to reduce the usefulness of your site in the eyes of users.;)

You could consider using the relevant DMOZ categories as a backfill until you fill the categories, of course.

You could consider using the relevant DMOZ categories as a backfill until you fill the categories, of course.

Yes, backfill... excellent point too. If not entire DMOZ categories, which might overwhelm a new directory, perhaps selections.

A selection by a directory operator of the best from DMOZ would give a directory a lot more credibility in my eyes, and perhaps also for the engines.

The main problem with selected backfill is that it's generally just the usual suspects, so the rich get richer, as it were. I can imagine that it really wouldn't take that long, maybe a few days, to actually visit some sites in some relevant DMOZ categories and put together a good and unique selection.

arius: What about a category for website design, search engine optimization and marketing, website promotion? I couldn't seem to find one.
We may head in that direction in the future but the focus of the site is to collect buying and selling related sites. Wholesalers would be the ideal registrants.

Interesting conversation here. ;)

A few people have also suggested we (Site-Sift) pull some listings from DMOZ. To me this isn't right, truly taking the wrong approach. The problem with just adding some DMOZ sites to fill up categories isn't smart. Let's face it, DMOZ isn't perfect and there are a ton of sites that don't even belong in the categories they are listed in. Not to mention some of the sites have been in DMOZ so long the sites have changed.

To us, and what we have been doing for a while now is to populate our directory with valuable nonprofit websites that we find and think are high quality. Of course this takes time and isn't an overnight process like getting a feed from DMOZ. :)

...The problem with just adding some DMOZ sites to fill up categories isn't smart....

I agree.... There are way too many DMOZ clone sites. My thought was that in areas like, eg, Shopping, where the choice might be either having a lot of empty subcategories, or throwing everything into an unclassified main category, DMOZ or the Google Directory might be a good place to go and look for a few good sites to drop into each category.

In the Google Directory, you could get a sense of the top sites in PR order (an approximate indication of being established)... maybe glance at several that had thoughtful descriptions... and pull out a few to populate an otherwise empty category.

I think this initial seeding might pay off. It makes the directory look used and avoids the dupe page issues. The orderly growth of a directory is something I pay attention to when I evaluate submitting.

It's of course much easier for me to make these suggestions than it is for a directory operator to carry them out. Yes, it does take time.

...what we have been doing for a while now is to populate our directory with valuable nonprofit websites that we find and think are high quality.

That's a great thing to be doing.

Ok my pay directories has had quite a few addtional sites and added inform so where goes another link drop.

No|Domain|info|G-IBL|Y-IBL|M-IBL| Price|PR|± PR|G-Docs|Y-Docs|M-Docs|AlexaR

1 www.01webdirectory.com Google IBL: 112; MSN IBL: 938; Yahoo IBL: 137
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$49 PR5 237 228 707 33,860
2 www.123world.com Google IBL: 117; MSN IBL: 1,717; Yahoo IBL: 10,300
Comments will be forthcoming $45 PR6 514 244 1,717 24,735
3 www.abilogic.com Google IBL: 342; MSN IBL: 6,198; Yahoo IBL: 221
Free submission will be reviewed in 2 to 4 weeks. Express listing is $9.95 and is added in 12 hours. Premimum listing for put you at the top of your category and is $19.95 for 6 months, $29.95 for 1 year and $39.95 for lifetime. You also recieve 4 deep links on the Premimum submission. Free/$10 PR5 33,600 1,860 1,199 26,922
4 www.ajdee.com Google IBL: 68; MSN IBL: 569; Yahoo IBL: 760
Noncommercial sites are $1 and commercial sites are $25. Partner submissions are $17.50 and require 2 sites on the first submission and 10 sites with in 6 months. $25 PR5 122 90 569 86,199
5 www.allestra.com Google IBL: 392; MSN IBL: 1,427; Yahoo IBL: 6,070
Comments will be forthcoming $39 PR5 9,620 4,650 1,427 101,818
6 www.allthebizz.com Google IBL: 64; MSN IBL: 5,403; Yahoo IBL: 70
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$15 PR5 42,300 45,000 4,887 81,809
7 www.allwebdirectory.com Google IBL: 1,320; MSN IBL: 9,671; Yahoo IBL: 32,400
Regularly $40 fee $29 limited time offer. You get up to 5 premanent links to your site. Site reviewed with in 2 days. $29 PR4 59,300 56,200 9,671 99,018
8 www.anthonyparsons.com Google IBL: 4,530; MSN IBL: 14,193; Yahoo IBL: 7,700
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$10 PR6 93 9 494 34,663
9 www.arielis.com Google IBL: 67; MSN IBL: 1,364; Yahoo IBL: 374
Comments will be forthcoming $25 PR5 443 291 879 63,056
10 www.aroundtheweb.com Google IBL: 240; MSN IBL: 13,408; Yahoo IBL: 677
Comments will be forthcoming $15 PR5 4,100 1,920 3,877 154,192
11 sbd.bcentral.com Google IBL: 2,780; MSN IBL: 3,388; Yahoo IBL: 42,200
Microsofts directory provides you with 10 keyword rich links for yearly fee of $50. $50/yr. PR7 51,400 36,300 2,533 1,248
12 www.beaconpost.com Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 602; Yahoo IBL: 196
Closed till April 11th. The $9 standard sub gives you one regular link and 5 deep links with keyword rich titles. The $39 advance sub submits you to 4 similar directories also. Pricing will go to $24 and $99 within 90 days. $9 PR0 6,970 1 29 452,939
13 www.bhanvad.com Google IBL: 235; MSN IBL: 2,211; Yahoo IBL: 874
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$20 PR5 10,700 15,300 1,008 45,040
14 www.bigall.com Google IBL: 2,590; MSN IBL: 5,159; Yahoo IBL: 2,960
Free with reviews between 6 and 8 weeks. The $9.95 premium submissions give you 2 links and are is review within 2 business days. Keyword rich title are allowed in the premium submissions. Free/$10 PR6 6,630 536 2,821 37,338
15 www.biz-directory.org Google IBL: 25,600; MSN IBL: 150,705; Yahoo IBL: 25,400
This directory provide you will 5 links. $40 PR6 16,800 20,900 2,261 36,506
16 www.bluefind.com Google IBL: 8,210; MSN IBL: 25,028; Yahoo IBL: 144,000
This directory has had problems with pages being indexed in Google and PR dropping off the inside pages. There is no sign of the home page in Google, 75% of the main sub pages are PR0, the rankings they had in Google at one time are gone. Also they o $50 PR8 976 24,200 1 22,387
17 www.botw.org Google IBL: 2,240; MSN IBL: 9,633; Yahoo IBL: 103
Comments will be forthcoming $30 PR7 1,530 2 989 20,217
18 www.browse8.com Google IBL: 7,290; MSN IBL: 21,813; Yahoo IBL: 71
Comments will be forthcoming $10 PR3 5,130 1,000 3,759 417,600
19 www.business.com Google IBL: 16,400; MSN IBL: 49,648; Yahoo IBL: 199,000
Standard listing is $149 a year and gives you 1 link to your site and 4 additonal deep links. The Sidebar Placement option is $25 setup and starting at $0.20 CPC. The Premium Placement option at the top of the page is starting at $0.40 CPC. $149/yr. PR7 1,140,000 479,000 2,835 1,297
20 www.businessseek.biz Google IBL: 1,340; MSN IBL: 5,449; Yahoo IBL: 2,630
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$10 PR5 23,100 3,320 411 30,923
21 www.chiff.com Google IBL: 456; MSN IBL: 6,054; Yahoo IBL: 17,200
This accepts free submissions but not from webmasters, SEOs or link builders. To submmit for free you must not be affiliated with the site. If you are submitting your own site you need to submit into the e-Biz section. The e-Biz submissions are $59.9 $60 PR7 7,640 1,740 5,117 10,561
22 www.platinax.co.uk/directory Google IBL: 2,980; MSN IBL: 24,623; Yahoo IBL: 19,100
One time fee of £9.95 ($19USD) for each submission. You may submit the same website to multiple categories or multiple pages to multiple categories. Free/$19 PR2 179,000 0 2,418 59,400
23 www.dalfind.com Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 0; Yahoo IBL: 0
Computing resources directory. $19.95 one time submission fee, no refund, reviewed with in 48 hours. Only accepting computer related sites. $20 PR0 0 0 1 1,261,785
24 www.directorygeneral.com Google IBL: 103; MSN IBL: 451; Yahoo IBL: 15
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$10 PR4 183 7,110 474 161,293
25 www.directorygold.com Google IBL: 49; MSN IBL: 685; Yahoo IBL: 147
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$10 PR4 4,850 1,440 543 100,864
26 www.directoryhere.com Google IBL: 12; MSN IBL: 10; Yahoo IBL: 6
Comments will be forthcoming $16 PR4 (+1 PR) 2,360 98 492 159,475
27 www.directorymarker.com Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 1,812; Yahoo IBL: 151
Closed till April 11th. The $9 standard sub gives you one regular link and 5 deep links with keyword rich titles. The $39 advance sub submits you to 4 similar directories also. Pricing will go to $24 and $99 within 90 days. $9 PR0 5,520 1 70 702,463
28 www.dirone.com Google IBL: 9,740; MSN IBL: 75,344; Yahoo IBL: 39,200
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$15 PR6 8,880 147 4,654 21,849
29 www.elib.org Google IBL: 4,770; MSN IBL: 31,000; Yahoo IBL: 44,000
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$50 PR7 84,000 18,100 3,181 36,084
30 www.findhound.com Google IBL: 820; MSN IBL: 3,755; Yahoo IBL: 30
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$10 PR5 39,400 10,500 3,472 98,812
31 www.gimpsy.com Google IBL: 3,200; MSN IBL: 18,997; Yahoo IBL: 1,860
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$40 PR6 105,000 117,000 5,341 12,810
32 www.goguides.org Google IBL: 968; MSN IBL: 8,994; Yahoo IBL: 644
Comments will be forthcoming $40 PR6 31,500 119,000 4,882 17,897
33 www.goongee.com Google IBL: 328; MSN IBL: 4,396; Yahoo IBL: 324
Basic submission is free and requires a reciprocal link. Premium submission is $19.95 and is completed with in 24 to 48 hours. Free/$20 PR0 9,070 9,120 3,759 119,369
34 www.haabaa.com Google IBL: 6,390; MSN IBL: 40,395; Yahoo IBL: 5,490
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$25 PR4 291,000 18,900 3,021 77,612
35 www.hand-code-directory.com Google IBL: 5; MSN IBL: 60; Yahoo IBL: 4
Non-profit and information sites with no advertising are free. $4.95 for all other sites. Free/$5 PR3 25 8 80 696,275
36 www.hotvsnot.com Google IBL: 8,850; MSN IBL: 50,422; Yahoo IBL: 54,400
$42 for 6 months or $60 for 12 months. Free/$60/yr. PR7 84,500 16,100 2,837 17,035
37 www.houndit.com Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 2,359; Yahoo IBL: 226
Closed till April 11th. The $9 standard sub gives you one regular link and 5 deep links with keyword rich titles. The $39 advance sub submits you to 4 similar directories also. Pricing will go to $24 and $99 within 90 days. $9 PR0 4,410 1 63 667,711
38 www.incrawler.com Google IBL: 2,620; MSN IBL: 13,206; Yahoo IBL: 1,650
Basic listing reviewed in 7 days no promotional language in title. Premimum listing allows 5 relevant works in title. You can submit a webpage or website. $15 PR6 68,500 1,520 7,955 65,772
39 www.indexunlimited.com Google IBL: 99; MSN IBL: 6,437; Yahoo IBL: 137
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$29 PR5 4,340 83,200 5,962 91,461
40 www.informationoutpost.com Google IBL: 55; MSN IBL: 1,105; Yahoo IBL: 91
Submissions to multiple categories. $5 PR6 17,600 1,210 2,044 173,097

No|Domain|info|G-IBL|Y-IBL|M-IBL| Price|PR|± PR|G-Docs|Y-Docs|M-Docs|AlexaR

41 www.joeant.com (http://www.joeant.com/) Google IBL: 3,500; MSN IBL: 5,200; Yahoo IBL: 1,720
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$40 PR6 194,000 1,900 1,030 5,895
42 www.kabooli.com (http://www.kabooli.com/) Google IBL: 89; MSN IBL: 398; Yahoo IBL: 610
Free for non-profit sites that contant no advertisements. $19.95 for commercial sites with a review time of 5 to 7 days. Free/$20 PR4 328 240 106 208,313
43 www.link-pimp.com (http://www.link-pimp.com/) Google IBL: 1,140; MSN IBL: 2,536; Yahoo IBL: 2,530
Basic submission is free and requires a reciprocal link. Premium submission is $19.95 and is completed with in 24 to 48 hours. Free/$20 PR0 7,050 9,050 1,449 86,845
44 www.linkop.com (http://www.linkop.com/) Google IBL: 1,040; MSN IBL: 2,801; Yahoo IBL: 90
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$10 PR3 4,780 1,040 1,128 402,596
45 www.linkopedia.com (http://www.linkopedia.com/) Google IBL: 267; MSN IBL: 3,029; Yahoo IBL: 1,440
Comments will be forthcoming $10 PR5 3,620 1,410 1,319 51,535
46 www.lookforth.com (http://www.lookforth.com/) Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 0; Yahoo IBL: 0
Comments will be forthcoming $0 PR4 0 0 0 174,116
47 www.massivelinks.com (http://www.massivelinks.com/) Google IBL: 303; MSN IBL: 2,507; Yahoo IBL: 291
Free for non-commercial sites. Basic listing $9.99 with 1-2 business days review time. The Premium Listing is $29.99 and will put you at the top of your category for one year. Free/$10 PR5 12,800 601 673 42,636
48 www.netzoning.com (http://www.netzoning.com/) Google IBL: 83; MSN IBL: 746; Yahoo IBL: 33
Comments will be forthcoming $40 PR4 464 444 1,021 181,657
49 www.octopedia.com (http://www.octopedia.com/) Google IBL: 168; MSN IBL: 1,222; Yahoo IBL: 115
You get 2 website submissions for $25. Each submission recieves up to 8 custom links. $25 PR2 602 470 632 162,206
50 www.phynder.com (http://www.phynder.com/) Google IBL: 1,650; MSN IBL: 34,636; Yahoo IBL: 32,700
One time fee of $19.95 gets immediate inclusion. The $29.99 gives you an entry with a graphic thumbnail. The Large Graphic Link for $39.95 give you an extra large website thumbnail preview. $19 PR4 (-1 PR) 50,900 144,000 6,993 16,908
51 www.primodirectory.com (http://www.primodirectory.com/) Google IBL: 75; MSN IBL: 1,260; Yahoo IBL: 36
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$10 PR4 37 475 593 86,305
52 www.rlrouse.com (http://www.rlrouse.com/) Google IBL: 578; MSN IBL: 6,854; Yahoo IBL: 3,910
The yearly fee of $30 gets you added to the directory and 19 partner pages. $50 gets you permanent links. The 19 partner sites have a links page that is added by javascript and it appears the links are not being crawled by the search engine spiders. Free/$30/yr. PR6 7,080 1,960 2,913 16,969
53 www.rubberstamped.org (http://www.rubberstamped.org/) Google IBL: 97; MSN IBL: 837; Yahoo IBL: 53
$25 submition fee. Added with in 2 days. $25 PR5 229 249 196 177,513
54 www.searchturtle.com (http://www.searchturtle.com/) Google IBL: 745; MSN IBL: 6,348; Yahoo IBL: 907
Comments will be forthcoming $5 PR5 388 466 397 108,441
55 www.seedirectory.com (http://www.seedirectory.com/) Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 1,561; Yahoo IBL: 102
Closed till April 11th. The $9 standard sub gives you one regular link and 5 deep links with keyword rich titles. The $39 advance sub submits you to 4 similar directories also. Pricing will go to $24 and $99 within 90 days. $9 PR0 9,900 1 26 712,724
56 www.seekon.info (http://www.seekon.info/) Google IBL: 96; MSN IBL: 1,852; Yahoo IBL: 509
$29 one time payment and site will be review with in 24 hours. $29 PR5 271 242 307 145,580
57 www.seocompay.ca (http://www.seocompay.ca/) Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 0; Yahoo IBL: 0
asdf $0 PR0 0 0 0 3,671,475
58 www.seoma.net (http://www.seoma.net/) Google IBL: 615; MSN IBL: 4,254; Yahoo IBL: 449
Registration is $15 and will give you 2 submission credits. $15 PR5 3,850 503 661 60,927
59 www.sevenseek.com (http://www.sevenseek.com/) Google IBL: 10,500; MSN IBL: 19,739; Yahoo IBL: 88,100
Comments will be forthcoming $40 PR7 26,400 73,200 10,011 30,192
60 www.sharedirectory.com (http://www.sharedirectory.com/) Google IBL: 45; MSN IBL: 693; Yahoo IBL: 63
One time fee of $25 or free submissoin with a reciprocal link. Free/$25 PR0 270 42 135 325,713
61 www.site-sift.com (http://www.site-sift.com/) Google IBL: 5,390; MSN IBL: 23,877; Yahoo IBL: 56,100
For $24.95 you can add your website listing and or a deep link web page listing. Sponsored listings are $100 a year and include a listing in a top level category and more flexibility with title - doesn't have to be company name. Premimum Partner $25 PR6 19,200 1,660 5,425 81,940
62 www.sitesnoop.com (http://www.sitesnoop.com/) Google IBL: 12; MSN IBL: 174; Yahoo IBL: 22
Submission are by post mail. No adult or gambling sites. $10 PR5 20 16 13 339,717
63 www.skaffe.com (http://www.skaffe.com/) Google IBL: 794; MSN IBL: 6,309; Yahoo IBL: 251
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$40 PR5 57,300 21,200 952 28,895
64 www.smallerbizz.com (http://www.smallerbizz.com/) Google IBL: 183; MSN IBL: 4,459; Yahoo IBL: 27
$10 per submission with review within 2 working days. Free/$10 PR4 34,500 13,700 4,089 148,834
65 directory.sootle.com Google IBL: 11; MSN IBL: 817; Yahoo IBL: 178
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$20 PR3 156 40 109 94,246
66 www.sunsteam.com (http://www.sunsteam.com/) Google IBL: 343; MSN IBL: 1,542; Yahoo IBL: 335
Comments will be forthcoming $25/yr. PR5 14,300 1 735 77,321
67 www.thisisouryear.com (http://www.thisisouryear.com/) Google IBL: 2,570; MSN IBL: 8,206; Yahoo IBL: 998
Comments will be forthcoming $20 PR6 28,600 1,220 4,893 45,929
68 www.tygo.com/dir (http://www.tygo.com/dir) Google IBL: 991; MSN IBL: 22,860; Yahoo IBL: 1,320
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$20 PR6 31,700 2,510 6,554 30,793
69 www.uncoverthenet.com (http://www.uncoverthenet.com/) Google IBL: 33,100; MSN IBL: 85,567; Yahoo IBL: 127,000
This directory gives you 5 links keyword rick links for $39. There is an affiliate program for those interested in promoting this directory. Non-commercial sites are free but require a reciprocal link from the page you submit. Free/$39 PR7 58,900 36,500 1,877 10,961
70 www.verticaldirectories.com (http://www.verticaldirectories.com/) Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 80; Yahoo IBL: 2
The priorty $20 submission gives you 4 links that are title keywork rich. There appears to be a problem with the number of documents in the index. Less than 10 in any of the top 3 search engines. Free/$20 PR4 7 1 5 521,894
71 www.web-beacon.com (http://www.web-beacon.com/) Google IBL: 381; MSN IBL: 1,859; Yahoo IBL: 120
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$40 PR5 11,300 3,070 600 98,871
72 www.webatlas.org (http://www.webatlas.org/) Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 19,754; Yahoo IBL: 33,700
This directory is not in the Google index. Developer and owner claims the problem is fix and it will be in the index shortly. The directory has under 100 pages in Yahoo's index but it has 3,500 in the MSN index. 10 links - 9 keyword rich. $37 PR0 0 376 19,754 74,772
73 www.webs-best-directory.com (http://www.webs-best-directory.com/) Google IBL: 171; MSN IBL: 2,512; Yahoo IBL: 144
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$20 PR5 5,810 6,970 1,872 77,059
74 www.webworldindex.com (http://www.webworldindex.com/) Google IBL: 1,920; MSN IBL: 4,736; Yahoo IBL: 2,520
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$25 PR6 65,100 1 997 19,940
75 www.wizdirectory.com (http://www.wizdirectory.com/) Google IBL: 0; MSN IBL: 2,390; Yahoo IBL: 240
The $9 standard sub gives you one regular link and 5 deep links with keyword rich titles. The $49 advance sub submits you to 4 similar directories also. Pricing will go to $24 and $99 within 90 days. $9 PR0 8,930 1 614 747,119
76 www.worldsiteindex.com (http://www.worldsiteindex.com/) Google IBL: 342; MSN IBL: 3,801; Yahoo IBL: 152
The £7.05 ($13USD) priority submission gives you 5 keyword rich links. Free/$13 PR4 34,600 10,100 2,350 30,479
77 www.wowdirectory.com (http://www.wowdirectory.com/) Google IBL: 224; MSN IBL: 2,922; Yahoo IBL: 1,430
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$20 PR6 12,800 101,000 1,708 19,848
78 www.wowyellowpages.com (http://www.wowyellowpages.com/) Google IBL: 568; MSN IBL: 1,641; Yahoo IBL: 1,020
Up to 6 keyword rich links on submission. Free/$15 PR4 5,640 10,600 6,112 128,484
79 dir.yahoo.com Google IBL: 103,000; MSN IBL: 23,666; Yahoo IBL: 3,180,000
Free and $299 payed submission. Free/$299 PR9 5,500,000 3,060,000 101,658 1
80 www.yeandi.com (http://www.yeandi.com/) Google IBL: 117; MSN IBL: 1,989; Yahoo IBL: 779
Comments will be forthcoming Free/$10 PR5 545 1,040 969 37,515

While I am at it I might as well give you my list of lists of directories.

www.5thage.com/List-of-Directories.html (http://www.5thage.com/List-of-Directories.html) 5th Age Designs Long list.
www.andilinks.com/sea4.htm (http://www.andilinks.com/sea4.htm) andlinks Subject Directories.
www.best-web-directories.com/ (http://www.best-web-directories.com/) Articles, Tips, List of Free, Paid & Recipical Directories.
www.buydominica.com/caribbeanindex/directories.htm (http://www.buydominica.com/caribbeanindex/directories.htm) Buydominica's Directories and Free links.
www.dir-search.com/ (http://www.dir-search.com/) Directory Search.
www.directory-pages.com/ (http://www.directory-pages.com/) Directory Pages.
www.directory-z.com/ (http://www.directory-z.com/) Directory-Z Directories Categories.
www.directorylist.org/ (http://www.directorylist.org/) Anthony Pazrsons directory list.
www.directorysource.info/ (http://www.directorysource.info/) List of mostly for pay directories.
www.directoryarchives.com/ (http://www.directory-pages.com/tier2.htm) is Aaron Wall's directory of directories.
www.dmole.org/ (http://www.dmole.org/) internet directory list.
www.dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Searching/Directories/ (http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Searching/Directories/) DMOZ Directories.
www.energyray.com/SortedPages/Marketing/Directories.Submission.URLs.htm (http://www.energyray.com/SortedPages/Marketing/Directories.Submission.URLs.htm) Energyray Directories.
www.freewebsubmission.com/ (http://www.freewebsubmission.com/) 50 Directories listed by Alexa Rank.
www.grackelfish.com/ (http://www.grackelfish.com/) is a directory of topical and general directories.
dir.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/Searching/Directories/ (http://dir.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/Searching/Directories/) Google Directories.
www.helpwebmaster.net/submit/ (http://www.helpwebmaster.net/submit/) Help Webmaster Directory & Search Engines List.
www.indn.org/ (http://www.indn.org/) Network of Independent Niche Directories.
www.internetsubmissions.com/Directory/ (http://www.internetsubmissions.com/Directory/) internet directory list.
www.internet-search-engines-faq.com/submit-url-free-directory.shtml (http://www.internet-search-engines-faq.com/submit-url-free-directory.shtml) is a very very long URL, er list.
www.isedb.com/html/Web_Directories/ (http://www.isedb.com/html/Web_Directories/) is a good list of over 1000 web directories.
www.katakombe.com/thebestwebdirectories/ (http://www.katakombe.com/thebestwebdirectories/) links to free/fee web directories on the Internet.
lifeofawebsite.com/pr/directories/ (http://lifeofawebsite.com/pr/directories/) Lifeofawebsite Directories.
www.overthemark.com/seoblog/item/11/ (http://www.overthemark.com/seoblog/item/11/) Tayan's bloged free web directories.
www.pheedster.com/directories.php (http://www.pheedster.com/directories.php) PHEEDSTER's Long Directory List
www.pinoysites.org/web/index.php?cat=1 (http://www.pinoysites.org/web/index.php?cat=1) PinoySites.org Directories and Search Engines.
www.platinax.co.uk/webmasters/articles/6/ (http://www.platinax.co.uk/webmasters/articles/6/) Brain Turner's Best Directories.
www.quantawebdesign.com/searchengines.html (http://www.quantawebdesign.com/searchengines.html) Quanta Webdesign Search Engines & Directories.
www.rankingdirectories.com/ (http://www.rankingdirectories.com/) directory of directories.
www.search-engines-2.com/search-engines.html (http://www.search-engines-2.com/search-engines.html) search engines & directories.
www.searchenginedev.com/[/color] (http://www.searchenginedev.com/page.asp?CategoryID=4&Category_Name=Directories) Directory for developers.
www.socengine.com/c/cl/internet-www/directories/ (http://www.socengine.com/c/cl/internet-www/directories/) 50 Directories listed by Alexa Rank.
www.seo-help.org/directories/ (http://www.seo-help.org/directories/) Over 200 SEO Friendly Directories.
www.seopros.org/search/dirlist.asp (http://www.seopros.org/search/dirlist.asp) Directory of Directories.
www.seroundtable.com/archives/001402.html (http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/001402.html) SE Roundtable's List of Free Directories.
www.spheri.ca/directories.html (http://www.spheri.ca/directories.html) Spheri.ca Directories.
www.strongestlinks.com/directories.php (http://www.strongestlinks.com/directories.php)list of directories with PR, Alexa ranking & info.
www.tipsntutorials.com/Top-Directories/ (http://www.tipsntutorials.com/Top-Directories/[/color]) Tips N TuTorials Top direcTories.
info.vilesilencer.com/main.php?rock=seo-friendly.php (http://info.vilesilencer.com/main.php?rock=seo-friendly.php) SEO friendly list of over 165 free web directories.
www.webworldindex.com/members.html (http://www.webworldindex.com/members.html) Search Engines and web directories.

Ok I am going to put my list 19 best directories here and then I will link to here so I am not dropping them all over the place. These 19 directories will give you up to 87 links and only 5 of them will not be keyword rich. These are the one you want to be in! Only $570.

http://sbd.bcentral.com/ ($50yr) 10 links - 9 keyword rich titles - PR7
http://www.octopedia.com/ ($13) 8 links - 7 keyword rich titles - PR2
http://www.worldsiteindex.com/ ($14) 6 links - 6 keyword rich titles - PR4
http://www.abilogic.com/ ($13) 6 links - 4 keyword rich titles - PR5
http://www.uncoverthenet.com/ ($69) 5 links - 4 keyword rich titles - PR7
http://www.wowdirectory.com/ ($20) up to 6 links - up to 6 keyword rich titles - PR6
http://www.allwebdirectory.com/ ($40) up to 5 links - up to 5 keyword rich titles- PR4
http://www.sevenseek.com/ ($40) - 1 deep link per sub - multi subs - PR7
http://www.site-sift.com/ ($35) – 1 deep link per sub - multi subs – PR6
http://www.platinax.co.uk/directory/ ($19) - 1 deep link per sub - multi subs - PR6
http://www.wowyellowpages.com/ ($20) up to 6 links - up to 6 keyword rich titles - PR4
http://www.biz-directory.org/ ($40) up to 5 links - up to 5 keyword rich titles - PR6
http://www.allthebizz.com/ ($15) up to 4 links - 4 keyword rich titles - PR5
http://www.elib.org/ ($65) up to 4 links - 4 keyword rich title - PR7
http://www.bigall.com/ ($10) 2 links - 2 keyword rich titles - PR6
http://www.findhound.com/ ($15) up to 4 links - 4 keyword rich titles - PR5
http://www.haabaa.com/ ($48) up to 4 links - 4 keyword rich titles - PR4
http://www.indexunlimited.com/ ($29) up to 5 links - 5 keyword rich titles - PR5
http://www.smallerbizz.com/ ($15) up to 4 links - 4 keyword rich titles - PR4

Sorry, but it really needs to be interjected for the benefit of members.

Please check those all out carefully to see if they'll help rankings. And use discretion, because word out on the street is that it isn't too good an idea for Google to have too many links added all at once, particularly if the neighborhoods are in any way questionable.

Marcia: "And use discretion, because word out on the street is that it isn't too good an idea for Google to have too many links added all at once, particularly if the neighborhoods are in any way questionable."
Number one directories are not neighborhoods that are in any way questionable. Directories are a good thing to add you site to. I would also note that adding to 19 directories and picking up 87 links is not to many links at once even for a new site with no links.

I would how ever suggest that you find a good link of all the paid directoires and make sure that you are not adding your site up to directoires that have a penalty on Google. 2 of the sites in this list appear to have a penalty. One has dropped from a PR5 to a PR3 on the home page (other pages are still PR4) and one site has droppped from a PR5 to a PR0.

The above list is taken from my site and the list there is more up to day. I remove sites from it that appear to have a Google penalty. You can find my list at the domain below my handle above.

"Please check those all out carefully to see if they'll help rankings."
Any directory that you get a link from that is not under a penalty or a ban, has the page that you get you link from in the index of the search engines, and is not using a javascript redirectory will help move traffic to your site by way of click thoughs and rankings.

Marcia: "And use discretion, because word out on the street is that it isn't too good an idea for Google to have too many links added all at once, particularly if the neighborhoods are in any way questionable."
Number one directories are not neighborhoods that are in any way questionable. Directories are a good thing to add you site to. I would also note that adding to 19 directories and picking up 87 links is not to many links at once even for a new site with no links.
well, if you were a search engineer, would you find the following quote impressive?
These 19 directories will give you up to 87 links and only 5 of them will not be keyword rich. These are the one you want to be in! Only $570.

Number one directories are not neighborhoods that are in any way questionable. Oh, I beg to differ! Just because it has the name "directory" on it means nothing - those can be a bad neighborhood just like any other sites, and MANY of them most certainly are.

Directories are a good thing to add you site to. No, not necessarily, just because they say they are a "directory" - that is a broad generalization that lacks discretionary judgment. It may be a "good thing" for the people in the business of selling text links, but that does not mean it's a "good thing" for the unwary people parting with their cash to be listed and subsidize the operations, underwriting their existence. Yes, good directories are certainly a good thing - but not all directories are good.

Some certainly are not, not at all - which is *exactly* why I posted; I felt obligated to warn people to check them out thoroughly before jumping in and doing themselves more harm than good.

I would also note that adding to 19 directories and picking up 87 links is not to many links at once even for a new site with no links.Is that a FIRM guarantee, based on a thorough study of exactly what the factors are that are causing sites to be "sandboxed" - one of which is thought to be too many links at once that seem un-natural? Hey, how natural is that for a site that isn't out on a link-buying spree?

Posted by seobook:
well, if you were a search engineer, would you find the following quote impressive?

>>>Quote:
Originally Posted by bobmutch
These 19 directories will give you up to 87 links and only 5 of them will not be keyword rich. These are the one you want to be in! Only $570.<<< end_quote
Well, how about that? Would a search engineer be impressed? Or would he or she think that the webmaster had been out on a link-buying spree? How do search engines feel about linking programs conducted for the purpose of inflating rankings? What do their webmaster guidelines say? How impressed would they be with that "only $570" figure?

BTW, you can get a whole lot of anchor text-rich links in a few months without spending a dime if you know how. Free is *much* less than $570. There's a knack to it, but it's certainly do-able for any halfway-decent SEO.

Very good post yet again Aaron! Chalk another one up for you, for getting right to the crux of the matter.

bobmutch:
"Please check those all out carefully to see if they'll help rankings."Bob, please!! Give us a break! Here I am, in good faith and with genuine concern trying to warn people not to jump in blindsided and hurt themselves, and there you are, trying to give me a sales pitch?

Marcia: "Oh, I beg to differ! Just because it has the name "directory" on it means nothing - those can be a bad neighborhood just like any other sites, and MANY of them most certainly are."
I didn't state they couldn't be a bad neighborhood as I clearly noted that 2 of the said directoires had a penalty. I was refering to your statement that to be appeared to be indicating that directoires are a bad neighborhood. Your statement to this effect, if that is what you mean was wrong.


"No, not necessarily, just because they say they are a "directory" - that is a broad generalization that lacks discretionary judgment. "
Again it think it was clear that that statement was a generalization as I noted that not all directories are good and noted that the list had to 2 that were under a ban. I don't thiknk that statment lacked discretionary judgment although althought it would appear that the taking it for more than it was mean is lacking discretionary judgement.

It may be a "good thing" for the people in the business of selling text links, but that does not mean it's a "good thing" for the unwary people parting with their cash to be listed and subsidize the operations, underwriting their existence.
I was refering to that people that add there sites to directories, it is a good thing for them.

Some certainly are not, not at all - which is *exactly* why I posted; I felt obligated to warn people to check them out thoroughly before jumping in and doing themselves more harm than good.
I would agree with that as I pointed out that I would not add a site to 2 of them that are in the list and I noted the reason.

Is that a FIRM guarantee, based on a thorough study of exactly what the factors are that are causing sites to be "sandboxed" - one of which is thought to be too many links at once that seem un-natural? Hey, how natural is that for a site that isn't out on a link-buying spree?
A firm guarantee from who. URL the study that that state less than 100 links to a new site or to any site is going to uneffect them naturally. I would hardly think that 87 link are to many links to get at once but would be willing to look at only studies that you can fine that clearly state that.

Well, how about that? Would a search engineer be impressed? Or would he or she think that the webmaster had been out on a link-buying spree? How do search engines feel about linking programs conducted for the purpose of inflating rankings? What do their webmaster guidelines say? How impressed would they be with that "only $570" figure?
There are a number of reasons to puchase placements in directories. Click though traffic, it brings the search bots to your site, and it also helps with rankings. I see no problem with new or other wise sites adding up their sites to directories.

BTW, you can get a whole lot of anchor text-rich links in a few months without spending a dime if you know how. Free is *much* less than $570. There's a knack to it, but it's certainly do-able for any halfway-decent SEO.
Time is money, money is time. If your to busy closing sales and making money you can have some one else promote your site. If you have lots of time on your hands that means you may have time to promote your site. Most people that are going places don't have time to promote their own site.

Personally I think one of the best places to start with a site promotion is directories. Again if you have lots of time on your hands add them up yourself, if you don't have some one else do it for you. There are lots of directory submission services out there. Which every way you go you are going to spend money or time. It up to you. Many people that know what they are doing just don't have time to do it themselves.

Bob, please!! Give us a break! Here I am, in good faith and with genuine concern trying to warn people not to jump in blindsided and hurt themselves, and there you are, trying to give me a sales pitch?
Sorry Marcia, perhaps I misread what you trying to say. There is no sales pitch there at all. I posted a resource, I noted its value but as I have already confessed it was not a fully rounded statement.

But I still hold that directories are not a bad neighborhoods in general. That adding up your site to directoires is a good thing. It brings click though traffic, gives you links that will bring the search engine bots to your site and yes it gives you higher rankings in the search engine.

Aaron: well, if you were a search engineer, would you find the following quote impressive?
Well I am not trying to hide anything. I am up front. There are a number of reasons to add to a directory. One is click though traffic, another is to give links to your site so the search engine blogs will crawl your site and the other is to increase you rankings. Any one that tries to disguise that is being less that honest. We all know why we get links on directories, I am just willing to say it.
Is a search engineer going to have problems with this statement. I would have to admit that some would. It was rather an unguarded statement I will admit. I should have noted the other reasons for adding your site to the directories at the same time. Thanks for pointing that out. I will make a point of being more rounded : )

Myabe the value of small directories is about to change ... check out DaveN's post and observations here: http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=6642

whats stopping someone just scraping and building directories, using the same footprint :)

DaveN

added oops they all ready have ;)

But I still hold that directories are not a bad neighborhoods in general. Let's clarify the concept a little bit. There are some that are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, visibly identifiable as being part of linking "networks" - either networks of likeminded directories interlinked and cross-linked with the same business model in mind, or quite visibly as SEO networks.

Unfortunately, trying to emulate BH techniques without following the basic rule of BH, which is to stay off the radar, isn't what so many of them are doing. Publicizing and soliciting business for them right at SEO forums, right where search engineers can and do read, is exactly the opposite - it's putting them right on the radar and it's only been a matter of time before the ships either float or sink.

That adding up your site to directoires is a good thing. It brings click though trafficOh really? And where is their traffic coming from? Surely not from the search engines in many, many cases. How I see it happening, is that the only traffic some of them can get is from being announced and publicized at a bunch of SEO forums, or cross-linked among others of their ilk.

It isn't about "clicks" - it's all about getting qualified, targeted traffic that converts.

A good, substantial, vertical directory that's well established and gets inbound traffic for the relevant keyword set will do that, but those are a far cry from many of the little directories being thrown out there daily, both independently and as part of networks, that hope to monetize by selling text adverts or footer sitewides, even though, as pointed out, in many cases they're literally undistuishable from scraper sites.

...There are some that are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, visibly identifiable as being part of linking "networks" - either networks of likeminded directories interlinked and cross-linked with the same business model in mind, or quite visibly as SEO networks.

Unfortunately, trying to emulate BH techniques without following the basic rule of BH, which is to stay off the radar, isn't what so many of them are doing....

Absolutely right on. If you look at the backlinks of even some of the good directories in this group, you can often easily trace links back to SEO and link building companies.

While I'm not sure that getting links from such directories would hurt an established site that has a lot of other good inbounds, I've been concerned for many months now as I've seen this Directory Bubble of 2004-2005 develop. I'm particularly concerned about using these directories as starting links for new client sites.

I don't want to tar the good directories in the group with the same brush as the suspicious ones, but I'm finding that it's taking an ever increasing amount of time to sort them out.

Time is money, money is time....

Precisely.... Once upon a time, you could fill out the form, pay your $5 to $299, and you'd be done. But as the directories proliferate, it's taking more and more time to do a directory submission with the care that's become necessary.

Beyond dealing with badly organized categories, incomprehensible submission guidelines, and often-broken forms, you now need to check out the site's neighborhood. That can be a daunting task.

Bob, in your list I know there are a lot of well meaning directory owners, with varying degrees of sophistication and motives. There are some good directories, and some not very good ones. I've submitted to what I thought were the best and contacted some of them, and the owners have generally been great, very eager to please. But I'm ever more cautious about submitting... cautious out of necessity, I fear, and that's a shame. I just don't want to become collateral damage in the next algo upheaval.

I wonder to myself if the webmaster community would benefit from some really deep analysis of every one of those directories on your list, and I'm not so sure. Apart from questions of possible liable, singling out the good directories might mess them up. I've often thought in my life that the avant-garde isn't so much leading as it is running away from the crowds. Ditto, cutting edge SEO might require moving on to something different.

Robert_Charlton: "Bob, in your list I know there are a lot of well meaning directory owners, with varying degrees of sophistication and motives."
One of the things I have just completed for the lists of directories is that I now scrape up the IP's of all the directories and then run a backend script that shows what directories are on same Class-C IP as other directories. Any directory that is on the same Class-C IP has its domain font color changed to red. There is also a mouseover on the CC column that will show you what other directory are on that same Class-C IP.

This shows up networks of directories, or owners of directories that own more than 1 directory and have it on the same host.

Perhaps we should ask Rand to come up with a directory checking software utility what could run a directory though a number of checks. Do they have the same inbound links, are they in dmoz and yahoo directories, are they are the same class C IP address, are they owned by the same people, etc etc etc.

Marcia: "Publicizing and soliciting business for them right at SEO forums, right where search engineers can and do read, is exactly the opposite - it's putting them right on the radar and it's only been a matter of time before the ships either float or sink."
Well if they are directly noting them as good for PR vote only, or only noting them as good for getting higher rankings only then I would have to agree. That is not wise.

But they are a business and they are offering submissions that will bring click-through traffic, links that bring the search engine bots to crawl your site and links with key word rich titles (you want the keywords in the anchor text as the anchor text is highlighted and this will attract people to the link and give you click though - highlighting the keywords that people would search to find your site is a good way to get better click through) that give you good ranking, why can't they ask for business. Why should they hide like they are doing something wrong.

I mean we all know why people are getting link on directories. Its for traffic and to get your website crawled. Some of that traffic is going to be click through, some is going to be from better search engine ranking that the links give you.

I mean should be all run around getting links and dishonestly make on we are JUST doing this for click through traffic when we all know there are a number of reasons we are doing it.

"Let's clarify the concept a little bit. There are some that are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, visibly identifiable as being part of linking "networks" - either networks of likeminded directories interlinked and cross-linked with the same business model in mind, or quite visibly as SEO networks."
I agree that there are some. This is in every group of sites. Is it in directories any more than other sites. I have not seen that.

This is one of the things that I am doing. Showing what sites are on the same Class-C IP addresses. Another way to see what is a quality site, or perhaps I shoud say what is not a quality site is by looking at the number of pages in the index. I have them also on my lists.

I will soon be adding which sites are in dmoz and yahoo, and am looking at other ways I can determine with an automated script which are the better directories.

"Oh really? And where is their traffic coming from? Surely not from the search engines in many, many cases. How I see it happening, is that the only traffic some of them can get is from being announced and publicized at a bunch of SEO forums, or cross-linked among others of their ilk."
I agree that many if not most directories are not getting their traffic from search engines. Many get it from banners or links on relevant sites. Other get some of their traffic by doing self-promotion on sites that will have traffic that is looking for directories.

"It isn't about "clicks" - it's all about getting qualified, targeted traffic that converts."
Well Marcia that is a given and that any one that is reading this thread understand at least that much. But as we all know getting convertable traffic comes from click throughs.

"A good, substantial, vertical directory that's well established and gets inbound traffic for the relevant keyword set will do that, but those are a far cry from many of the little directories being thrown out there daily, both independently and as part of networks, that hope to monetize by selling text adverts or footer sitewides, even though, as pointed out, in many cases they're literally undistuishable from scraper sites."
I agree 100%.

Here is a great article by Aaron, talking about TrustRank, quality metrics and the company we keep:

http://www.search-marketing.info/newsletter/articles/trustrank-company.htm

Number one directories are not neighborhoods that are in any way questionable. Directories most certainly DO reside in neighborhoods, easily identifiable by webmaps.

adding to 19 directories and picking up 87 links is not to many links at once even for a new site with no links.It is WAY too many all at once - sends off clear signals of excessive link churn.

Think only Teoma looks at neighborhoods and "communities"? Think again. There happened to be a tool up a few years ago that identified "reputation" - closely akin to neighborhoods and identification with communities - modeled after the one at U. Toronto - and it was specifically related to Google.

Neighborhoods and communities not used or looked at by anyone else? How about Yahoo?

Generating Web Graphs with Embedded Communities (http://research.yahoo.com/publications/18.pdf)

IMHO playing it safe is sifting through to find the wheat amongst all the chaff out there - and there really are a few good, legitimate, fine quality, beneficial ones - and using prudence and taking it slow and easy. There really are some sites that escape the "sandbox" - but getting a ton of IBLs right off is no way to even think about avoiding it.

Hint - might as well spill it:

Optimize some pages for Yahoo or MSN, it's quick and easy. Once they rank, in no time flat there are a ton of scraped pages out there with backlinks from all different IPs and C-classes.

This post by martinibuster is a must-read for anyone engaging on a link-development campaign:

http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showpost.php?p=54060&postcount=13

Marcia: "Directories most certainly DO reside in neighborhoods, easily identifiable by webmaps."
I didn't say that directories DON'T reside in neighborhoods. I did how ever state that "...directories are not neighborhoods that are in any way questionable."

When we talk about "questionable neighborhoods" [or "bad neighborhoods"] I think of adult, Rx and Gambling sites but not directories. Again web directories are NOT questionable [or bad neighborhoods].

"It is WAY too many all at once - sends off clear signals of excessive link churn."
I disagee. A entry to MS SBD itself gives you 22 links, a link to DMOZ will give you an entry with in 30 days or so, in Google Directory and all the DMOZ clones. To hold that 87 links from 10 domian is a "WAY too many all at once" is sillyness in my book.

"Think only Teoma looks at neighborhoods and "communities"? Think again. There happened to be a tool up a few years ago that identified "reputation" - closely akin to neighborhoods and identification with communities - modeled after the one at U. Toronto - and it was specifically related to Google."
Marcia I think that most people that know much about SEO/M realize that Google has the ability to map neighborhoods. Probable all 2 ways links and even triangle links also.

"IMHO playing it safe is sifting through to find the wheat amongst all the chaff out there - and there really are a few good, legitimate, fine quality, beneficial ones - and using prudence and taking it slow and easy."
Well if you have time to sifting around and investigate each site in depth fill your boots. While I am not for being careless I think there is a line where you can spend to much time analyzing sites.

"There really are some sites that escape the "sandbox" - but getting a ton of IBLs right off is no way to even think about avoiding it."
Well if you think 87 links off 10 domains is a "ton of IBLs" I don't know what to say.

My site is 11 months old, Yahoo shows 90,000 inbound links, it is a PR7, and the Alexa Ranking is 11,000, and I get 1000 to 1300 visitors a day. I am #10 on Google for the term SEO Company, and #5 and #6 for the term SEO Tools (I have not really been trying to hard to rank). I have been out of the sandbox for about 2 months. I think I currently have 1 bought link that is not permanent of which I will be dropping next month (I got it just so I could talk to the person that was selling the link), and all my other purchased permanent links are directories as far as I can remember. Although I have a reciprocal links page on my site it is a demo only and I don't do reciprocal links. I am in DMOZ, Yahoo, business.com and about 260 other directories.

I wonder where my site would be today if I though 87 links off 10 domains was "WAY too many all at once".

"This post by martinibuster is a must-read for anyone engaging on a link-development campaign:"
Good thread nice link Marcia!

When we talk about "questionable neighborhoods" (or "bad neighborhoods") I think of adult, Rx and Gambling sites but not directories. Again web directories are NOT questionable [or bad neighborhoods].Sorry, but this is not about what YOU think, it is about what the search engines think. That is totally not so, it is not what YOU think that affects people's sites, but what the search engines think that does. YES, some directories can be mapped and associated with bad neighborhoods, and some indeed ARE bad neighborhoods, and indeed are questionable.

To someone in the link selling business the perspective is no doubt totally different because that is what they TRADE in and make their profit and income from. But ask anyone whose site has been trashed for lousy linking associations or from buying a ton of links right off and ending up sandboxed for ages what good it's done them. Read no less than 1/3 of all the myriad of papers out there on identifying link spam and link spam networks and it's easy to see that discretion is needed to avoid irreparable damage.

Just to make it 100% clear Bob, this thread is not about *you* or your *ranking for your site name* out of 3K pages returned, else it certainly would not be appropriate subject matter for the forums, unless that were the express purpose of the thread as indicated by the first post - which it was not. Besides, I don't think close scrutiny, analysis and examination would be either applicable for the current topic in its present context or the subject matter of the forum in which it's posted, OR even particularly welcomed for that matter, for fairly *obvious* reasons, to be perfectly frank and forthright about it.

SO, then -- this thread is about "Directories to Submit To" according to the thread title as it reads it in its current incarnation. So how about let's stay on topic with just that and discuss just that - directories to submit to, part of which is discerning which are valuable and which are not.

The subject of the thread is "Directories to submit to."

Marcia: "Sorry, but this is not about what YOU think, it is about what the search engines think. That is totally not so, it is not what YOU think that affects people's sites, but what the search engines think that does."
Not really sure where you are coming from Marica. I am well aware it's what the search engine thinks and not about what you or I think or what you or I even think that the search engines think. I think that is a given. What do you think : )

I think though that I should have the liberity to note what comes to my mind and to the mind of most poeple when we talk about bad neighborhoods. That was the context of my comment. A directory is not considered a bad neighbothood.

I will again repeat. When you say that directories or questionable or bad neighborhoods you are wrong in my opinion. And when you say that 87 directrory links from 19 domains in one shot is "WAY to much" you are again wrong in my opinion.

"But ask anyone whose site has been trashed for lousy linking associations or from buying a ton of links right off and ending up sandboxed for ages what good it's done them."
But that is not what we are discussing. We are talking about links from directories. Provide me with one example of a site that has been "trashed" for getting links for directories. There are none. So your above comment has no bearing on the current issues being discussed.

Please define a ton of links. Are you saying 87 directory links from 19 domains is a ton of links? (per you #87 post). Are you saying getting 87 directory links from 19 domains is going to put you in the sandbox "for ages"?


"Just to make it 100% clear Bob, this thread is not about *you* or your *ranking for your site name* out of 3K pages returned, else it certainly would not be appropriate subject matter for the forums, unless that were the express purpose of the thread as indicated by the first post - which it was not."
I didn't say this thread is about my site or about me. I used my site as an example. And by the way take another look -- there are a few more pages than 3k pages returned for "seo company". I count 3.5 million. And as we both know the number of pages returned don't really matter all together. Numbers like 20k of searches recorded by Overture per month have more meaning. I gave a good example, and made a good point but it appears you missed it.

"Besides, I don't think close scrutiny, analysis and examination would be either applicable for the current topic in its present context or the subject matter of the forum in which it's posted, OR even particularly welcomed for that matter, for fairly *obvious* reasons, to be perfectly frank and forthright about it. "
I have nothing to hide on my site. You are welcome to analysis and examination my site any time you like. And I am even willing to say that with the very negitive tone I feel your last post was written in.

"SO, then -- this thread is about "Directories to Submit To" according to the thread title as it reads it in its current incarnation. So how about let's stay on topic with just that and discuss just that - directories to submit to, part of which is discerning which are valuable and which are not."
If you are calling it off topic it was you that swung it there not me : )
You may want to re-read some of your comments. It was you that ratched up the discussion on 1) questionable neighborhoods (post #76) 2) too many links at once (post #79), 3) webmaps (post #87) and so on.

All I have been doing it posting my opinion on some of your comments that I think are cleanly wrong.

Just because a site is a directory does not make it pure as the driven snow.

There are plenty of directories (at least one of them quite large and very well known) which Google considers as bad neighborhoods and thus have awarded the dreaded PR0 to them. I would not recommend linking to or listing in such directories.

IMO the title of the thread clearly includes which directories to link to and to use and thus the topic of bad neighborhoods is clearly relevant.

Mel:
>>>Just because a site is a directory does not make it pure as the driven snow.
I would completely agree. Of course this point is not, or should not be an issues cause all parties in the discuss so far admit that.

The issues is not can a direct be part of a bad neighborhood but are directories in general bad neighborhoods. The answer is clearly no.

>>>There are plenty of directories (at least one of them quite large and very well known) which Google considers as bad neighborhoods and thus have awarded the dreaded PR0 to them. I would not recommend linking to or listing in such directories.

I would agree there are a number of directories that at one time had PR and have been ether leveled a PR0 or a reducted PR. I can think of 6 just off the top of my head.

I can't say these site are bad neighborhoods but bad sites. If you are talking of the bad neighborhood of penalized sites I will agree there belong to the neighborhood by virture of have a penalty but not by virture of being a web directory.

>>>IMO the title of the thread clearly includes which directories to link to and to use and thus the topic of bad neighborhoods is clearly relevant.
I agree. I am thankful that Marica has brought up the topic of questionable neighborhoods. Thought I disagree with his position I think it is a good and profitable side issue that needs to be discussed. As is the issues of how how many links one should add at once which he has brought up also.

I think we're experiencing a communication breakdown due to differences in the use of the word "neighborhood". Bob is using it to describe groupings of sites within a particular niche, whereas Marcia and Mel are using it to describe sites which are practicing techniques that have caused or are likely to cause those sites to be penalized by the search engine.

In other words, a directory can be deemed a "bad neighborhood" (Marcia/Mel) whether or not it is a member of a "bad neighborhood" (Bob).

Could be Qwerty (what a nice easy name to type) but since Google uses the term bad neighborhood to describe sites that it does not like for some reason, I believe its best to stick to that terminology. If we are talking about a group of sites releated by topic I would call that a niche.

So would I, but look at some of Bob's posts, where he refers to neighborhoods like gambling and pharmaceuticals.

Could be Qwerty (what a nice easy name to type) but since Google uses the term bad neighborhood to describe sites that it does not like for some reason, I believe its best to stick to that terminology. If we are talking about a group of sites releated by topic I would call that a niche.

can you please clarify where it Google uses the term "bad neighborhood?" Thanks in advance.

can you please clarify where it Google uses the term "bad neighborhood?" Thanks in advance.
Don't participate in link schemes designed to increase your site's ranking or PageRank. In particular, avoid links to web spammers or "bad neighborhoods" on the web, as your own ranking may be affected adversely by those links.
http://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html

A few interesting comments here, including the quote in the first post

http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/4921.htm

Kind of explains some of the PR0 sites some are wondering about. Some, not all; there are other reasons pages are going PR0 and URL only and Supplemental.

And right here, GoogleGuy points out a graphic example of a bad neighborhood in action

http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=3279&page=2&pp=20

It's at this point that it's a good idea to dig in and see how Google determines and identifies "related sites" - there's a whole paper out there that gets into it in detail.

Don't participate in link schemes designed to increase your site's ranking or PageRank. In particular, avoid links to web spammers or "bad neighborhoods" on the web, as your own ranking may be affected adversely by those links.
http://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html

Thanks SEObook! was looking for that and I guess I should have possibly searched those guidelines :p :o

Makes a good read

Finding related pages in the World Wide Web (http://net.pku.edu.cn/~webg/papers/040309FindingRelatedpagesintheWeb.pdf)
Jeffrey Dean and Monika Henzinger

Makes a good read

Finding related pages in the World Wide Web (http://net.pku.edu.cn/~webg/papers/040309FindingRelatedpagesintheWeb.pdf)
Jeffrey Dean and Monika Henzinger

are you suggesting Google uses this? seems pretty dated, but sound. Similar to some of the work done in the TrustRank (http://dbpubs.stanford.edu:8090/pub/2004-17) study.

Marcia: "And right here, GoogleGuy points out a graphic example of a bad neighborhood in action..."
Good post. This is what I think of when the we talk about bad neighborhood.

In the above case Blair linked to about 5 or 6 sites that were very spammy and a number of them were running hidden text and links. The number of links he had to those sites were enought for him to pick up a penalty.

This is truely an example of a bad neighborhood. A group of spammy smokings sites using hidden text and hidden links.

There is no comparison between directories and the nextwork of sites that Blair linked to.

The problems that we have seen in directories that have been picking up penalties have for the most part been all using the same script (all 6 penaltize directories that I know of are using the same script). 1) There seems to be a problem with that script. 2) The other problems seems to be with directories that get a high PR.

For some time now PR clearly has not mattered in the ranking algo and people are realizing that more and more. Even I have not taken the position it means nothing at all except to those that have directories, or who are doing link rentals, or are baseing the value of offered reciprocal links on PR.

The sooner non-SEO or the general public get educated on this the better it will be. I will be happy to see the day when people look at PR like they look at meta keywords. It will be better for us all and for the SEO community and for real directories.

When non-SEO's learn how to gage directories the right way instead of how much PR their home page or categories have then we will have better directories. The directories that don't rate well according to this "standard", what ever that many be, will disappear or do little or no business.

>>>A few interesting comments here, including the quote in the first post.
Marcia the posters in that thread seem to hold that inbound links from bad sites can't hurt you.

qwerty: "I think we're experiencing a communication breakdown due to differences in the use of the word "neighborhood". Bob is using it to describe groupings of sites within a particular niche, whereas Marcia and Mel are using it to describe sites which are practicing techniques that have caused or are likely to cause those sites to be penalized by the search engine."
It can be used both ways. A bad neighborhood can be made up of sites with a certian pratice or sites on a certian theme. Marcia to me seemed to be saying that directories are a questionable or bad neighborhood based on the fact that they are a directory. Or at least that was what I got. I was pleading that they are not. Not like gambling, pills, or porn bad neighborhoods, based on the theme of the site.

Gambling, Pills and Porn are not bad neighborhoods at least the way Google uses the term neighborhoods.

Bad neighborhooes as Google sees them ( and I really see no need to invent a new definition and further confuse the issue) are sites which are in some way in serious violation of Googles guidelines.

heres another free one to add:
http://www.wakweb.com

Marcia and Mel are using it to describe sites which are practicing techniques that have caused or are likely to cause those sites to be penalized by the search engine."Or be a worthless waste of time and/or money - and more.

It can be used both ways. A bad neighborhood can be made up of sites with a certian pratice or sites on a certian theme. Let's not reinvent vocabulary. Let's go back to what IR people say and write, and try to see things how it looks from their viewpoint and how they decsribe things - because they are the ones who design and implement the algorithms.

Marcia to me seemed to be saying that directories are a questionable or bad neighborhood based on the fact that they are a directory. Just because something is called a "directory" means absolutely nothing at all.

Sites being related by themes are one thing - that is a concept related to identifying "web communities." That is a whole lot different than being related by association through hyperlink patterns with sites that are doing things that we're specifically told NOT to do in the search engine guidelines.

And it's also a whole lot different than being "associated" by hyperlink associations with sites that are obviously engaged in practices that most of us who have been around for a while wouldn't dream of, and who can visibly be seen to be involved through hyperlinking to sites most of us wouldn't dream of linking to from our own sites.

And YET - innocents who don't know better can indeed be related through hyperlnk analysis to sites they wouldn't dream of having anything to do with if they had half a clue and realized it was happening.

The safest course is to know what kind of metrics the search engines look for and rank by for hyperlink analysis for ANY link on ANY page. Sites need to be evaluated by what the IR people say - regardless what kind of label any site decides to put in it front page and call itself.

Yes, I'm saying that a LOT of what are called "directories" are bad to be associated with. Forget the labels and forget the bickering. It's because of the kind of linking patterns they're involved in, and having gone through many of the sites on many of those lists, seeing what types of sites some are mapped to and related to by hyperlinks - that no doubt the search engines have the internal tools to identify and detect with a simple push of a button.

I really see no point in this going on and on and on. All the information is out there for people to research how to evaluate links AND how to recognize good and bad linking practices and patterns.

That's what people need to do. It seems fruitless to debate on and on and on - the lists are out there, let people look and evaluate, and educate themselves what to look for, and judge each and every site not by what it calls itself by how it matches up to quality standards. And they can decide for themselves - and be responsible for their own decisions.

Don't know about anyone else, but IMHO this has far outlived the original topic of the thread. People have been advised to read other threads and posts and papers pointed to. So there it is, now people can do what they want with it.

Thanks to everyone for sharing, everyone knows where to look. Now, it's about time to put it to rest and call it a wrap.